"Audiophile" is a label, and it depends on who is doing the labeling. It is a state of mind and a commitment to a personal goal. It will cost something, in money or time. It isn't about meeting any particular spending goal. The person who seeks an opportunity to hear something rare and special, even if they can't buy or own whatever it is can be as much an audiophile as the person who teaches himself the necessary craft to build a music playing device that no one manufactures any longer for the sake of having the opportunity to hear music played. There are people who have carefully built their own speakers and amplifiers who may rightfully have a greater claim to be an audiophile than the person spending the price of a house on a sound system. The people who go on about spending floors for excellent sound and who dismiss those who don't spend those amounts just don't get it. The person who hand builds a unique loudspeaker from carefully curated parts and builds an amplifier to bring the best from that loudspeaker to reach their listening goal has traveled much farther toward the goal of an audiophile than most high-dollar audio shop customers ever will.
At what price is one considered an Audiophile.
Audiophilia, what is is it?
Is it the love of music or the equipment that presents the music.
Or is it both?
What is the cost of admission?
How much does one have to spend on equipment to be considered an Audiophile, if it is truly the later than the music.
What has membership to this perceived exclusive club cost you?