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Poor mans audiophile journey.

L

Lossless

Super Member
This audiophile hobby can be a very costly venture with stereo components costing more than the yearly income of a lot of Americans. I don’t envy people with stereos costing more than a new luxury car. That’s great and I hope they get the most enjoyment they can from their high-end audio equipment. Someday I may graduate to top of the line separates, but for now I’m grateful for what I have to work with.
I mostly want to feel that this hobby Is inclusive to all, especially for those struggling to make ends meet working for minimum wage, students, people living month to month on a fixed income, or the disabled like myself.

https://darko.audio/2015/11/the-audiophile-world-of-cashed-up-middle-aged-white-dudes/ ?

High fidelity music should be accessible to all people regardless of sex, age, race, education, or social economic standing. I feel it’s about educating and encouraging would be audiophiles ways to achieving the objective of life like music reproduction.

My apologies if I offend anyone with the URL or this post, for that is not my intention to incite the reader. I’m just a long haired hippie tree hugger kinda guy,(that talks too much) who loves music and helping my fellow brother be they boy or girl, young or old, rich or poor, black or white in this journey.

Here is my little second hand poor mans audiophile journey in the last 3 months. I posted pics with prices to show off, I mean show the budget conscious that being a audio enthusiast does not mean you have to spend your life’s savings on new equipment when starting this hobby. I am fortunate that I am mechanically inclined and am able to repair almost anything. I have about $800 invested into my entire system less my rebuilt B&W DM640i speakers that I purchased new during better financial coal mining times working as a laboratory technician. Any listening tips, stories or comments welcome.
DA8D710E-2D4C-4A99-858E-77305A471F14.png $25 thrift store stereo rack
488826DE-39CC-44CF-A241-737297A89918.jpeg $15 thrift store receiver 6121F904-4833-446A-B528-1440033F9AA2.jpeg 96CA304F-FF56-4F03-ADCE-2202BB5829F9.jpeg BBB4B373-4E54-453B-86ED-4A8B9162A14C.jpeg5631EAEE-6C33-4821-B5A8-0C6C570718E6.jpeg CB1BF53B-EF1E-46A9-9A8D-9A78DA98DEF2.jpeg F85CFB99-72A5-4262-8EB2-2725C79CB973.jpeg
347F9F52-B3A7-46A4-8C22-93E6EB9C173E.jpeg

In the spirit of MLK Day

I Have Dream that all music be created equal. I Have a Dream that stereos not be judged by the color of their cases, but by the contents they contain. Let Woofers Bang!! Let Tweeters Sing !!!

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!
 
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I don't know what being an audiophile means anymore.

It used to be a person with more than a passing interest in the gear and who can appreciate differences between components. It did not mean how many components one has or how much they cost.

Those would be fanatics.

An audiophile can conceivably be someone without the means to own any equipment. The qualifiers are liking music and enjoyment of hi-fi reproduction.
 
Compared to boating, hunting, fishing, remote model planes, trains and automobiles, and many other hobbies, audio gear is pretty affordable, even new. But people of almost all income levels find ways of participating in such pursuits. I envy a fisherman with a modest ten-or-twelve-foot fishing boat with a small outboard motor his ability to enjoy it, given my disability. I'd always imagined having such a rig myself for retirement when I was a little younger. So if I drop a little bit of money into my only hobby, don't judge me for it, and I won't you. Enjoy the music. That's what counts.

In fact, I think part of the fun of a hobby is the challenge of trying to put together the best gear you can within your budget. If I actually hit half a billion in a lottery, thus having virtually unlimited funds, I firmly believe that would be less fun. It would just get boring.
 
That url that you shared, Lossless...a great example of both sensationalism and stereotyping (forgive the unintended pun).

That article is typical of "stirring up the pot", of which I think and hope that this is not the case as was offered in the content and premise of his rant.

There are and always been the purists out there, but not to the range/extent that the author of that feature journalist writes, or insinuates.

Did he stir up the pot for me?... not in the least. There's bound to be all types of audiophiles in this hobby, not the just ones he whitewashes and clumps all together.

Your approach is not unlike the majority of us who do with, and what we got being satisfied.

Good for your POV.:thumbsup: Nuff said.

Q
 
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Quadman2 said:
That url that you shared, Lossless...a great example of both sensationalism and stereotyping (forgive the unintended pun).

That article is typical of "stirring up the pot", of which I think and hope that this is not the case as was offered in the content and premise of his rant.

There are and always been the purists out there, but not to the range/extent that the author of that feature journalist writes, or insinuates.

Did he stir up the pot for me?... not in the least. There's bound to be all types of audiophiles in this hobby, not the just ones he whitewashes and clumps all together.

Your approach in not unlike the majority of us who do with, and what we got being satisfied.

Good for your POV.:thumbsup: Nuff said.

Q
Click to expand...

I admit I didn't read the link until after I read this post.

It was just a rant from yet another guy carrying a chip on his shoulder. A tiresome boor.
 
I am but a poor, disabled, did I mention poor, audiophile with a great passion for music. My pursuit is lived through the humble, modest and meek system listed in my signature. Would I like better? Sure. Am I happy with what I have? It brings me great joy whenever I listen... the answer must be a resounding yes!
 
Count me in as a thrift store/ebay bargain shopper.I consider myself extremely fortunate and blessed to be able to experience my audio journey on a shoestring budget compared to some.What someone else does in or spends on audio does not bother me in the least.They are not living my life,they are living their own, and like I said I consider myself quite blessed and an thankful for the opportunities I have been given.
As far as the budget rooms at RMAF. I went a few years ago and sat in on a couple.I was glad someone had the vision to include this level of audio that was worlds apart from the high end.I was disappointed on the effort they put into the setups though.They just didn't sound that good. It was like they just pieced together some old vintage that was just lying around with no thought given to the synergy,placement or anything else.I don't know if they still have those rooms because I really liked the idea.Perhaps they have grown in the implementation of a good idea.
 
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For starters, I don't associate being an audiophile with spending a lot of money on audio gear. I look at an audiophile as someone trying to get the most out of the gear that they can afford with the end goal of increasing the listening pleasure they get from the music they enjoy. If you feel that the enjoyment you get out of listening to the music you love has increased as a result of the time, effort and money you've invested, then you're succeeding as an audiophile in my mind.

My only advice is to never lose sight of what really makes you happy when it comes to listening to music as you continue along in your hifi journey.
 
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