What is an Audiophile? Your take!

[birchoak]

I've heard some funny takes on this, uh, hobby of ours. I have a few favorites, and they are meant to be funny, not in any way detracting from this wonderful passion that we all share here on AK.

1) A music lover listens to the music; an audiophile listens to the stereo.

2) An audiophile doesn't know when to leave well enough alone.

3) Non-audiophile: why are there so many dials? Audiophile: why aren't there more dials?

How about you? What have you heard about our hobby that made you laugh or added a level of awareness heretofore unexamined?

 

[darkblue94]

I've heard some funny takes on this, uh, hobby of ours. I have a few favorites, and they are meant to be funny, not in any way detracting from this wonderful passion that we all share here on AK.

1) A music lover listens to the music; an audiophile listens to the stereo.

2) An audiophile doesn't know when to leave well enough alone.

3) Non-audiophile: why are there so many dials? Audiophile: why aren't there more dials?

How about you? What have you heard about our hobby that made you laugh or added a level of awareness heretofore unexamined?

I think that all three of the above statements are laughable and at least as wrong as they are right. They describe more accurately what is known as a "technophile" than they do an audiophile.

 

[birchoak]

Maybe I've misdiagnosed myself!

 

[Northwinds]

An audiophile is someone who's stereo is worth more then their car LMAO!!!

 

[birchoak]

HA! That's one!

 

[Condorsat]

Munich 2018 in a "Tim the Toolman" kind of way (21:00 in video) 500 pounds, takes 4 guys to bring it into your house in a crate… grunt.

 

[VINTAGEO]

Uncontrolled desire for audio perfection!! whether through sound, components, or both..
There is no known cure..

 

[JMiP]

Now, these guys are *audiophiles*! (link goes to Youtube video)

 

[Kreshna]

Back in 2007, I didn't know jack about audio. I had forgotten everything dad told me about audio. Nonetheless I was (and still am) a computer geek, and the hottest PC multimedia speaker system at that time was Logitech Z-5500. Yet, I was very disappointed with the Z-5500's abysmal performance in music (all bass, no mids, no highs), and instinctively chose Edifier M3400 instead, because the Edifier sounds more musical.
Does it qualify me as an audiophile? Despite my total lack of knowledge (at that time) about speaker sensitivity, amplifier power rating, tonal balance, stereo imaging, and soundstage?

 

[mhjmhjones]

Someone who is on a quest for sound. A teenager fooling with the placement of his speakers to improve the sound is an audiophile. An adult upgrading to a better turntable or cartridge in order to produce higher quality sound is an audiophile. Someone who hears a good system and thinks "Whoa, that sounds good! How can I get sound like that?" is an audiophile. In my opinion, here is no dollar amount one has to spend in order to be exalted to the rank of audiophile.

 

[SA-708]

What if one one is no longer questing for sound, and has been happily using the system one has to listen to music on a daily basis. Are they not also a lover of audio?

 

[Kreshna]

What if one one is no longer questing for sound, and has been happily using the system one has to listen to music on a daily basis. Are they not also a lover of audio?

An audiophile with different taste?

My late mother. She was happily using her mid-fi Aiwa system to listen to music on a daily basis --mostly classical and opera, although she also listened to The Brothers Four sometimes. The Aiwa is laid-back and nothing special, but she could listen for hours --mainly while working on her laptop. When I invited her to listen to my JBL 120Tis, she said, "well those speakers sound really nice and detailed, but I think I'll get listening fatigue when listening to them for a long time."

And yes, she was right. The Aiwa is mid-fi and nothing special, but there is something really laid-back and relaxing about it, that you can listen for hours.

 

[jrtrent]

What if one one is no longer questing for sound, and has been happily using the system one has to listen to music on a daily basis. Are they not also a lover of audio?

For some, part of the fun of the hobby is constantly trying out new things, whether room treatments, placement of components, or a constant stream of new components to change how their system sounds. For others, we buy a hifi to bring music into our homes with an acceptable degree of fidelity, then just enjoy it til something dies and requires repair or replacement. Both are valid ways to enjoy the hobby.

 

[teal'c]

3) Non-audiophile: why are there so many meters? Audiophile: why aren't there more meters?

Better.

 

[mhjmhjones]

What if one one is no longer questing for sound, and has been happily using the system one has to listen to music on a daily basis. Are they not also a lover of audio?

That's just an audiophile who has achieved The Quest!

 

[E-Stat]

 

[grillebilly]

Definition of audiophile
: a person who is enthusiastic about high-fidelity sound reproduction

 

[4-2-7]

I like music.

 

[birchoak]

Ooh, E-stat, I think you nailed it! Hey, this is generating way more interest than I thought it would. Keep it coming!

 

[imral3]

According to The Audiophiliac, Steve Guttenberg, anyone who listens to music without doing anything else is an audiophile.