Should people with no turntable or reel to reel be considered audiophiles?

Audiophiles are a dying breed. I say we admit members with smartphones and a good pair of headphones, not require they must suffer with 100 year old + technology to prove their worth. 

YES, no gear needed, just ears, one will do. Heck I had deaf cousins. They loved to dance... 

I met more than one person that their hearing went south. Stone coal deaf..

Still loved "the talk", and could give a lot of good pointers. A lot were old carpenters, mill workers.. smart bunch, most made a lot of their own stuff.

It's an attitude of seeking perfection where it varies from person to person, yet it does exist... CANI Continual and never-ending improvement. 

My 2 pennies

Regards

Good Question  ,but if I was deaf could I be an audiophile? 

Ridiculous question.

Absolutely not.  Count me out please. I'm just a guy with irrational and biased opinions.