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


So often I find myself resenting the fact that there are only so many hours to listen to HiFi and I think of those that don't hold this resentment.

I used to think anyone who wasn't obsessive simply lacked exposure, but even though I have introduced many, I have discovered no takers.

At audiophile club meeting it seems to me that the attendees are mostly gear-heads and posers; they say "Ooo & Ahhhh" to anything presented and you can see 1 or 2, maybe 3 in the seats nonchalantly looking over in the direction of the ooo-ers and Ahhh-ers; those few get it. And before anyone is defensive because they know, lashes out that I'm this or that....I don't care. These are obviously my opinions and I'm looking for the opinions of others On The  Question  At  Hand  and not whether or not I am a deluded self important snob.

So, if it is not a lack of exposure, is it a lack of ability?

Surely we are all different, short, tall, smart, obtuse, near sighted, far sighted. Are the ears and or the brains of an audiophile just wired differently than others? Can non audiophiles just not hear what we hear?

Was it childhood exposure that caused this difference in wiring? My father had Altec Voice of the Theater horns and the accompanying gear. Was that it, being exposed to HIFi during brain development? My daughter gets it and boy was she pissed when I sold my VPI TT. I never got along with my father, but was he responsible for my affliction by introducing me to superior sound as an infant?

And, who are the sick ones, the philes or the non-philes?

 

TD

128x128tonydennison

Growing up Iam expose to the sound of Akai and Kenwood and Pioneer.At young age I know what good sound is?This influences me to love music first gear second.

I have had a few people into my room to hear the main system and they ooh and ah.  Inevitably they want to know it costs and then they roll their eyes and tell me they will stick with their 10 year old Apple Ear Buds.  Most of these people are probably worth several times my net worth.  

It is just a hobby, that's all.  People with more disposable income can indulge more, but at the end of the day it is a niche hobby.  Like most here I have others.

some chase the last 1 1/10 of 1 percent, other find their nirvana as bail on changing gear.  There are many different takes on the hobby, not unlike car nuts (like me).

1- I wish I had an audio club here I could attend.

2- Its hard to find people with these same interests.

3- It really is “For The Love of Music”

4- The gear makes this all happen…

To my surprise... my two best friends and son in law can care less about good quality sound....My two friends run Karaoke on a regular basis and my son in law says he isn't interested in that audiophile stuff. They all really like the sound of my system for the clarity but not interested in having a system themselves. I can't understand it. To be fair I let my two friends listen to some cheap but very good speakers and they went out and bought them but they say they don't listen to music much at home. It made me realize that being an audiophile is relatively rare.