What is wrong with audiophiles?


Something that has happened countless times happened again last night. Ordinary people over for a party listening to some music easily hear things audiophiles argue endlessly don't even exist. Oh, its worse even than that- they not only easily hear but are stunned and amazed at what they hear. Its absolutely clearly obvious this is not anything they ever were expecting, not anything they can explain- and also is not anything they can deny. Because its so freaking obvious! Happens every time. Then I come on here and read one after another not only saying its impossible, but actually ridiculing people for the audacity of reporting on the existence of reality.

What is wrong with audiophiles?

Okay, concrete examples. Easy demos done last night. Cable Elevators, little ceramic insulators, raise cables off the floor. There's four holding each speaker cable up off the floor. Removed them one by one while playing music. Then replaced them. Music playing the whole time. First one came out, instant the cable goes on the floor the guy in the sweet spot says, "OH! WTF!?!?!"

Yeah. Just one. One by one, sound stage just collapses. Put em back, image depth returns.

Another one? Okay.

Element CTS cables have Active Shielding, another easy demo. Unplug, plug back in. Only takes a few seconds. Tuning bullets. Same thing. These are all very easy to demo while the music is playing without interruption. This kills like I don' know how many birds with one stone. Auditory memory? Zero. Change happens real time. Double blind? What could be more double blind than you don't know? Because nobody, not me, not the listener, not one single person in the room, knows exactly when to expect to hear a change- or what change to expect, or even if there would be any change to hear at all. Heck, even I have never sat there while someone did this so even I did not know it was possible to hear just one, or that the change would happen not when the Cable Elevator was removed but when the cable went down on the floor.

We're talking real experience here people. No armchair theorizing. What real people really hear in real time playing real music in a real room.

I could go on. People who get the point will get the point. People who ridicule- ALWAYS without ever bothering to try and hear for themselves!- will continue to hate and argue.

What is wrong with audiophiles?

Something almost all audiophiles insist on, its like Dogma 101, you absolutely always must play the same "revealing" track over and over again. Well, I never do this. Used to. Realized pretty quickly though just how boring it is. Ask yourself, which is easier to concentrate on- something new and interesting? Or something repetitive and boring? You know the answer. Its silly even to argue. Every single person in my experience hears just fine without boring them to tears playing the same thing over and over again. Only audiophiles subject themselves to such counterproductive tedium.

What is wrong with audiophiles????
128x128millercarbon
What is wrong with audiophiles????

  If your talking about this audiophile, well, I don't even know where to begin.
     First, I don't even like being called an audiophile.  I think it's too snobbish and pretentious.  I prefer to refer to myself as a music/movie lover and audio/video equipment enthusiast.
     I actually have a lot of other interests and hobbies, such as archaeology, cosmetology, Nazi and meteorite hunting, reading, history, scuba diving, helicopter skiing, pina coladas, walking in the rain and knitting. 
     But my favorite pursuits are whiskey and fist fights, in that order.  First a couple belts of whiskey, then a bit of dancing for acclimation and strategery, I ask the young challenger if it's not a wee bit past his nap time, he gives me that typical stupid bewildered look which serves as a trigger for me to unleash about 8-10 seconds of lightening fast, well choreographed, endlessly practiced and ferocious bone crunching strikes that inevitably culminates in my challengers taking an extended blood soaked nap.  
     I don't even know why I enjoy this ritual so much, how it all got started, who these endless succession of challengers are, why it relaxes me so much and whether it's even legal.  Afterward, I usually say goodnight, go home and relax with my system for a couple hours, either watching a movie or listening to music, before going to bed.  I always wake up the next day feeling great, just thoroughly awesome!  
     So millercarbon, what is wrong with audiophiles?  I wouldn't know since I'm just a music/movie lover and A/V equipment enthusiast but I sometimes get the feeling I might need some help.  Sorry, I don't use cable lifters and, therefore, have no opinion on their efficacy.

Later,
 Tim
noble100,
After reading your post above, I feel closer to you now. Sorry about judging you in the past. 

In regard to "cable elevators" every audiophile knows they work best when the elevator is filled with quartz
After a couple of days of reading responses by audiophiles, I started asking myself...

"What is not wrong with audiophiles?"