How Do You Live The Audiophile Life

Kef Q150s are fantastic. I just got a pair myself when they were on sale.

I’m lucky. I live in a metro area with several nice hifi dealers and have built relationships with all of them. That is part of living the audiophile life.
Don’t worry about the cost. Worry about the sound. It’s different (the sound preferences) for everyone. And that’s what makes it so neat.
It is totally realistic that you could legitimately, and I mean stone cold legitimately, prefer the sound of a component or system that costs 5x or 10x or less than something else.

It’s about the sound. That’s the audiophile life.

Back to those Kefs. I keep them in my third system along with two other sets of bookshelf speakers. Why? Because I’m odd or dorky or obsessed with “the sound” enough to want to rotate thru them and understand and appreciate and really cherish the differences. That’s the audiophile life. It’s about the sound.

One of the most important lessons is diminishing returns. Those Kef 150s are 4x less expensive than one of the other speakers in the rotation, but to me they sound 97% of the way there. Doubtless to some they would sound better (to me on some songs they do). It’s about the sound.

My first real amp as an adult twenty years ago was an NAD. It was probably one of the least expensive pieces the dealer displayed, but to me at the time it was a ton of money and I was so proud to own it. I still have it and always will. It’s about the sound.

You say you don’t know the brands. You will. 99% of the consumer crowd doesn’t know NAD. They just know what’s at Best Buy. Dude, you’re already here! Welcome! It’s about the sound.

Enjoy the sound. Enjoy learning about the sound. Enjoy recognizing when you hear even better sound, because many people either cannot or don’t care if they do. 

We care. That’s the audiophile life. It’s about the sound.

@paul6001 No credentials are needed besides a love of music and a desire to play it back with better fidelity than the average consumer.

Hi,
++++for enjoy the music and care about your gear. it's a nice journey.
Buying blind, visiting, listening, reading, learning is part of it.

Just like a little kid.  WHY?

Why do I (you) listen to music?

Do you like music?
Does the music sound the way you like?
Does it HAVE to be right?
Can you get it to sound the way you want?
Do you like to tinker, and tinker and tinker to get it RIGHT?

Are you NUTS? LOL, have to be a little off.. ok! OCD is the norm, not the exception...

The quality of the question you ask, determines the quality of the answer you receive. Quality question, Quality answers...

Enjoy it..., share it, it's fun...

Regards

The advice to listen to live music frequently and critically is foundational.   The second observation I will make is that I learned more in the first 4 months of reading the audiogon forum than I learned in 40 years of reading the magazines and visiting brick and mortar stores.  The third observation is that no one "gets is right" at first.   So, buy used, and buy items that hold their resale value.  That allows you to gain a sense of what you like without spending a fortune.  Final advice is don't ignore gaining an understanding of acoustics.  Unless you get lucky, even the best  system won't approach near its potential without attention to the listening room.