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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
femoore12's avatar
femoore12
683 posts
 

@dabel Bravo! 
 

"Variety is the spice of life" - Paul Atreides aka "Wormy Spice"

kota1
2,706 posts
 

@tonydennison 

I dont watch movies

Try concerts, Plex is free and they have around 10 concert channels with anything and everything such as Quincy Jones QwestTV:

https://www.qwest.tv

Qello

https://qello.com

And many more.

https://www.plex.tv/tv/

 

vitussl101's avatar
vitussl101
184 posts
 

And sometimes an audiophile doesn't know that they're an audiophile.  Growing up, one of my friends in grade/ high school's dad was a stockbroker.  I think that he was earning a six figure income in 1968.  Certainly had the toys, but one thing I remember was in his study office at the back of the house he had this built in system.  The speakers were three way horns on either side of the entrance to the study(large six foot wide) with what I think were six tube amps.  I don't know any of the brands but the sound it created was fantastic.  Wide, tall, and deeeeeep.  He just liked music and never talked about the equipment.  It was so much better than anything, anyone we knew back then systems.

helomech
1,706 posts
 

There may be something to this theory. I was exposed to HiFi as a young child by my biological father and some family friends. But I didn’t have a serious interest in it until I was in my teens even though my mother and stepdad had zero interest. It sometimes does feel like it’s in the genes and I see my daughter is developing some interest. There are other bizarre traits that appear to have been inherited on my father's side, like zero fear of all herpetological creatures and an appreciation of all music genres. 

lous's avatar
lous
203 posts
 

It's a hobby. Different folks have different objectives. That some like to Barry details used to drive me crazy, but the fact is that we don't universally like a particular genre, are those who listen to classical snobs, those who listen to heavy metal or country knuckle dragging Neanderthals? The hobby is personal, that X thinks spending $300 for interconnects is crazy, and Y thinks $300 for ICs only buys garbage is irrelevant if $300 ICs make the buyer content. Respect the opinions of others because this is all just opinion based, and ones opinion for what pleases themselves is just fine. When it comes down to personal preference and either choice hurts no one, there is no universal right or wrong.

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