Why Don't More People Love Audio?

if enjoyment of music is the basis for our hobby, a modest stereo system, costing under $1000 is sufficient.

i believe many feel that a $200 personal stereo can provide all the "sound" that a person needs to enjoy music.

A lot of people love music, but simply do not listen critically to the quality of the playback. As audiophiles, we require the best quality playback - within our budgets - to enhance our enjoyment of the music and assembling our playback equipment is part of the enjoyment. It's a hobby for us. Most, however, can get the same enjoyment from music by listening over a car radio or boombox. For example, I cannot understand why someone would buy a Rolex watch, when a $10 Timex does the same job. I can afford a Rolex, I just don't see the point.

Hitman,
I like the "near CD quality" sticker! Figure, CD was hyped as "perfect sound, forever" so "near CD quality" must mean "almost perfect sound, for a long time".
You gotta love marketing.

Just noticed, this thread's got legs. Started on 01/02/01!

hi cruz123:

you make a good point. if most people can enjoy music in the car or by listening to a boom box, why spend more ?

enjoyment of music is not dependent upon sound quality.

the purpose of trying to attain excellence of reproduction is to appreciate the beauty of the human voice and the timbre of instruments.

thus there is a dichotomy--sound quality and music appreciation. sound quality is not a necessary condition for enjoying music.

i see three types of audiophiles, gear fanatics, compulsive chasers of accuracy and aesthetic appreciators of the sound of instruments.