I agree with a great many posts here. I will add that this is a male dominated hobby, and one with a strong subjective streak. While most people in it are thoughtful and tolerably civil, the fact that audio is male dominated leads to the Alpha continually wanting to come out. It can be an expensive hobby, and the alpha traits that led to success in the material world can be further accentuated.
On the Internet, lack of in person contact loosens the tendency to be aggressive. If a group of alpha males were in a pub together having the same debate, someone with a sneering attitude might find themselves missing a few teeth.