Down boi .... down!
Should people who can't solder, build or test their speakers be considered audiophiles?
So, if you bought that Porsche but can only drive it and not fix it do you really understand and appreciate what it is? I say no. The guy who can get in there and make it better, faster or prettier with his own hands has a superior ability to understand the final result and can appreciate what he has from a knowledge base and not just a look at what I bought base. I mean sure you can appreciate that car when you drive it but if all you do is take it back to the dealership for maintenance and repairs you just like the shape with no real understanding of what makes it the mechanical marvel it is.
I find that is true with the audio world too. There are those who spend a ton of money on things and then spend a lot of time seeking peer approval and assurance their purchase was the right one and that people are suitably impressed. Of course those who are most impressed are those who also do not design, build, test or experiment.
I propose that an audiophile must have more than a superficial knowledge about what he listens to and must technically understand what he is listening to. He knows why things work and what his end goal is and often makes his own components to achieve this. He knows how to use design software to make speakers that you can't buy and analyze the room they are in and set up the amplification with digital crossovers and DSP. He can take a plain jane system and tweak it and balance it to best suit the room it is in. He can make it sound far better than the guy who constantly buys new components based on his superficial knowledge who does not understand why what he keeps buying in vain never quite gets there.
A true audiophile can define his goal and with hands on ability achieve what a mere buyer of shiny parts never will. So out comes the Diana Krall music and the buyer says see how good my system is? The audiophile says I have taken a great voice and played it through a system where all was matched and tweaked or even purposely built and sits right down next to Diana as she sings. The buyer wants prestigious signature sound and the audiophile will work to achieve an end result that is faithful true to life audio as though you were in the room with Diana as she sings. The true audiophile wants true to life and not tonally pure according to someones artificial standard.
So are you a buyer or an audiophile and what do you think should make a person an audiophile?
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sounds_real_audio One of the symptoms of covid 19 is on display. >>>>One can’t help wondering if some symptoms of Covid-19 are loss of the sense of taste and the sense of smell is loss of hearing acuity another symptom. You know, you can‘t tell the difference between tape and digital any more. 😳 |
Yesterday morning, I went to the Indiana Audiophile Society’s Indianapolis office to apply to become an official member. To earn official membership and the coveted Official Indiana Audiophile Member credentials that are bestowed, the process requires each applicant to take their very demanding Audiophile Entrance Exam. Membership is only granted to those paying the $5,000 entrance fee and answering the Official Entrance Exam’s 100 true-false questions with complete and total accuracy, a single incorrect answer results in permanent membership disqualification and forfeiture of the entrance fee. If the entrance fee is paid and all 100 entrance exam questions are answered 100% correctly, Official Indiana Audiophile membership status and credentials are bestowed upon the applicant. About an hour later, as I handed my completed exam back to the office clerk, she must have noticed my concerned manner because she stated: "Relax Mr. noble100, I probably shouldn’t be telling you this but the whole exam is actually based on whether question #2 is answered correctly or not, all the other questions are superfluous, not even checked and just there for appearances." I quickly looked down and reread question #2 on the exam, along with my answer, before handing it over to the clerk. Question #2 asked: "True or false, People who can't solder, build or test their speakers are not considered to be audiophiles?" There it is my friends, Irony in Action! Is this a true story or a made up story? Consider this a fable with a moral to the story. What word best describes my feelings about my performance on the exam? Yahtzee! How did I answer question #2? Those who paid close attention understand this point is moot. I don’t wish to stifle further debate and discussion, however, so please carry on. Tim |
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To me it’s sad if your only intention for posting what you did was for
the value of the reactions. Must still be stuck at home with nothing to
do, no new tv programming and running out of constructive activities " Initially it was as mentioned earlier in the thread a sarcastic response to a thread seriously offered for consideration on Audiogon. It was asking if a true audiophile had to have a turn table and reel to reel. And no, no more bored or running out of constructive things to do than those who reply here. |
I think that sarcasm tough is a bit too much of a more subtle gesture called "irony"....Like too much "salt" in the soup.... We must practice irony and spare the sarcasm.... I dont mean it to be a critic of your thread at all.... I enjoy reading trough the psyche of each poster.... It is just my grain of "salt".... |
As the OP in question you have my blessing to satire at my expense. I look forward to it and regard satire as an art form that can be immensely entertaining. Whether you are worthy depends on if you can do so with taste and wit and you may begin at any time. Can I suggest a topic since you seem to be lacking one? How about "Can Sarcastic People Be Audiophiles"? |
Let's extrapolate. If I have a brain and use it but can't perform brain surgery, am I still worthy of utilizing it in an obviously satirical and derisive manner to articulate to the OP just how snobbish, inane, pretentious, nonsensical and pathetic his thread premise actually is? Really, am I allowed? If not, who do I need to request permission from? I need to know. Just curious, Tim |
Did I see a TROLL... What is a troll, is it anything like a Booger eatin’ spaz? It takes a troll to know a troll. DON’T CALL NAMES..... Don’t be rude.... Manners pay that don’t cost.... Regards..Maybe.... Kinda....sorta... No, I take it back, no regards, your rude... Anyways, it's time to feed the chickens... |
" OP: "I came back to see just how much this thread has degraded" .... It began at the bottom of the barrel! " Well actually if you go back and read you will see there are quotation marks around that phrase. Nonoise is the author of that cogent phrase. I, as the OP, think it is all top drawer and could not ask for better theater of the absurd. Thanks for your contribution. |
phusis @mahlman — Whether I was serious with my now deleted message dissing sarcasm? You bet; I find your OP to stand on its own and read it sans sarcasm. Indeed it’ all the more effective this way clearly expressing your POW while asking others about their stance. >>>>>Is there going to be an exchange of POWs? 😳 |
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glupson "why do so many audiogon threads become ’one liner’ dumpster fires?"Attention span is not that long these days. Write more than one line and you lose them >>>>Thanks for holding your post to one line. Much appreciated. |
I do enjoy masquerading as an audiophile... Thank goodness my wife won’t ever read this, it’d be a free for all explaining my equipment, research, and time sitting down just listening to music (okay she gets the listening, she loves it too). If you want to be classed an audiophile - you are. No approval required, certainly not mine. |
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Try as I may to stay away, I came back to see just how much this thread
has degraded and you didn't disappoint. I guess it's in your nature. You
see, you keep coming back, glossing over the relevant points with the
same old, same old, trying to save face.
" Gotta cut bait before you fish if you want to reel them in. Once again here you are ;-D |