How to find local audiophiles

Yeah, lonely hobby we pursue. I only have one friend who is an audiophile, the other friends just aren't interested. No audio clubs here in a city of 200k+.

Like I said, lonely hobby.

I once connected with an audiophile and was kindly invited to his home to hear his system. All very expensive gear but he was playing at such a low level there were no dynamics or bass. Just old vinyl records. Made no sense and it wasn't good listening. He seemed afraid he might hurt it if he turned it up.

By my nature I am a recluse. I don’t think this is uncommon among audiophiles. While working, I had more than enough interactions with people (senior executive) so that being alone was a real privilege.

Having retired. I’m still a recluse. However, I have actually met quite a few great folks here in Audiogon. One’s location occasionally comes up in discussions. I have discovered several local folks and since my partner is disabled and I can’t leave, a number of folks that have visited me here. So, while not looking for friends, I have made quite a few.

I went to the local high end shop and met a couple of guys.

I also met some while buying stuff on CL or USAM and seeing they were local to me.

This is a good place to start. I've met a number of forum participants in person and some have a local music club where I live. If you don't have one in your area, consider starting one. You can use Facebook or Meetup to find like minded individuals. 

Also, check out all your local HiFi stores and ask them about local groups is another option.

Lexington, KY is a great town, I have a few friends there. I would think that in used record or CD stores that you have in town you'd find fellow enthusiasts.

I was out of this world for a long time-raising kids, working too much, etc. Made do with a modest headphone setup.  When I got back in 10-12 years ago, all the high end stores had disappeared. We have one store that is really a HT store, but sells MC-Anthem-Paradigm-that's it. That's too bad. 

I used to bond with a few guys at my local HE store but it closed 10 years ago and the guys that I met moved to sunnier climates.  I live in Chicago land and there still are some boutique places but they are at least 45 minutes away and have limited hours. 
  It’s a lonely hobby as others noted.

  Perhaps that could be a new forum category-find local audiophiles in your area-but unfortunately I see a lot of potential for scammers and worse in that scenario 

Like others I have met guys (no surprise we’re all guys) buying and selling used equipment.  I’ve connected with a few local guys online and have had offers to listen to their systems but I haven’t taken them up on their offers yet.  I’m fine connecting online on sites like this.  So, how’s everyone doing this morning?  

I’m am new on here. I have been an Audiophile since the early 80’s. 
I started this wonderful journey when my late Father was an Electronic junkie and frequent Laffeyette electronics. I got my first fix listening to an amplifier in that store. The song was Nights in white satin. 
Music and this hobby mean the world to me and I really don’t have many friends whom share the same passion. I love reading the post on this site and feel I belong. 
 

cheers from Philly. 

Yes music calms the savage beast.there are some smart audiophile that chime in on this site and some humor.i never had time for this now glad my life has allowed it now enjoy the company and the music.

There are a lot of very knowledgeable  people on this forum, who are very generous in sharing their experience. There is a lot to be learned from them.
 

There is also the possibility that an entertaining brawl could break out at any time over pink fuses, magic crystals or the very nature of digital ones and zeros, the kind of stuff that would convince the rest of the world that we need to be watched very carefully and put on a no fly list.

I hope you will enjoy this forum as much as I have

@tolo85 nice post, welcome.

It is nearly impossible to find anyone who can relate to my love of music or equipment. Much less understanding my building a separate house of stereo to enjoy it all. It is what it is, everybody has different tastes and goals. My advice would be don't become an audiophile in the hope of sharing it physically with others, a site like this one is about all the sharing you will enjoy. But the music, I will enjoy everyday.

I'm near Charlotte NC, in Mooresville if there are any others in the area

On the other side, being  a music lover with an appreciation for good equipment is a good way to spend time  for introverts like myself.  I think being in sales for 45 years and talking all day long has tired me out of talking a lot. Being introverted doesn't mean you don't like people.  It means you are happier by yourself.

Audiogon needs to openly encourage optionally sharing contact information. 

I live in Plainfield, NJ 07062 and use private messages here to get my contact info to others, and have made several new friends from this site: J, J, S, R, D, R

I travel to 3 of their homes, they all come individually to my house or we plan related activities, visit VAS together, shop for LP's, trade links online .... We play their LPs here, mine, plug in their preamp/phono stage/cartridges, hear differences together, and share our content, favorite artists ....

One at a time during covid, I am thinking of planning a shared gathering here.

Audiogon needs to openly encourage optionally sharing contact information. 

It's their policy to filter it out in messaging, you can't share contact info.

It would be nice to know the who’s, what’s and where’s of members who all are understandably blocked so as to avoid nixing Audiogon’s percentage(s) take on sales. I know I’m in N Cal near Sacromento in 95616 land.

Most members names are not their names in “real life”. I have sleuthed out a few who have been most kind and helpful to me. Despite some typical cyber thuggery most members are kind and helpful. Very.

Some local audiophiles don’t want to be found I suspect for a host of reasons perhaps security factoring in for many? Finding local kindred spirits would sure be nice (as would be less time online) but friends and family sate above all.

It would be nice if Audiogon allowed contact information sharing. But their business is in bringing together buyers and sellers. Their revenues disappear... as does the forum... if folks simply see posting of stuff for sale and then do a deal outside of Audiogon. So, I can’t see any way they could do that and survive.

you can easily "encode" contact info in messages.

I understand the reasoning for enforcing to be the middle man in the transaction but the real purpose of such a platform should be the guarantees. And in that case, it makes no difference knowing or not knowing the other party. You would want audiogon to be the broker and pay the fees happily to have a safe transaction and a smooth process.

People from this forum hooking up to meet in person is not a threat to their profit.

Start with music first.  I am incredibly fortunate to have two neighbors - each literally two doors away! - who enjoy jazz, like me (though not our only musical interest).  About 10-12 years ago I went up to one of their doors on a late Saturday afternoon, and when his wife answered the door, I asked her “can [his name] come out to play”. He was on a different floor but heard me and yelled out “yes!”. That started a thing among the 3 of us where we gather every month or two at my house, start with appetizers and manhattans in the kitchen, and then move to serious listening and scotch for several hours.  Even though neither of them is an audiophile, per se, they both have been deeply involved in my system journeys, appreciate the quality of the sound, and give great feedback.  But most importantly, we’ve become good friends over the years and always look forward to catching up, using the excellent excuse of music and booze to do so.

No idea how active they are, but here's one in Lexington https://www.facebook.com/groups/529776012308090/

I very much lucked into my group. I am a financial advisor who does most of my business at my clients homes, very old school. Wealthy people have nice systems, people with nice systems love to talk about them, and they want to be helpful for the most part.

Five years later on we've got about 14ish members (when some aren't arguing), very informal. We share thoughts, swap equipment, listen to and talk about our gear, talk a little trash, and see other at shows (Axpona is local to all of us). I'm tighter more with some than others, but it's been a valuable experience

For as much as a 'live music' area that Asheville can be, 'philes seem to stay in their burrows 'round here...a

...but when your b&m is Best Buy (....well, occasionally...😏 ) or Guitar Center ( for the really obscure...), not surprising I guess....

Besides, I don't bite, have had all my shots, and even housebroke in a whole series of events....*ironic L* ;)

You’d think living in The Rocket City (Huntsville AL), there would be a lot of reclusive engineer audiophiles like me, but I haven’t been able to find any…..I wonder why 😂😂😂??

@ezstreams Erin Hardison is right there...

Thank you @gano for that contact name!!

I’ll reach out to him. 

When I lived in the DC/VA/MD area, I tried joining an audiophile club. Hmmmmm. One visit to a very high-end system that sounded...not very good...cured me of that impulse. That and the bragging and "competition." Fortunately, a DIY audio group was formed 20+ years ago and that was an enormous amount of fun. The focus was on DIY equipment (mostly tubes, but also speakers, DACs, preamps, you name it) and there was no pressure to say ’WOW GREAT SYSTEM". When the projects gelled we could relax and enjoy all sorts of music for a couple of hours. When they didn’t, it was pretty obvious and it was "Okay back to the drawing board! Who’s next?" and no one’s feelings were hurt. Along the way we listened to some good commercial equipment in the mix and that was educational. I miss it a lot.

I also had a few good friends who loved the same music but were often auditioning new equipment, and that was always interesting, but the music was the focus.

Sometimes you just happen upon people. I was at a dinner party years ago and wandered into the husband’s den, and he had a fantastic audio system. His wife said, "Oh, he’d love to play it for you! He’s obsessed with it!" We were both interested in jazz and became very good friends for many years. I enjoyed many great afternoons and evenings there.

Here I have one colleague at work who’s a brilliant technician. I got him interesting building tube amps, and we have some great sessions a couple of times a year, trying out a lot of different stuff. His musical tastes are extremely catholic so we listen to all kinds of things.

Hey tolo85! Welcome to the group. I live in Bethlehem, pa. I've extremely busy but maybe you'd like to talk sometime. We must be close in age as well. Joe

I've been into this thing since the mid 70's!  I love my music and relaxing to listen to my collection of vinyl.  I'm in the Daytona Beach area and there are actually two really high end shops the Ormond Beach area just up the road from me.  One of them is my main go to guy.  Super place to hang out and all around great owner.  All of the times I have been there, however, I have never met another "local" music lover.  I know they have to be here, but they all must keep to themselves.  

I gave up on this site probably more than a decade ago trying to create an audio club in my area. AG's policies thwarted this at every turn. Greed, is what it boils down to, honestly. If they were truly about audio, then they would have different policies or a separate audio networking area, where folks who want to do just this could communicate and GTG.

I am near Charlotte and we established our own audio club. 

Tom

I once connected with an audiophile and was kindly invited to his home to hear his system. All very expensive gear but he was playing at such a low level there were no dynamics or bass. Just old vinyl records. Made no sense and it wasn’t good listening. He seemed afraid he might hurt it if he turned it up.

Good point. Finding anyone in hi-end is hard enough. Add in same taste would be impossible.

Local Facebook groups

@wsrrsw I'm in North Sac so not too far from you.

willywonka and wsrrsw

I am in  Elk Grove south a little ways from both of you

@willywonka ​​@68pete Find me here please. Recently I learned how to text and I specialize in typos. 

 "I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member.". Groucho Marx

wwwsrrsw

Will try

Local pickup. 2.5 hours later, still rapping in the parking lot.

Cape Cod, MA

It would be nice if Audiogon allowed contact information sharing.

I agree and at the same time understand Audiogon's position. Had a bit of this challenge connecting with 2 members. Had to use things like g-mai-l-do-t-co-m. But they deciphered it correctly and we were able to connect. Looking forward to meeting up with them soon.

I have found a good friend here locally. Many yrs ago he emailed me , we lived 15 min to each other. Markr1 is a very nice guy. We learned from each other. We tried to laugh before we listen.And eat while we listened.He brought many equipment in his home and I learned from them. Some of my old group got older they are now on their 80s. So the interest in audio has gone down. On Sonday after after Axpona I will go to his house 30 min from the the venue.He own Moab and Aric stuff. Iam open to those audiophile who live near me to listen to my system who are member here.Chicago has many audiophiles but you have to reach out. Anyway Iam planning to put my name on my jacket see if audiogon member will even bother to approach me at Axpona.Member who visited me in my house Markr, Davidten, Grant .Brian Walsh, Allen from Indiana. See you guys at AXPONA 2025 . I will be attending 3 days.

@willywonka , @wsrrsw 

SNAS -- Sierra Nevada Audiophile Society might interest you. 

I'm assuming I can't provide contact info here -- search online.

Via this site three of us are meeting for dinner/cocktails (initial introduction) tomorrow.  (11APR). 
initial emails… we have a redneck, a wasp, and one with “brown skin”. I think we will mesh well. 

1. Place speakers outside
2. crank up a SOTA hifi

The audiophiles will come a running. Some might be disguised as police. Audiophiles are clever little devils!

we have a redneck, a wasp, and one with “brown skin”

That was so funny. It was great meeting the redneck and wasp 😄. Can’t believe we spent almost 3 hours chatting! Looking forward to getting together for the listening sessions.