Audio snobbery

Most reviewers don’t have the ability to correctly capture the sound signature of a component, especially the old guys with hearing degradation.

The subtler the component under review, the more he will talking about the sound of some other component in the chain with a dominant signature...(clown show).

A few can get kinda close....Zero fidelity, wave theory, jay iyagi, etc from what i’ve tested against...(watch the trend... young nerdy dudes). But, these guys don't review higher end stuff all that much.

Ignore the prose, look at some measurements, watch for glaring flaws in product design and roll the dice dude. That’s what the satisfaction guarantee return policy is for.

Reviews are for general information.  And, ever notice they are always positive in some sense?  But what does this have to do with snobbery?  The continued ridicule of high end systems and their owners is fatiguing .  Just drive down the road, and appreciate the fine autos that you deem a waste of money.  It is so easy to criticize  and say things like 'diminishing returns' or 'immense depreciation' or 'did they A/B that correctly'? etc.

People with the disposable income get the good stuff, and feel good about it, and enjoy it, and guess what?  It sounds (or drives) amazing.

Disposable income of any amount does not guarantee a positive outcome when building a stereo system. When your money is not disposable you work harder to get a result that satisfies. Taking years to build something that is by all accounts beyond your means and yet glorious to listen to is infinitely more meaningful to some of us rather than just writing a check to some music sommelier. Maybe that is just me, but I certainly never thought of anyone who does it differently as a snob.

I don’t understand any of this! If I have the money and choose to buy high end gear why is this a problem for anyone? Nobody here knows how good my system sounds and in the end I only have to satisfy myself! Nobody else needs to be concerned about how much others spend on audio gear! We all have different financial situations and budgets. This is true about ANY hobby including cars, watch collecting or anything else! Having lots of disposable income doesn’t guarantee great sound but its better than not having enough money to buy nice gear! Why does this even need discussion? As far as equipment not living up to the hype. Get a loaner from a dealer or find a dealer with a Liberal return policy! As far as being an audio snob, people like their own gear and many audiophiles are older (Like me) and are pretty set in their ways when it comes to their systems. People are entitled to their own opinions. I look at this as a learning curve and I understand my audio preferences better every time I get a new piece of gear. That's part of the fun of the hobby for me. 

The audio snobbery is aimed more towards various listeners than anyone else. Folks who like warm equipment understandably discount cables and DACs, while those who seek every detail frequently belittle those liking a warmer system that hides details.

As for reviewers, I think there are some misconceptions.

"Most reviewers don’t have the ability to correctly capture the sound signature of a component, especially the old guys with hearing degradation."

A reviewer's hearing acuity is only one factor. Age-related hearing loss is common, particularly at higher frequencies, but it varies greatly from person to person. Experience gained over decades of critical listening can compensate for some limitations, while younger reviewers may have better hearing but less-developed listening skills. Neither age nor experience alone determines how useful a review will be.

The truth is that some older adults retain remarkably good hearing, and hearing tests don't fully predict critical listening ability. The ability to analyze and describe sound is a learned skill that often improves with experience.

So I would avoid implying that "old guys" are generally less reliable. A better criticism is that few reviewers—regardless of age—consistently provide sufficiently detailed, repeatable descriptions of a component's sonic character for readers with different priorities.

I have had to have frequent hearing tests for decades, and frankly, spatial cues are frequently found from high frequency harmonics and overtones. The Audiophiliac has since his youth loved Vandersteen speakers. To me earlier Vandersteens at least sound to me like speakers covered in moving blankets. He's not wrong, we just admire different qualities. 

Nor do I care to exploit, for purposes of s self promotion,  youthful reviewers general inexperience. Shall we look at conductors?

Unlike instrumentalists or singers, conductors are widely regarded as reaching their artistic peak later in life. There is no fixed age, but among musicians, critics, and orchestras, the broad consensus is:

30s–40s: Technical mastery and career building.

50s–70s: Often considered the artistic prime for many great conductors.

60s: Frequently viewed as the "sweet spot," combining decades of experience with sufficient physical stamina. One survey of the world's busiest conductors found an average age of about 62. 

70s–80s: Many elite conductors remain at or near their peak, particularly in repertoire requiring deep interpretive insight rather than sheer physical intensity. 

So, even if some or many(?) experience some hearing loss, it doesn't appear to stop their improving in their profession.

I once had a fellow talk about his generation not having held power as president and how my generation had done badly. I had to make him aware that a generation did not separate us, and that at that time my generation had not been elected to the presidency. I thought his ignorance was interesting. Morals, ethics, and fundamental beliefs, and sound temperment more than age generally determine good leadership. Having been in the military for some time I was surprised that he wasn't aware of that. Oh well, prejudices unexamined bite us all in the rear from time to time.