I think it has become that way. Some people flaunt that they have high end systems and they listen to certain kinds of music and I think it puts the hobby in a negative light at times.
Thanks! for sharing- garebear. incredible! how David Michael Audio turned you down? Good to read about Perrotta Consulting being a stand-up guy. He seems to get quite a nice selection of gear. Does he have a showroom to audition gear?
Interesting comments here. I tried to buy speakers from the guy at Ariel acoustics. 10k purchase and just was really rude. Wouldn't call back really put me off. I have learned that you move on quickly. If you get that kind of service on front be lucky you found out early. Some guys don't value your business then keep it moving. Same thing goes for tastes in music etc. Music is for you to enjoy! Enjoy it and be happy!
One thing that keeps many potential music lovers from advancing into the audiophile world is that our endeavor is in many ways, a solitary one. In many set-ups (mine for example) there is only room for one person in the sweet spot. Even more (my case again) my system is in a separate dedicated room. The lack of social involvement repels many folks.
Second thing that discourages many potential audiophiles is the cost of the gear and the pretentious crews that often sell the components. Agree with others that this elitism is in other endeavors as well. As I am thinking about what to write hear I am taking a mental inventory of who I've done business with and they are many of the really good folks in audiodom.
Richard Vandersteen (can be a bit snippy on the phone), Steve McCormack, Bob Backert, the PS Audio crew, Paul Laudati are all total gentlemen and great to talk to and work with. Interesting thing is that in most of my experiences, the people who work with them are very polite, appreciative and unpretentious. The culture at these establishments is positive and welcoming.
Pleased to see the less expensive lines/gear many of the audio good guys are coming out with. Sincerely hoping that they can lure in young people and shepherd them into the appreciation of well reproduced music loving.
There are pretentious people in almost every category.
Church, cars, clothes, watches, property, interior/exterior design, engineering, science, etc. you name it, you won't get away from that 100%.
People are people, some like to rub into your face how what they have is better than what you have.
My definition of a snob is "a snob is a person that tells you what you like".
Walk into a high end watch store not dressed to kill and see how they treat you initially. Try to ask about high end pens. yes pens. If you don't know what you are talking about, they will laugh you out of the store.
most everything is a science.
Many audiophiles don't really discuss their systems with many others, because some people don't and won't try to understand and feel you are being elitist. However, they understand high end cars vs Toyotas.
Ask some Women about high end $2000 shoes vs pay for less. They know about high end clothes and shoes.
But for some reason they can't or won't understand high end audio. They listen as background music only and space, dimensionality, depth, tonal balance, etc. is a different language from a different plant to them.
The real test of whether you are a snob or not is your reaction to when they ask you about Bose products.
this really is a test they are putting you through and you're response is a clear indication to them about you.
Yes......for instance ; David Michael Audio as I had called him 4 times, 4 times on a $20,000 retail pre-map I was very interested in and he didn't even have the common courtesy to even call me back. I went to Anthony Perrotta Consulting who I have done business with in the past, and was able to work out a deal. He does not have the audio arrogance as some. Great guy to work with. Todd at ; Todd the Vinyl Junkie is another one of the '' few '' straight shooters in this business. I have been in this hobby for 42 years and yes I have met some real jerks and we all know who they are.
I just have a range of music that runs a little farther than most. I can listen to country classical jazz r&b hip hop blues etc. I can appreciate the instruments words and story telling in all music!
Once upon a time, I got very tired of hearing smooth jazz and Diana Krall at what seemed like every gear audition and audio club meeting on earth. However, I don't begrudge any fan of that music their enjoyment of those recordings and I don't expect I'd ever convert them to Wagner or Roxy Music or Jaime Wyatt.
I've been blessed over the years to know a few great audio pros/dealers who truly loved music and generously shared their insight and wisdom. They totally balance out the very few high end snobs who only play Famous Blue Raincoat or RCA shaded dogs on their ultra $$$ systems. I've heard some killer systems over the years, and I had a pretty good one ($$) myself for awhile.
That was then, this is now: we're starting again and having fun putting together a modest system, one that *all* our recordings sound good through, including vintage and mono recordings, LPs, CDs, opera blu-rays and downloads. It will be a good, musical system but it won't be the last word in hi-fi. I really do wanna hear the music, not the gear. I'd like to meet some local audio friends but I'm really content to stay at home and enjoy our collection with the hubby,
Ultimately, it's about enjoying the music. Music feeds my soul. For me, that's mainly classical and opera, but also includes rock, R&B, folk, jazz, alt country and pop. (For my spouse, it's 97% classical.} I don't like hip hop, metal or trance, but I'm fine if you do. That means we might have different priorities and different choices in gear but - hey- many are the paths to musical nirvana, plenty of gear to go around.
ABSOLUTLEY and many of them are on this site and while their is some valuable info to be gained in which I have been visiting this site on and off the last 30 years its getting more and more snooty lately then in the early ears and thats exactly why I have very few post or comments since rejoining.
Started this thread a year ago. Learned so much about people and why the hobby is slowly losing customers and hobbyists. In the end I enjoy my system and that's all that matters. I have 5 or 6 true audio friends. The rest don't matter much to me. Enjoy everyone
I actually bought my speakers in Scotland and had them shipped here because of the bad service I was getting here in the states. It's a shame that the U.S. Distributor was such a snoot.
@jafant. Thanks. I started this thread because I wanted to see how people felt. I don't fit the typical audiophile look. I therefore run into situations when this comes up. Nothing like being ready to buy and having to run into snoots. I remember going into stores and the assumptions costing the salesman the sale.
@rsangole. Welcome. I have been blessed to listen to some great systems. With some great down to earth guys. I've listened to Raidho with soulutions gear. Very expensive. However the guy who owned it was great and he enjoyed finding out about new music. I met to other guys who let me demo great products at different price points. They could enjoy vastly different musical genres. I guess ultimately you have to remember to get the best you can afford. Then properly match it and enjoy. I have ran into snooty guys in the hobby but I have also met great folks who it's truly about music. Not the genre but the music. Please keep it that way on your audiophile journey.
I'm new to high end audio. I got my first system only 3 weeks ago. But, I've been into other expensive hobbies... cars, astronomy, and photography. My experience over the years has been very consistent - I have encountered enthusiasts who appreciate the quality and value of their equipment, but are down-to-earth and help new-bies grow in the hobby; and I've come across snooty folks who love to show off their equipment, can only talk about how expensive it is, and will look down upon others using less expensive equipment.
Well the reason why the question was asked because there seems to be the idea that lower end equipment and certain musical genres are somehow inferior. I don’t think the hobby should be that way. I have been fortunate enough to experience the growth of hip hop at the same time enjoy jazz, rock and blues. I have an appreciation for some classical music but i don’t listen to it most of the time. I think that it can be that way at times but I think at times it can be a little high brow. However there are people in it that are truly in it for the music and sound quality. There are others that are in it too say look what I got and because I have it I’m somehow better than a DIY guy. Lol. Interesting conversation
Yeah, they are great. I love the video. It is the perfect fit for the thread. Lol. Anyway I have some great friends in this hobby. Some with great cutting edge gear. I originally asked the question because I don't fit the typical audiophile box. I have an high end system but I listen to hip hop, blues, jazz, Latin Jazz, classical, rock, Christian, etc. I just noticed that some of the dealers and hobbyists are kind of uppity at times. I was trying to buy some Dali epicon speakers from a place in Dallas and was ready to pull the trigger but the dealer was extremely snooty. So I had my current speaker the gato fm6 shipped from Denmark. I asked the question about being snooty because there are really some great folks in the hobby. Then there are the extreme guys that can be on the obsessive nutty side. My group in Dallas is not like that. They are good guys. Some of my closest buddies. I love a variety of music. I respect the musicians, art and lyrics. There is some diva behavior in the hobby though that I could do without.
Calvinj, just looked it up. I like it....I wish there was more of it with different artist. I know a good handful of rappers can play instruments, and you can hear it in some of their songs. Just wish they would use their talents more.
@souljasmooth go listen to a group called Black Violin they have a song called "Brandenburg"it's to classically trained violinists that do hip hop. They have a video to the song on YouTube. Check it out and tell me what you think.
As far as to or too. I'm responding on my little iPhone and I'm typing rather fast. @souljasmooth you see this stuff the reason why hip hop doesn't seek acceptance of these kind of folks because they front like a fake gangsta rapper. I'm versatile and will listen to anything. Refined is not what I would call folks that wrap self worth in their audio systems or that somehow it ties in to the being more civilized. I had to adjust my Turnbull and Asser bow tie. Lol
@souljasmooth I would +1 you but some of those nerd guys are my really good friends. Lol. Man I got the answer to my question by some of these responses. Christian believers are me. Once again there they go. They are better patriots, Christians, audiophiles etc etc. The snootiness has nothing to do with OUR Christian faith. This is where you have proven me right. I'm wasting time by even responding to folks who would even use faith that way. No wonder our great country is going this way.
Without "snooty" hi-end audio folks, who would you sell all that audio snake-oil to? Cable supports?!?! Room resonators? And let's not forget one of the all-time pieces of insanity, the Tice clock!
calvini, nothing will refine someone who does not want to be refined. What you are "dealing with " are Christian believers for the most part.
The greatest Christian thinker, Augustine, took the concept whole from the ancient Greeks and passed it on to Aquinas, Luther and Bach among others Also been the view of most Asians thinkers for thousands of years .
I had to do a double take when I saw the Bach response. Lol. Bach will refine me. Makes great music but seriously. Really! I just realized the kind of people that I'm responding to. That's why I asked the snooty question in the first place. Lol. Extreme gaming is not a sport and being an audiophile is a hobby. Live with it.
I believe it is in what you see the object of listening to music is. If you listen to music as entertainment, and nothing wrong with that, its a hobby. If you listen to it for the purpose Bach said its for, to enlighten and edify your soul, its something else . And the very essence of that is the opposite of "snooty" . Of course we are all a work in progress .
Is it demeaning to call our audiophile pursuit a "hobby" or us as "hobbyists"? A recent letter to Stereophile takes umbrage to the use of that word. If by definition, a hobby is "a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in for relaxation" (Webster's), then I find no issue with the use of that word to refer to the audiophile world. And the arrogance of attempting to intellectually elevate our HOBBY to some higher, superior activity, seems to me to define "snooty".
@bondmanp I agree with your assertions. Great listening sessions with people who have different tastes. We also take turns during our listening sessions playing CDs we like. Each guy gets 30 min or an hour. I've found out recently about some Christian artists from bethel music that I never heard but sound great. I got a group of 5 guys that listen from time to time we have a guy with 300k system. A guy with a 20k system and couple of guys with 40k systems and we all can enjoy each other's systems. Listening is fun and relaxing. I don't do it to impress anyone. If I did I would try to impress my real friends. Lol. Not people I don't know. Even in our group we got a couple of guys the dissect the music with a scalpel but we calm them down and get them back on their meds. It's a joy in the hobby when you got your guys listening. Enjoy your music. I started the thread because I went to a Lone Star Audio fest 5 years ago and I saw a snooty crowd and then I saw some diy guys and budget system guys. However I also saw some great audiophiles high end and non high end talk about the music and come together to enjoy both sides. Enjoy your music!
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