Who has the Sickness, the Phile or the Non-phile?

I love music ...

I prefer a good sound than a bad sound with the same music...

I decided to create my own audiophile experience...

I studied and experimented with acoustic after buying a basic good system...

I succeeded ...

I lost my acoustic room... One year ago...

I decided to try to create an headphone system , if different , as satisfying as my speakers/room..

I succeeded...

I never LISTEN TO THE GEAR first and last ...

I listen to acoustic first and last and learned how to listen in the process......

Thats my secret to reach ectasy...

i am a music lover and not really an audiophile anymore because i succeeded ...

Obsession with the gear reflect often ignorance of acoustic and the way to control the soundfield in a room...

To answer your question half of audiophiles are neurotic collectors, and half of non audiophiles dont love the music enough to move their ass to  improve the sound quality... life is complex sorry... There is no smplistic answer to your question ... Even my answer is simplistic... 😊

@mahgister 

I never LISTEN TO THE GEAR first and last ...

I listen to acoustic first and last and learned how to listen in the process......

Thats my secret to reach ectasy..

+1, when you get the acoustics first and last, everything that follows is pure joy.

The love of music comes first. Then comes audio. One must be careful, especially if by nature they are anal or compulsive, otherwise ’audio’ takes over and music just becomes a means to explore audio. They no longer really listen to the music, they listen to their system. They are the real losers I think, as compared to those who love music but never get into the audio aspect. Most music lovers that I know  have simple home systems that folks here would laugh at, but they know their music, they just don’t understand or care about ’stereo’ and all its artifacts. They are happy and not neurotic, to be envied I think. :-)

I don't see it as a difference between audiophiles and non.  I see it as a difference between people who feel music is a very important part of their life and the others who don't really think about it.  The quality of the system is secondary.  Sure it's great to have a killer rig, but in the end, it's more about having music around you.  As I type this, I'm in the kitchen making Sunday dinner for the family.  My trusty Ipod in my Bose Docking Station.  The big rig comes on after dinner, but for now.....  I have music around me.  The Crusaders "Chain Reaction"  

This is not an either/or question. It's not a black and white world.