No idea. Just always have. Since like grade school, before ever even hearing a stereo, which my parents never had, at least not until we grew up enough to go out and buy one for them. In 3rd grade a symphony violinist came in and played for us right there in the class room. Closed my eyes and was entranced. Been that way ever since. Don't even really need that great a stereo long as the music is there. Mine of course just keeps getting better and better.
So after a good 50 years of this if forced to guess I would say its the music. At least that is the one thing that stands out. A lot of people who don't get it at all suddenly totally get it the minute you play their favorite music. People who swear they could never hear good enough to care always- ALWAYS!- do hear and care when you play whatever music it is that they love.
What this tells me is for sure there are people like me who are just gonna be audiophiles come hell or high water. For sure there must be others who are not gonna care no matter what. In between though are probably a lot who would care, only they just haven't had the right experience.
Those would be the music lover audiophiles. There are of course also the gear head audiophiles. Guess we need them too if only to keep life interesting.
So after a good 50 years of this if forced to guess I would say its the music. At least that is the one thing that stands out. A lot of people who don't get it at all suddenly totally get it the minute you play their favorite music. People who swear they could never hear good enough to care always- ALWAYS!- do hear and care when you play whatever music it is that they love.
What this tells me is for sure there are people like me who are just gonna be audiophiles come hell or high water. For sure there must be others who are not gonna care no matter what. In between though are probably a lot who would care, only they just haven't had the right experience.
Those would be the music lover audiophiles. There are of course also the gear head audiophiles. Guess we need them too if only to keep life interesting.