having pondered this a great deal, i think it's quite simple:
if you care about the way WHATEVER you listen to (music / podcasts / John Cage 4:33 ;-) ) sounds, you are an audiophile.
It doesn't matter if you buy a $20,000 DAC, or even anything at all. If you care, you're in the club. It's not about what you own, your scientific expertise, or anything. It's about appreciating that sound can be something that has qualities that can be pleasingly improved.
if you care about the way WHATEVER you listen to (music / podcasts / John Cage 4:33 ;-) ) sounds, you are an audiophile.
It doesn't matter if you buy a $20,000 DAC, or even anything at all. If you care, you're in the club. It's not about what you own, your scientific expertise, or anything. It's about appreciating that sound can be something that has qualities that can be pleasingly improved.