I'm here for the enthusiasts, not the snobbery


Couple of threads have shown up lately. "Should you be an audiophile if you..." either have a certain type of gear, have a certain amount of money, or don’t make your own.

I personally reject all of that. I’m here for the enthusiasts, and those who suffer. That is, people who are enthusiastic about listening to music via electronics and those who are suffering with problems who need a little help. That’s how I try to build a community.

Also want to point out, again, that this hobby was built by hobbyists and tinkerers. The range included backyard self-electrocuting iconoclasts to scientists in acoustics and electrical engineering. I’m happy to welcome them all.

Laslty, I want to say something about the Porsche metaphor:

1 - All Porsches are ugly. This is an indisputable fact no one wants to talk about and means all debate needs to stop right there.

2 - Any motorcycle is more fun and exciting than any car.


Thank you for reading this and I’m glad I had a chance to nip these conversations in the bud. << evil troll laugh >>
erik_squires

Showing 1 response by whart

Erik- If you like motorcycles, you should visit the Barber Museum in Birmingham, AL. Most of the bikes in the Guggenheim show came from his private collection and the building he commissioned to house it has an interior layout similar to the Guggenheim. While you are there, you can check out the track. It is used by Porsche as a test and training facility. It is a fabulous track (though I’m not much for racing tracks, I prefer long distance rallies). You might even be able to get a ride at speed. It could change your view of the aesthetics of the car, since being behind the wheel is where the fun is. (I don’t know if you can sign up for driver training without owning a car- I had a two day stint there when the CGT came out and Hurley Haywood was my coach). Humbling.
The metaphor or analogy does work to a degree. Fun in audio is where you find it; you can spend most of your time tweaking or driving; you don’t have to have uber gear to get thrills (there’s a pretty serious contingent of Miata drivers who are competitive). And to me, Bugatti stopped by WWII. The thing with that name today is just bling.
As for Rollers, Earl Heath was a neighbor when I was a kid. He had a pretty amazing collection. I find the old Bentleys more interesting, including the original W.O. cars and the "specials" which were essentially hot rods made from saloon cars. Sort of like our period hot rods in the States.
I’m basically agnostic on cars-- I love ’em all- from microcars to big finned Detroit iron. British requires a certain masochism, particularly vintage. Italian- god love ’em. The Germans are great engineers, though. One of my personal favorites, in terms of beauty, is the BMW 3.0 CS from the early ’70s. What a stunning car.