How do you explain audiophiles to your friends?


I’ll start.

I tell them go to their local hardware store and get two gallons of white paint.  But in one gallon add a drop of eggshell colored paint.

Paint half a wall with each.

A person who thinks they might be able to see a difference is a budding audiophile.      The person who sees a night and day difference is THE audiophile.

😉

128x128audiodwebe

A person that considers themselves an audiophile is an andiophile and NO ONE has a say so in that,  but that person. Usually the person that puts stock in what someone else thinks about them has a wrong approach in my opinion to what an audiophile is. A person who is in the persuit of high quality sound reproduction.

You don't have to own gear... Master M is a great example of just what an Audiophile is acording to "The world according to the oldhvymec". Low cost or high cost solutions to YOUR high quality sound reproduction.. Not someone else's. It's a personal endevavor. I suppose you can show the world.. The problem is world with smash and grab dipweeds, who are audiothieves, not audiophiles.. 

Merry Christmas

Regards

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Read the OP again, Dave. The dwebe confused audiophiles with videophiles.

I do not. But I do let them hear my stereos, and if they have any interest at all, they figure it out. The hobby stands on its own, based on merit.

I just point them to some YouTube reviews and suggest they check out a few if they want to be amused by some serious geekism...  Nothing wrong with geekism, of course, I tend that way myself - I just can't talk about it as well as many of the YouTube guys... 

Everyone has hobbies.  When hobbies last for years they are addictions  I for one have the addition and an happy with it.  Just saying.  By the way the friend has their addiction or they have never explored life.  The saying around my house is “If not now then when”.  Enjoy life, do what works and spurge with those things that make you happy! 

That's interesting MC seeing is believing. I'm glad it's not a taste or smell thing..

I HEAR you.. :-)

I didn't quite get the EGGSHELL thing either. I thought that was a drop of yellow and green in a white base paint.. Eggshell!

I got the "CALL" my preamp is fixed, "They Think", boy that made me feel great. "They Think". I said keep it for a week and MAKE SURE!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone

Regards

 

to me audiophiles are music lovers who acquire and use high quality equipment to reproduce really good sounding music in their private spaces for an immersive experience (be it in their abodes, work spaces, even inside their heads)

that some audiophiles get in real deep, get obsessive, go over the top, etc etc. is incidental to what the basic, good-feeling pursuit is about - even though people here on this forum seem to pick on and accentuate that negative aspect (such as the op here)

as hobbies, passions, and addictions go, there are much worse in life, much more expensive, much more damaging, to self and those nearby, than this one centered around loving music and the gear that makes the music

merry xmas to all, everyone stay healthy and safe

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I can't, as they don't understand any of it. Friends, family, work colleagues.

 

I usually end up (with any of my equipment) saying "it's supposed to..."

 

I'm not Robert

An idea of some of the things people didn’t/don’t understand

 

When CDs came in and I still used vinyl...

When home theatre systems were popular, and I remained two channel...

When CD players had an inbuilt Dac, and mine was seperate...

When any of my cables cost more than $50...

When I bought fuses...

When MP3s were everywhere, and I wanted CD quality...

When I got my 5th Gen iPod modded by Vinnie at Red Wine...

When I had Tidal, and everyone else had Spotify...

Why I want to stream instead of use Bluetooth...

What do you need linear power supplies for...

Shumann Resonators do what?...

What is that tape? Fo.Q Tape...

 

Not sure how to explain my network switch...

 

I explain it this way:

Audiophiles love sound enough to slow down, pay attention, learn to make discriminations with ear and word, and then seek to manipulate their experiences to aesthetics ends, often but not exclusively in the service of musical content.

The wine lover learns to appreciate wine then seeks out a variety of novel and better wines.
The art lover learns to appreciate art then seeks out a variety of novel and better arts.
The sound lover learns to appreciate sound then seeks out a variety of novel and better sounds.

What’s different about the sound lover is that their level of interaction with the components of their love-object is far greater than the wine and art lover.

In that sense, audiophiles are like chefs who love food and cook for themselves. They are sommeliers of sound.

Short version: "Audiophiles are chefs of sound who cook for themselves."

...that those are such crazy ppl that could pay hundredz of bucks per bag of rocks if it changes sound or those that would buy $20,000 speaker wires that they need to 'cook' first.

 

"I can't, as they don't understand any of it. Friends, family, work colleagues."

 

+1

 

My friend at work is a lamp cord and science guy.  He gets a kick when I tell him of the money I’ve spent on fancy “lamp” cord.

 

Short version: "Audiophiles are chefs of sound who cook for themselves."

i like that dave!  merry xmas 🌲

So, we got friends as long as we have a dog who listens, even if it is for a treat.

Audio: Sound, especially when recorded, transmitted, or reproduced.

Phile: denoting fondness for a specified thing

So an audiophile is someone who has a fondness for sound, especially when recorded, transmitted, or reproduced. So if you are reading this you are probably an audiophile or you wouldn’t be here.

Explaining it easier if your friends have similar interests but if they are truly your friends you don’t have to explain anything.

I just say it sounds better and I like it we then share a can of lubricant charge up and finish the vacuuming