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What Does It Take to be an Audiophile?

What are the defining characteristics of an audiophile? The term gets used a lot, but there seem to be a lot of different meanings as it gets used and it often leaves me wondering exactly who is being referred to by the term. So, which of the following characteristics are most important and which are least (including irrelevant) with respect to being a card-carrying audiophile:

Amount of time per week (or month) spent listening to music.

Amount of time per week (or month) spent exclusively listening to music on a dedicated "high-end" system.

Cost of the person's system. Would this be as a ratio of yearly income, an absolute amount or some other measure?

An attained skill level at listening differentiation in the music recreation process.

Size of the person's software library.

Appreciation of certain forms of music. Is it possible to be an audiophile who listens to 90% classic rock and the rest heavy metal?

Attendance of live music performance.

Ability to play an instrument personally

Amount of time spent on equipment research and experimentation in the pursuit of better music recreation.

Amount of space dedicated to the pursuit of music recreation in the person's home.

I'm sure there are others - I'd love to hear them, as well as your opinions on which of the above are the most important, which are unimportant. There are many threads where I think a more common understanding of this term would aid the conversation. -Kirk

kthomas
abstract7
541 posts
 
I don't think there are any equations that would say whether or not you are or are not an audiophile. I think a quote from "the Matrix" sums it up: "It's kind of like being in love, no one can tell you if you are or you aren't, but YOU know it, through and through."
whatjd
1,139 posts
 
Passion, compassion, your own sense of self,.....and cash..
dbw1
173 posts
 
Yeah, it's like trying to define art. Good luck. I suppose a loose definition that describes my personal experience of our hobby would somehow involve the characteristic of appreciating differences in sonic quality. To me, actual time spent listening or researching isn't essential. We run across this problem in trying to define mental illness, or any particular mental illness. It usually turns out to be impossible to accurately delineate either necessary or sufficient symptoms in any construct, be it depression, schizophrenia, or audiophilia. I personally think it's because the constructs are just that, only models we use to describe phenomena which aren't really there. I'd love to hear what people think about this construct though.

Abstract7, great quote. I just love that darn movie. I think it represented cinematic excellence. Of course, many SELF-DEFINED movie 'experts' (cinemaphiles?) think it's junk...
garfish
1,840 posts
 
Hi Kirk; I just looked up "audiophile" in Webster's New World Dictionary, which is used by the Associated Press. An audiophile is "a devotee of high fidelity sound production, as from recordings". There is no synonym. Interestingly, the definition says nothing about music, but I think maybe that's implied. However, this definition does seem to exclude any consideration of live music.

I would score high on just about all the factors you mention above, but I think maybe the "official" definition is too limiting for me, ie I want to be a "music lover" too. And yes you can be an "audiophile" who listens to just Classic Rock and Heavy Metal, IMO, eg last night I was listening to Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band at high volume through a $40K system and it was great.

To me it's about my favorite music played through as good a system as I can put together, and that doesn't necessarily mean the most expensive. But I think it must probably be conceded that high-end audio is generally expensive. Cheers. Craig
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
Have money (spare cash) and be a little crazy. Either single or have an understanding spouse is also a plus.
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