What is an audiophile? Are you an audiophile?

An audiophile is a person who has a reference sound for music that represents their most enjoyable listening and attempts to get as close to that reference when reproducing music electronically.  For me, the sound of acoustic instruments and human voice live is my reference. My goal is to come as close to reproducing that sound as possible with equipment I can afford to buy.

Others may have difference reference sounds. That is purely subjective.  The key for an audiophile is the quest for reproducing music that meets that reference.

If I hear a component on my system that makes a noticeable increase in the sound toward my reference, the question I ask is whether the cost of that component justifies the change it will make.  A $5,000 cartridge may make a significant difference in the sound, but is beyond what I am willing to spend to get that difference.  

millercarbon

12,415 posts

No. I am not an audiophile. I am the audiophile.

I won't be drawn on that, but I do wonder why the absence?

my main criterion when evaluating anything audio is “does this increase my enjoyment of the music being played?“

nice troll @pedroeb 

The heavyweight slugfest between music lovers and audiophiles! lol

You might be an audiophile if...

...you know "Keith Don't Go" but you don't know who Keith is. 

There's a spectrum most of us are on, in differing ratios...from pure music lover (doesn't particularly care what they're listening on, but cares a lot about the music, and maybe plays an instrument)... to pure gear audiophile (who loves gear,  has no discernible musical taste besides finding pieces that demonstrate the awesomeness of their gear, and maybe knows electronics, maybe not).

I am definitely on the music lover side of the 50 yard line on the spectrum.  The audiophile gear hobby is a significant part of my life too but music is the bigger concern. I'll overpay for the right record, and I bargain hunt like a miser while gear shopping.

My system is high end sonically, but it's meant to facilitate the emotions I feel from the music. So on the spectrum, I'm probably 60/40, music lover/audiophile.

You can take away my system and leave me with a Bluetooth speaker but you can't take away my music.