Audiophiles are individuals committed to recreating the best possible sound quality and musical experience possible. The term indicates a commitment far beyond a typical music listener. The tools include listening and acquiring exceptional listening skills, vocabulary and wide range of music experience. It includes reading reviews but seldom includes paying much attention to specification. Listening tests always trump specification. Their system is constructed and upgraded over decades in the continuous effort to improve its performance.
From those generalities there are sub-groups. There are some that attempt to recreate music with absolute fidelity, some to create the most enjoyable experience to them (maybe heavy rock as imagined they heard or wanted to when young), equipment / process fanatics (enjoy the pursuit of ever better SQ as opposed to just listening), and trying to achieve the most engaging emotional experience. And folk in between different goals.
In contrast I have met some music fanatics that collected thousands of albums and absolutely could care less what they sounded like… a transistor radio or $50 turntable system was fine. The simply liked the notes and how they were connected.
From those generalities there are sub-groups. There are some that attempt to recreate music with absolute fidelity, some to create the most enjoyable experience to them (maybe heavy rock as imagined they heard or wanted to when young), equipment / process fanatics (enjoy the pursuit of ever better SQ as opposed to just listening), and trying to achieve the most engaging emotional experience. And folk in between different goals.
In contrast I have met some music fanatics that collected thousands of albums and absolutely could care less what they sounded like… a transistor radio or $50 turntable system was fine. The simply liked the notes and how they were connected.