Disagreements and Conflicts between Audiophiles have we lost our brotherhood and maturity?

Some people have real passion for music and sound. For them it is much more than "just a stereo".

I am not one of them, by the way, music and sound are important to me but not to that degree.

Well, you already have someone on this thread referring to others as "mentally unstable," so I guess what else would you expect but conflict and disagreement?  

There also seems to be many more threads that appear intent on generating conflict and argument...

@oldaudiophile story time. I had a guy on Audiogon fake his identity call the owner of the company I work with. Disparage me etc etc.  Come to find out.  He lied about who he was. He was on his 8th audiophile name after getting kicked off the site 7 times. I did a reverse trace of his catch phrases and figured out he had been suspended 7  times and we would not have known if I wasn’t a lawyer in my professional life and had the ability to catch him.  Dude lied about who he was, his system, where he lived and what he had owned. Just to try to destroy someone he had never met.  We have some sicko’s in this hobby. But I do meet a lot of good people. Like this weekend a made about 5 new audio friends and had a great time at southwest audiofest. 

@jl35 i agree 100% some just wanna argue about nothing. 

@immatthewj exactly.  The anonymity of Audiogon gives people,courage they never had in real life to talk crazy to folks. 

@mahler123 yes I guess my caps did turn the volume up.  Lol 😂 

@052rc now you preaching.  Listen I started out cheap as hell. Yup I have taken this high end gear a bit far but on a Friday after a long week it puts me in heaven and I’m glad I have what I have. Some do hate the high end and the fact that some of us spent way too much for nothing in their eyes but some people like cars and houses. I like audio. I like it at the level I’m at. I’m happy and I’m happy for those who didn’t spend as much because it’s up to you to like what you have and be happy. Most of us will never hear each others system.  

@mahler123 i get what you saying but the surprising part for me is when it goes way past audio. I guess I’m old school I was never an habitual line stepper and I have seen a gang of habitual line steppers crossing the line when addressing another man. I try to respect people.  Some folks are way out of pocket here. 

"@052rc now you preaching.  Listen I started out cheap as hell. Yup I have taken this high end gear a bit far but on a Friday after a long week it puts me in heaven and I’m glad I have what I have. Some do hate the high end and the fact that some of us spent way too much for nothing in their eyes but some people like cars and houses. I like audio. I like it at the level I’m at. I’m happy and I’m happy for those who didn’t spend as much because it’s up to you to like what you have and be happy. Most of us will never hear each others system."

If you think I'm preaching then you're directly contributing to the problem that you started the thread for. Can you quote 1 word out of my post that speaks against anyone that starts out, or ends up with budget gear? I stand by every word of it. If you would rather be a drama queen, than ask me to clarify something, that's on you. 

When you start a conversation like this, its your job to control it. If you can't be bothered to read and understand the comments that you asked for, don't start the thread.  

@052rc i understood it. But at the end of the day. To each his or her own. Enjoy the music and what you have and the way you see things. Wish you all the best take care. 

@052rc listen I have no problem with what you said. It’s not that serious. Enjoy the conversation and points of views from others. Happy listening 

What’s really important to someone who enjoys audio? - Here's some perspective. 

I'll be 80 all too soon, and tomorrow I will be spending a few grand on a couple of hearing aids. When I am not enjoying my Sennheiser cans I will use these new aids to connect directly to my sound system so I don't have to deafen my wife or get the neighbors dogs yapping.  I enjoy music. Lots of kinds, from chamber music to Viking ballads. Corvus Corax offers a special connection to my daughter who is getting married later this year in a traditional Viking ceremony.  

I started selling audio equipment in the 60's and still have most of everything I ever owned. If I am lucky enough to start cleaning my closets next year, it will probably be under the handle of MidFiMusicGuy.  I can accept that almost every device I have ever owned had a bigger, better brother, but was the right device for me at the time.  I've had lots of people try to tell me that I should have purchased something else, and all I can say is that they don't have my ears, my room and my preferences but they are welcome to theirs. 

I have never even had the luxury of seeing every salesman in a shop agree that a particular device is the best unless the manufacturers rep is there also. That's part of the joy of chasing the dream of music.  We all decide what is best for each of us at a given moment in time.  That "best" evolves and hopefully so do we.   I'm looking forward to digitizing my hundreds of 78's, thousands of LP's and even more R2R tapes so my shaky old hands will not damage the many fond memories in my collection. 

I truly appreciate the opportunity to learn from some of the folks on this forum, several of whom have systems that cost more than the new house I am in the process of buying.  The world we currently live in has an amazing amount of uncertainty that is stressing everyone. Helping others relieve some of that stress by offering tips that may make their enjoyment of music thrive is a gift we can all offer. 

@knittersspouse 

Well said.

I get along fine with people who compliment me and agree with everything I say.

I get along fine with people who compliment me and agree with everything I say.

I think you're a very stable genius, wolf.

@oldaudiophile 

If you had read the whole thread, you would have seen that one of the reasons mentioned for a lack of civility on this forum was the mention of politics, which you just did.

@mitch2 great advice noted. We have to step away from needless arguments or conflicts. 

I actually have read the whole thread and quite a few posts before @oldaudiophile posted, someone already did go political with his "mentally unstable" unstable comment (apparently referring to members whose political opinions he didn't agree with).  So +10 @oldaudiophile . 

Mea Culpa!  Mea Maxima Culpa!  Didn't realize I was going political!  Just trying to inject a little levity.  Thanks for pointing that out!

Just trying to inject a little levity.

LOL!  And I thought that they were words of truth.

Disagreements and Conflicts between Audiophiles have we lost our brotherhood and maturity?

Yes.

Years before the discussion was coarsened by social media, I recall an officer in a local audio society observing that in debates about high end audio, "Never have so many argued so  passionately about a subject in which the stakes are so low."  That's probably true of many hobbies.     

What the hell are you talking about? You must be stupid or something to think there's a lack of respect and maturity on the internet.

Ancient Sotheast Asian proverb: "When all of your problems start to look like Viet Cong, all of your solutions start to look like M-16s."

There is a difference between facts and opinions, and the problem at Audiogon is a lot of people can't tell the difference. Example: some people will come on here and claim power cables change sound, or that you can buy speaker wire that sounds better than the cheapest 12AWG OFC you can find.

I do not have patience for liars, or with people who are destroying this hobby by perpetuating marketing snake oil for the sole purpose of justifying their own poor decisions and confirmation biases.

What the hell are you talking about? You must be stupid or something to think there's a lack of respect and maturity on the internet.

LOL!

Be humble. Whether its a 1k, 5k, 10k, 20k, 50k, 100k, etc.. its only music we are listening too.  Music is for everyone.

@squared80 Remember what this thread is about. Just because someone doesn’t agree with you doesn’t mean they are a liar or snake oil dealers. It means they have a different opinion than you. So if you were in person listening to a system and a guy heard different from you. You would just haul off and call him a liar etc on the spot? I think not my friend. I’m just saying. Be who you are in person on the internet too. Happy listening.

@agwca you are correct. Most of us are at least 50 and up. Where I’m from you don’t just go around calling folks liars as easy as you breathe air. Before you challenged a man’s word and integrity you thought hard about it.  Nowadays folks call you names like it’s spitting in the ground. No common respect. Just smarty pants fake tough talk! 

@agwca you are correct. Most of us are at least 50 and up. Where I’m from you don’t just go around calling folks liars as easy as you breathe air. Before you challenged a man’s word and integrity you thought hard about it.  Nowadays folks call you names like it’s spitting in the ground. No common respect. Just smarty pants fake tough talk! 

@ all_y'all...it's been a great read in this space where all basically agree that 'civility' is A Good Thing in this format....
Been in 'chat places' since late '90's...Tempers become 'flames', fur strokes misunderstood....  Unfortunately, not uncommon.
Beliefs challenged, misconstrued skewered...*Foom!*  Off & running....

I keep my head Down and my antenna Up.....;)

Over 60 and it's not just audio where civility has degraded to this extent, it's any area of life where people have to feel right about something rather than trying to understand a different viewpoint and perhaps challenge their own beliefs and values.

In audio, anything subjective (which most of it is) is to be challenged rather than inquired upon as to why someone experiences what they are hearing.  Some like it warm, some cool, some "neutral", transparent, colored, etc,. etc.

I find it interesting as to why someone is hearing what they are hearing and what they respond most to emotionally and what detracts for them personally. 

There are reviewers that I have come to understand better from what they like whether I would or not myself, at least I have an idea of performance for myself.

So many people calling out others in a derogative way when its just an opinion and perhaps a result of one's tastes, experience and adjusting to some particular sound presentation.   Oh well.  

Always been people like that, just seems there's more of it lately. Sign of the times.

@calvinj 

Who you call in’ smart?

Just smarty pants fake tough talk

Every audiophile I have ever known has been curious, intelligent, open minded and respectful. Each possessing knowledge from research, deep thought, experimentation, with a profound love of music. I find that to be true here as well.  

@mitch2@kijanki I get it. When someone calls someone a liar just because they disagree with you.  Run from them. I will do that. 

@squared80 im glad you are smarter than the rest of us.  My ears have been lying to me for 20 years. Copper, silver , plugs , finishing , quality of materials and shielding don’t matter. We should listen to cables hear what we hear then just call you.  You will tell us the truth about our lying ears.  Lol ALL IN FUN. Smiles 

We're hear to read and give your opinion on audio equipment and music...please keep political opinions  off the site..I mean does being a Democrat or Republican have anything to do with Audio  Equipment ?????

I had asked for some assistance with some rumble on a couple of DG recordings. The answers were for the most part helpful without too much "you need better stuff" sideways comments. I'm a car guy and you get the same kind of BS with those (they think) exotic car people. Hey my Framisvalve 5000 will do 0-60 in 3.2 seconds and your crappy Littlecar 1000 takes 3.3 - what a piece of crap. Same mentality.

Listen everyone. Your audio journey is your audio journey.  I started in this 23 years  ago. I started with a def tech system. I now work in the industry part time.  We just left the Southwest Audiofest 2025 and we Infigo Audio were named one of the best sounding rooms by Audiophile junkie.  Our room was always heavy with traffic and people enjoyed our room. I had the best time. Listening to music and meeting people that were audiophiles from all walks of life. That’s what it’s about. 

It's all social medias fault.

Spats are fine. It is good for  enthusiasts to feel discomfort every now and again. If it gets to be too much, take a vacation or dont participate.  

I agree about the politics and am shocked that the same people keep posting again and again, without consequence, which leads to the inevitable end of some decent threads. These political dudes dont want to discuss they just pontificate. There is an easy remedy to this phenomenon but Audiogon allows it to continue. If it gets too bad then leave these forums and inform Audiogon of the reason. 

seek out cool people to hang with and learn from.. @whart is one of my music n life attitude heroes… seek to be worthy of same ….

Those wishing for a kinder and gentler America might do well to study history…

Thanks, @tomic601. Is it really April 1? That was such a nice afternoon sharing music and food with you and Spencer. Is he on this board? 

Just enjoy the hobby. Don’t let the trolls steal your joy. 

@whart yes….indeed… it is that day…. your hospitality in partnership w “ the rock “ is legendary…. i learned so much !!!! peace, grace and super clean records brother !!!!!

@sbank Is also a super cool host and has a superbly well sorted system and a nose for bbq…..