1st Impression, Join the Forum?

@kennyc 

thanks for that, 

I think everyone knows how thankful I am that I joined back in 2019, and everything I have learned and gained from members here just keeps adding up.

I also snuck my contact info and gained 4 friends and we listen together, go to places together, ... I shouldn't need to feel like a thief to meet someone here.

That's the base of why I want to be proud of the forum, and why I started this.

My first impression of these forums is there are a lot of fake audiophiles who don't really know anything about this hobby or the science of sound in general. Many folks simply fall back on marketing jargon and spew ignorance like expensive speaker cables or power cords change sound. I don't think they're the most prevalent on here, but they are definitely the loudest. And those type of fake audiophiles are part of the reason this hobby is dying. 

My first impression of these forums is there are a lot of fake audiophiles who don't really know anything about this hobby or the science of sound in general. Many folks simply fall back on marketing jargon and spew ignorance like expensive speaker cables or power cords change sound. I don't think they're the most prevalent on here, but they are definitely the loudest. And those type of fake audiophiles are part of the reason this hobby is dying
 

I feel the exact same way, but then I drink a cup of coffee, go on a run or tend to the garden, maybe play fetch with the dog early in the morning, and then I feel all is well in the world. It’s weird how fresh air and staying off the internet can provide a different perspective. 

@toro3 I can't agree more. Locking oneself away in a room with audio equipment and becoming an assessor as a lone individual does not bear fruit that has sustenance that is good to be shared.

Added to the loner audiophile is the outside world being discovered through different platforms, i.e, commercial orientated audio sites or forums. This only results in deprived experiences and further influential steering towards cultivating a fruit that is not ripening.

Changing a lifestyle and a perspective goes a long, long way to create a new enthusiasm; the mundane can't prosper when positivity is the cornerstone.

Getting out takes individuals into new spaces, and new encounters are a certainty. There is history written where an individual entering an unusual environment encountered another individual, with the result being new ideas, of which changes took place for design that became the Industry objective.

@squared80 The audiophile attitude, which is influenced by the activities practised from the 50s through to the past decade, is near extinction. There are now billions of humans interested in musical encounters as a result of using designs that are electronic. Most audio systems seen in use today are battery-powered and create no inconvenience when using their very attractive portability. 

Portable Audio Systems will soon have the highest-quality audiophile Earsets and Buds, which in many cases will supersede the traditional headphones seen as the high-end designs for listening.

In the current audiophile experience, I am indulged in socialness on both sides; I encourage music encounters the 'Old Way'; I get weak-kneed about an engineering or electronics project I am being introduced to. Also, I am an audio club member who socially participates as host to guests or am a guest at audio-related arranged meetings. Today, I have been in email correspondence with 12 Audio Group members who are expressing their interest in information that has been distributed.

As an accurate description, more people than I have ever had in a social circle in traditional audio are communicating with me about music and their methods selected to create a musical encounter for entertainment. These individuals, who are a small cross-section of the billions referred to, I can state without any concerns, are putting in more daily listening time per person than anybody ever has who would qualify as an enthusiast. 

Take a look: "Global paid music streaming subscriptions surpassed 830 million in 2025, representing a steady march toward the one-billion-user milestone. When factoring in ad-supported and bundled free accounts, total monthly active users across all major platforms cross the 2.5 billion mark globally". 

 "Fauna most likely to survive a global catastrophe are small, adaptable, and highly resilient organisms that can endure extreme conditions, allowing them to outlast mass extinctions". 

Are not the current users of battery-powered portable audio devices the equivalent of: "small, adaptable, and highly resilient organisms that can endure extreme conditions"    

No.