Cars. What does the typical audiophile drive?

I was wondering if it's "aural" too. Perhaps as Audiogoners it's both.

By both, I meant oral as the same as verbal, not the other thing.

Islandear-As I drove my gas-guzzling cargo today, it struck me what you were getting at. Guns, Germs, and Steel. Great book.

Bigamp, I just put 'em on the tee and let you guys swing away...LOL

Bigamp, btw, Diamond (Guns, Germs and Steel) is a professor at my alma mater so I'm predisposed to support him, but the crux of that particular book is hardly new. Other cultural geographers have noted that America's political/military superiority from the mid-nineteenth century to the present is due - not just primarily, but almost exclusively - to the fact that the American continent has contained the most readily available resources and that Americans have proven to be the most ardent harvesters of worldwide resources. Of course, as a result we have a slew of gas guzzlers from which to choose, not to mention the wide selection of high end audio componentry derived from those resources... As I recall, Diamond doesn't address the ecological value of solid state versus tubed electronics, though there HAS to be some connection, no?

Islandear, I think Diamond would want us to limit the number of tubeheads or transistorheads, instead of offering increasing numbers of models in each category, to ensure a longer, safer, happier future for audiophiles.