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un-becoming an audiophile

Yes, the title is what is sounds like.

I remember long ago, as a boy, I used to be able to enjoy music without picking apart a track. is the bass tight? is the midrange clear and life-like? is the treble resolution spot on? What about imaging/sound stage?

Most people have this very same superpower - not being an audiophile. They can play a song from the worst earbuds, laptop speakers, or even computer speakers - and enjoy the music; even sing along. They aren’t thinking about "how it sounds" or scrutinizing the audio quality. Actually, they couldn’t care less. They can spend their time on other life pursuits and don’t feel a need to invest big money (or much money at all) in the hi-fi hobby.

Any psychologists or scientists in the building? (please no Amir @amir_asr ) since you are neither! ...despite the word "science" being in your domain name - audio science review.

Please, I beg you. Help me get away from this hobby.

Imagine - being able to enjoy all of your favourite music - while still achieving that dopamine rush, along with serotonin, and even oxytocin - the bonding hormone, which can be released while listening to songs with deep emotional messages, or love songs.

We’re very much like food critics or chefs in a sense. We want the best of something (in this case, audio) I’m sure michelin star chefs face the same thing in their own right...can’t enoy or even eat the food unless it’s up to a certain standard.

When we audiophiles want to listen to music, we often play it on a resolving system, so as to partake in a a "high-end" listening experience. We often pick apart music and fault the audio components in our system, cables etc. All of this takes away from the experience of enjoying music as a form of art/entertainment. It has been said that some famous artists don’t even own a high-end audio system.

I gained a great deal of wisdom of from the documentary - Greek Audiophile. In it, we have audiophiles from all walks of life. Their families think they’re crazy for spending all this money on audio. They say it sounds "nice" or "real" but still can’t justify it.

I think it’s all in the brain. If we can reset our brains (or me at least) I can still enjoy music without needing a great system for it.

- Jack

 

jackhifiguy
grislybutter
2,309 posts
 

@russ69 

One of my smaller systems was around $3500

Is that a little or a lot? I spent less than that on my "main" system. 

(main = only)

thyname's avatar
thyname
3,107 posts
 

One of my smaller systems was around $3500

Is that a little or a lot? I spent less than that on my "main" system. 

So what? Are there quotas as to what is appropriate amount for spending? Say you only spent $250 is your “main system “. That’s equivalent to feeding an entire village in a poor country. Does that make you evil and greedy ?

 

Your narrative is purely class warfare IMHO. 

grislybutter
2,309 posts
 

I was simply asking if $3500 was meant as an example of a little or a lot. Don't put words in my mouth, then you are just feeding your own arguments and ego, independent of what I said and meant. It has nothing to do with class warfare.

 

uncledemp
712 posts
 

If you value the things in your life over the people in your life, regardless of what it’s called, it’s careless. Doesn’t matter the focus of your materialistic obsession. When you lie about what you spend to your spouse, that’s a lack of character and disrespectful. Keep it up and you’ll have all the time you want to yourself, which, as much as it appears a badge of honor to some here, is actually easy to achieve. A knucklehead like me pulled it off..
 

If you have people in your life that you love and love you, take advantage of it, it’s the grown up thing to do. Some rich audiophiles are philanthropists and some are stingy, self centered man/woman children. Having drinks or getting high to numb yourself so you can enjoy an endeavor you don’t enjoy seems harder than finding something you do enjoy. Sorry to be a buzzkill. 

 

Maybe some young person will read this in time to sort themselves out. I wish I had learned it twenty years ago, but I was too smart then. I’m fortunate to know it now, and never been happier. I have a stereo, and listen to music, but it’s not my life. 
 

 

jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,612 posts
 

good thread, lots of participation, many terrific points raised and discussed... very broad ranging

a few patently ridiculous, thoughtless comments as well... to be expected

all this should have each of us reconsider what enjoyment in this hobby is, can be, and whether we are achieving it in how we are each going about it... that is very positive

now if you’ll excuse me, i’m going to pour a glass of chateau margaux, taste a bit of keluga reserve, light a king o denmark, spin some liberace, and celebrate the ever widening first world income disparity reported in the latest issue of the economist...

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