What is an Audiophile?

Someone who is willing to endure the ridicule of his family & "normal" friends for hearing the improvements caused by :
- raquetballs under CD players
- metal spikes under speakers,
- lifting cables off the carpet
- cleaning stylus with Magic Eraser
- good mono records

...I could go on all day. Cheers,
Spencer

I consider a true audiophile a music lover who values quality sound reproduction and buys products that enable him/her to reach that end. Others may have more complex definitions, but that one has always worked for me.

An audiophile is a perfectionist who is passionate about music, and secondarily about the equipment and tweaks used to replicate the musical event in their own home, not merely playing back a CD or LP.

How's that for a run-on sentence!

Speaking for only myself .........A NUT.

Jax2, I think put up a link to a series of definitions

Actually, I just put up the very simple Merriam-Webster definition, but praised Slikric3000 for the link:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=audiophile

Looks like a few good additions above too!

I like Webster's definition when it comes down to it. When in doubt, you can always initiate the secret handshake and see if it is properly returned (or look for the tell-tale brown thumb as my pal Gunbei points out). If not give one of those "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" screams like ol' Donald Sutherland and we'll all converge on the poor sot and make things right. It'll be a better world to live in once we've weeded out the unwashed masses who have no enthusiasm for a $65K turntable and 350 lb speakers! Soilent Green anyone?

Marco