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Audiophilism is a hobby

This post grew out of another discussion on music vs. sound. According to a poll taken in that discussion, it is clear most A’goners claim they listen to their rigs primarily for the music. Although I don’t doubt the truth of that, I maintain that much of the listening is as a hobby, with music being a very important component. I’m not saying we can’t be profoundly moved by the music but rather that a lot of our enjoyment comes from the sheer sound emitted from our speakers. Great music is of course a vital part of the experience, but with all the manipulations we do with our systems, we  are fascinated by the idea of sound in itself as a hobby.

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Showing 1 response by 8th-note

8th-note
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I have characterized our pursuit as a "hobby" for a long time. I don't think it's fundamentally different than someone who plays Magic the Gathering, collects autotomotons, sings in a community choir, or restores vintage automobiles.

For those of us who still listen to physical media our hobby has 2 dimensions. We collect and curate our equipment but more importantly we collect and curate our music. I can get goosebumps from listening to one of my favorite tracks on a boom box. But to hear the dynamics, frequency range, and imaging realism on my system is thrilling. Sort of like driving a really fast sports car around the track. Hobby is the best word I can use to describe what I'm doing.

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