Observation: Passion vs Obsession

Oh, it’s definitely a creative pursuit. Yes there are audiophiles who are just "consumers buying things". Definitely there are such people. For sure. But we judge by our highest aspirations not whatever random crap might happen along the way.

Easily the worst system I ever heard was a guy who was the epitome of a consumer buying things. In his case everything he bought was Stereophile Class A. He only bought used, and whatever was the biggest discount from new that was how he judged how good a deal it was. Total consumer mind set. Worst system I ever heard. Could hardly stand to listen to it.

They came over one night, his wife sneaks up to me and confides, "I could listen to this all night!" Because unlike him I am more than just a consumer, I am an audiophile. I love the sound. I am the furthest thing from "consumers buying things". Don’t want to have to buy anything. Do everything I can think of to avoid buying things. Route cables, lift em off the floor, plug em into special outlets, put em on springs, on and on.

The consumer, his wife can’t stand what they have. Mine, which "consumed" by the way a lot less, she loves.

The difference? One is consumerist. The other creative. Creativity rules.

Music has been around as long as there have been humans. Flutes seem to have been invented tens of thousands of years ago. Drums long before that.


I started my journey with piano lessons when I was 3 1/2. I also had a small suitcase record player (with a three  tube amp in it and a brown fuzzy platter with a manual arm) on which I used to play a pile of 78s that was a foot tall. I used to spend hours playing that thing.


Its never stopped. I think its that way for a lot of people.

Obsession = controlling 

(which is a fools errand)

And anything in the way of that obsession gets pushed aside, or pushed through.

Passion = appreciation 

Stepping back and letting it be and appreciating it for what it is, being able to leave it and take with you the memory of it and being ok with that.

Audiophile. = c RaZ y tIm E

Better, more, bigger, clearer, faster, bringing life to that which is inanimate. 
I’m an audiophile. Cray-cray for sure. But not obsessed! I’ve been obsessed in the worst way possible in the past, and that obsession took everything from me. This is more like a passionate study that involves experimentation, examination and contemplation , and as a DIY guy, I get to build stuff.

Thats just the “stuff”

Now, the music, that’s the real part of this. Being able to have someone’s performance recorded, and to be able to play a vinyl disc, a plastic disc or a lot of numbers and be able to listen to it? That soul comfort.

idle hands are the devils workshop, and I just gotta keep busy

I am obsessed by books and music...

In audio it was a passionate journey to  create my sound universe not an obsession at all...


The difference is the obsession never end and never change....But passion change and sometimes decrease or  end when the goal is reached...I read no more audio review....

I have noticed how many in this group are obsessive and I think it can destroy what we set out to do and that is destroying our passion.  I think we all need to be millionaires or be satisfied with what we have.  I am thinking about upgrading my speakers, but do I need to when you are lucky to see two speakers in a room in your neighborhood.  Where do you stop?