Should people with no turntable or reel to reel be considered audiophiles?

What is the advantage of a balanced input or output for phono stages?

Good question. When you find one let us know.

What a stupid post anyway inferring that people that listen to digital aren’t audiophiles. I was once digital only for a few years and was just as much of an audiophile then as I am now.

Yes and that is the thing about audiophiles. Most people think it means likes to listen to music. But it can also mean likes to listen to digital. 

The same box Porsche use in their auto shift units.

Uh, no. You didn't. Not PDK. Tiptronic, maybe. But the mere fact you say "auto shift units" tells me you don't even know the difference.

This is how silly your overall position is, and even bringing Porschephile into the discussion. What exactly does that mean?

Its not silly at all. If you would just for one moment open your closed mind and consider, Porschephile and audiophile are very much related. Understanding one even helps you to understand the other.

Neither one is about anything as crass as stuff. Porschephile means literally love of Porsche- which by the way was a man, Ferdinand Porsche, who made the car and not the other way around. Ferdinand Porsche was an engineer who when he looked around for a car could not find the car he wanted. Practical, fast, efficient, durable, sporty. Above all he wanted a car that was enjoyable to drive. Couldn't find one. So he made one. He figured, and this is near word for word, that if he built the car he liked others might like it as well.  

You missed this the first time so let me lay it out for you nice and clear. This is exactly what high end audio is about. Ted, Keith, Eric, Peter, Krissy, all these different people making stuff sound the way they think it should sound. Just like Porsche. Not a one of them did a market study. They just made stuff they thought sounded good. People who care more about sound than anything else bought what they made. Just like people who care more about driving buy Porsche.

owning a Porsche and being a member of PCA mean anything other than you have the resources to buy a Porsche (and even then it does not always mean that). Nope.

Nope is right. Or else everyone with money would have one. Which they do not. Because way more people with money than love of driving. Logic. Try it some time.

 Does it mean you know anything about cars? No.

Right. Who said anything about cars? We're talking Porsche. Trying to change the subject. Weak. Lazy. Lame. 

Does it mean you are at all a superior driver? No

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Not if all you do is own one. PCA regions coast to coast do however have driver development programs run on a level second only to Bondurant, Barber, et al. In many cases they are the same instructors. Reality. Deal with it.

Does it mean you know how to handle a high performance vehicle at limit? No.

It does if you take DE and let myself or other PCA Driving Instructors help you learn.

Does it mean you know how to properly drive a car for maximum performance?

Yes. Something you would know if you had even one day as a Novice: all the same skills and techniques apply regardless of what you are driving.

Just means you could afford to purchase one.

My what a narrow, small, petty little view of the world you have. Divisive too. Porschephile and audiophile are united in their enthusiasm and love. Bet you didn't even see that one coming. 

For less than the cost of a high end vinyl set up one can get stellar streaming (with DAC). A blind listening test would supervise you.

Captain Irrelevant may at last have met his match.

Porschephiles drive 911's and Caymans. We tolerate the other stuff only because it gives Porsche the money to survive and make our cars. I wouldn't be caught dead driving a Panamera or one of the SUVs.

At last a subject worthy of discussion! Porschephiles drive Porsches. Porschephiles do not drive SUVs. Porschephiles understand the difference between an SUV and a Cayenne, Cayenne Turbo S, Macan, etc. and a SUV. An SUV is an appliance. A microwave. A toaster oven. Porschephiles know a Porsche is not a car, nor is it an SUV. A Porsche is a Porsche. True Porschephiles know all this. Know it in their bones.

For street cred millercarbon is the owner of a 1979 911SC, a Porsche Club of America Driving Instructor for Driver Ed, Driver Skills, and Autocross, a PCA Concours winner, Tour Leader, Colby Cup Champion and former PNW Region President. Millercarbon has attended more PCA tech sessions than he can count, and has conducted a few himself. He made top 5 in class in a region that is home to six time SCCA National Autocross Champion Greg Fordahl. When it comes to Porsches millercarbon knows whereof he speaks. 

Back in the day when I owned a 356A Coupe, there were those that wouldn't recognize 911 owners as true Porschephiles. And for the record, Steve McQueen wore a Rolex.

Now this is more like it. When the 996 came out I went to talk with local legend Squire Tomasie. What is up with this new 996? Its fast and solid sure, but people are so upset. The headlights. The doors. And Squire said, son this is nothing. When the 911 came out the 356 guys all said it was the end. The 356 door closes like a bank vault. The 911 you have to slam. On and on. 

There is of course some relevance to audio. Porsche isn't about the looks or the numbers any more than audio is about the watts or the frequency response. Its about the driving experience. The listening experience. 

I'm telling ya, even with two rums in my I can write this. Someone needs to do something. They clearly are not paying me enough. 

What Mike said. A Porschephile is defined by an appreciation for the marque, and not by which model he happens to drive.

I really like the recent trend in working Porsche into the threads. There may be hope for this site yet.