Just added a new piece to my audio system and while listening to the music in a musical trance by both music itself and the incredible reproduction of the products I have purchased through the years it occurred to me why do I get so much out of this hobby and yet most people I meet couldn’t care less. The audiophiles that I have met have quite a diverse background. Some are white collar and some are regular guys of the blue collar types. My question it what makes us love the accurate reproduction of the music so much more than others. I look forward to the responses.
Going back to the late 70s with friends having a few beers and smoking a bowl,or two - But not inhaling 😎 , listening to Dark side of the moon or a bit of Led Zep, King Crimson, Hendrix ,or the Doors was part of my musical growth I don’t regret one bit. I maybe older now a bit more mellower and more critical of quality sound but still love having friends over to watch a good concert , or taking requests of the classics.
Like poetry, music is « a felt change in consciousness», then it is way more than just dopamine or pleasure, music modify consciousness for the better...Good audio reproduction is only a means to this enlightenment...
For an answer to your question I think that it’s best to abandon the notion that those who care about “accurate reproduction” are necessarily better listeners and more connected with the music. It may or may not be true. Some who don’t care as much are much better and more astute listeners than some who do.
I think that in many cases it is a particular personality type that is drawn to the HOBBY aspect of it all. Some of us seek order or even perfection in many aspects of life including the act of listening to music; not everyone does. Hi fi is a hobby and I would say that to most music lovers listening to music falls into a different category; certainly not that of “hobby”. The two endeavors can coincide and live side by side as they do for many of us. However, I try to not make a necessary connection between interest in “accuracy of reproduction” and interest in music. There have been too many times over the years that I have been amazed at the level of knowledge and insight into music on the part of some who couldn’t care less about the trappings of audiophilia.
@elizabeth , Well said. The end result is a drug in the very best sense of the word.
I've always wanted to try TM or some other art that can allow me to transcend the vagaries of this life that can intrude in negative ways and more often than not, I get lost in the music and enjoy that "high" that alleviates me of those intrusions.
No idea. Just always have. Since like grade school, before ever even hearing a stereo, which my parents never had, at least not until we grew up enough to go out and buy one for them. In 3rd grade a symphony violinist came in and played for us right there in the class room. Closed my eyes and was entranced. Been that way ever since. Don't even really need that great a stereo long as the music is there. Mine of course just keeps getting better and better.
So after a good 50 years of this if forced to guess I would say its the music. At least that is the one thing that stands out. A lot of people who don't get it at all suddenly totally get it the minute you play their favorite music. People who swear they could never hear good enough to care always- ALWAYS!- do hear and care when you play whatever music it is that they love.
What this tells me is for sure there are people like me who are just gonna be audiophiles come hell or high water. For sure there must be others who are not gonna care no matter what. In between though are probably a lot who would care, only they just haven't had the right experience.
Those would be the music lover audiophiles. There are of course also the gear head audiophiles. Guess we need them too if only to keep life interesting.
We all start somewhere and for me, it's always been the precision of something made, be it a camera, a car, a watch, or a stereo. That led to the music itself, and whether it came across realistically.
That precision also guides me in art, furniture, knives, firearms, motorcycles and anything well made, including movies.
So it is with the final product of something well made in audio: the sound.
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