The Insane World of High End Audio! Is it All a Scam?

Will the audiophile/audiophool demarcation line  ever be "defined?"

I think...NOT!

I see what Mahgister was implying. The reviewer is selectively ignorant - like the dog who did not bark in the night?? Or if that isn't what you mean, it is what I mean.

I’ve said it elsewhere and say it again here: the weak link in 99% of audiophile systems (aside from room acoustics) is the speakers. Even if lamp cord is being employed as the speaker cable in an otherwise $50K system, it’s not likely to be the weak link. 

Speakers, speakers, speakers…everything else is a distant contributor. I’d rather pair $30K speakers (or $10K DIY speakers) with $5K in electronics than $20K speakers with $15K in electronics.

It is so easy for others to knock or berate other's opinions or hobbies.  A watch is just a watch or a car is just a car, etc.  You know, "I don't see why someone would spend so much on such and such, they are all the same".  The best way to eliminate this noise is to let someone hear their favorite music on a decent system or a decent piece of equipment.

Many are used to MP3 or compressed music and have not really heard recording played back on great equipment.  Not to say there isn't a huge ripoff factor on "high end" equipment.  But, that is another discussion.

Also, many people listen to music as background music while they are busy doing other things.  So, they really aren't sitting and listening.  It is hard to show or convince people of differences. They don't have the space or time.  Many of us upgrade one piece at a time and that takes typically decades to get "there" with their systems.  

Many claim that they can't really taste the differences in wines.  But, they have never really gone wine tasting a really good wineries and laid out several vintages of wines and tasted.  same with systems and music.  Go to their house and swap out their system or a particular piece, match the levels from the previous listening session and then listen to the same music.  I would bet a great lunch that then they would hear a difference.  But going to a dealer or a friends house and simply listening.  They probably would be able to remember what the music actually sounded like in their home on their system vs at the dealer or a friends house.

When friends come over, I just turn on my system, play the music they like and some I like, enjoy some food and wine and company and what their attitudes and faces change while listening.

I know a car is not just a car.  A watch is not just a watch, music equipment is not just music equipment.  I understand electronics and audio.  I know what a real violin, bass, cello, etc. really sound like vs electronic equipment.  many don't.  They know what they know. They don't know what they don't know.  (I hope that makes sense).  I can't afford the very best, but over time, with years of upgrading single components, I am "there".  Can it get better?  absolutely!  The next lottery win for me, or a large bag of money dropped in front of me and those Sonus Faber Strat speakers are mine.  Although, I was informed that taking the bag of money is illegal.  You can't win. Pray for money. If appears and it is illegal to take it.  go figure.

enjoy

I see what Mahgister was implying. The reviewer is selectively ignorant - like the dog who did not bark in the night?? Or if that isn’t what you mean, it is what I mean.

You got it....

Cheapaudioman is a reviewer and like all reviewer they minimize and erase acoustics knowledge importance to sell the gear...

Pure ignorance and marketing...In cheapaudioman case it is pure ignorance in other case it is bad faith of experienced sellers...

Consumers audiophiles are like a herd they learn by index pointing. They dont study acoustics and at best conflate it with GIK panels....

Ignorant as cheapaudioman most here insult his character without knowing more than him...

And most audiophiles dont know how to listen and hear their own system because there is only one way to know : we must correlate each aspects of what we hear to a specific concept of acoustic, then modifying the Speakers/room parameters to improve the experience... But it is impossible if we have no acoustics concepts at our disposal without studying what it means in a serious books and how can it be implemented in our speakers/room for our ears/brain...

Most throw insults at cheapaudioman. It is unfair and pure stupidity. I never intend to mock him but to use his video as an example of "the dog who dont bark" in audio...