What makes / defines an audiophile ?

I guess that's why we have the America's Cup. With such a weak dollar we can't afford the airfares - so we all start boat-building to get out of here - and suddenly we are good at something. You are right, it all starts with something - in our case the love of music, or perhaps the need for music - but I suspect the next step in the logic that gets us actively involved in getting better sound is something to do with the fact that (many) men appear to want to find out how things (mechanical and electrical) work, more than (most) women do. If you could just go and buy one, and then plug it in when you get home, and get good sound, then there might be more women in this pastime. It is lamentable that good sound is not made more accessible to those who have a lesser penchant than you or I to have a play with the equipment, or room, or somesuch.. Your reference to attention deficit disorder is interesting - maybe we have learnt a kind of meditation when we listen to music, which until you have learnt it, is hard for the non-philes to relate to. I read somewhere recently that 30% of Americans surf the net while watching TV. Perhaps that Stereophile article on "The Age Of Distraction" is right. So the girls do that in the US too? Do the blokes (guys in your vernacular) all turn up after 3am when the girls have collapsed with exhaustion there too?

Well, I presume they do, I've not done that. From what I've seen on tv, it seems like they'd want to show up with some soap and wash cloth at that 3 am liason, before they "finish the date", nudge nudge! There's even this island in the Mediterranean Sea where kids these days (mostly female, it looked to me on tv), go to "party all night". They do "euphoria", or somesuch (illegal drugs are encouraged on this island), and then dance for 12 hours straight (with other girls of course), sweat like HORSES, pass out, get up the next night and do it over again...until they run out of money, that is...Of course, some DIE from it, but I guess it's worth it to them to get "MUSICAL SATISFACTION" thru frenzied and never ending "dancing" to the most annoyingly loud "boom-boom-boom music" you'll ever burst your eardrums with! BTW, Redkiwi, I agree with your thoughts on women above, and admire you for having the "lads" to voice it. I did something similar to that "back in the day" this past August, and everyone including the Audiogon staff were collectively "opening an UMBRELLA up my KEESTER", for simply voicing my opinion!!! "We'll close these forums down competely, that's what we'll do...." IT'S ALRIGHT TO HAVE AN OPINION, EXCEPT OF COURSE WHEN IT ISN'T...when it's not "politically correct" (I personally never understood the popularity of those words in that phrase, to evoke that expression, back in the 1990's...seems like Hitler came up with an expression like that, and was well liked by his followers for it). I think the DNC just resurrected it, sometime around Novemeber 1992. But then, I believe they will have no power at all for at least the next 4 years AFTER TOMORROW!!!!

Sadly I think it is in fact New Zealand that holds the cup for politically correct stupidity. I will take your advice and stay away from the woman thing (by the way are you aloud to call them women in the US? - here it is OK still, but never call them girls or ladies, or you're in big trouble). But I am part-Maori and so can get away with poking borax at the racial political correctness thing. The political correctness just ensures the Maori continue to wallow in their victim status, justifies living off the state and committing crimes against others (mainly against other Maoris). For a politician this is great market segmentation, and a great opportunity for would-be Maori leaders to rip-off their people, but noone should kid themselves that we are actually doing anything good for Maoris by ignoring the truth. Whoops, I am well off the topic - may the best man win on Tuesday! Or should that be 'better' man?

I am feeling respectful of you, Redkiwi...well said.

You're still the most fun on Audiogon Carl - good talking to ya mate!