@jjss49 Just watched your attached video. Excellent, thanks for posting. It puts into clear focus what crops up on far too many posts. Maybe it should be made required viewing by all members. 😂
un-becoming an audiophile
Yes, the title is what is sounds like.
I remember long ago, as a boy, I used to be able to enjoy music without picking apart a track. is the bass tight? is the midrange clear and life-like? is the treble resolution spot on? What about imaging/sound stage?
Most people have this very same superpower - not being an audiophile. They can play a song from the worst earbuds, laptop speakers, or even computer speakers - and enjoy the music; even sing along. They aren’t thinking about "how it sounds" or scrutinizing the audio quality. Actually, they couldn’t care less. They can spend their time on other life pursuits and don’t feel a need to invest big money (or much money at all) in the hi-fi hobby.
Any psychologists or scientists in the building? (please no Amir @amir_asr ) since you are neither! ...despite the word "science" being in your domain name - audio science review.
Please, I beg you. Help me get away from this hobby.
Imagine - being able to enjoy all of your favourite music - while still achieving that dopamine rush, along with serotonin, and even oxytocin - the bonding hormone, which can be released while listening to songs with deep emotional messages, or love songs.
We’re very much like food critics or chefs in a sense. We want the best of something (in this case, audio) I’m sure michelin star chefs face the same thing in their own right...can’t enoy or even eat the food unless it’s up to a certain standard.
When we audiophiles want to listen to music, we often play it on a resolving system, so as to partake in a a "high-end" listening experience. We often pick apart music and fault the audio components in our system, cables etc. All of this takes away from the experience of enjoying music as a form of art/entertainment. It has been said that some famous artists don’t even own a high-end audio system.
I gained a great deal of wisdom of from the documentary - Greek Audiophile. In it, we have audiophiles from all walks of life. Their families think they’re crazy for spending all this money on audio. They say it sounds "nice" or "real" but still can’t justify it.
I think it’s all in the brain. If we can reset our brains (or me at least) I can still enjoy music without needing a great system for it.
- Jack
Showing 9 responses by bigtwin
An good read with my morning coffee. I've always found the use of the word Audiophile to be interesting. To me it means someone who has great knowledge on the technical side of hi-fi equipment. And there are plenty of "Audiophiles" on this site. I don't think you need to have much technical expertise in order to be a great lover of music and to be able to fully appreciate a great system. I don't understand half of what is said in many posts, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the sound to the same degree as the member who can build their own equipment. I can derive great enjoyment just by looking at my system, simply as room art when not playing, and I don't care who thinks that's wrong. I think you really just need to move past the label of Audiophile and get back to enjoying your system and the music it provides. If others want to get lost in the magic of a power cable, that's all right too. Everyone gets to enjoy this hobby in their own way. 😁 |
@ditusa @yyzsantabarbara @bdp24 The word Hobby as defined by the English Dictionary "an activity pursued in spare time for pleasure or relaxation" As defined in the American Dictionary "something that one likes to do or study in one's spare time; favorite pastime or avocation" Unless you're getting paid to listen to music, I think you have a hobby. Just saying..... 🤣 |
@fbgbill Nice rig. I'm interested in your audio rack. Something you built? How are the pipe end connected to the wood? I don't see any brackets. I'm in need of some new shelving and that system looks very adaptable. |
audiophilenounau·dio·phile ˈȯ-dē-ō-ˌfī(-ə)l : a person who is enthusiastic about high-fidelity sound reproduction |
@grislybutter "not to mention I pay way more taxes." This is a somewhat silly comment that gets brought up a lot. A person who earns more pays more taxes. You can argue about the percentage of gross income that is paid but it's just not true that rich people don't pay more taxes. An estimated 72.5 million households -- or 40% of total households -- will pay no federal income taxes for tax year 2022, according to an analysis from the Tax Policy Center. |
@grislybutter Don't get your shorts in a knot. For starters, I said it's a silly comment that comes up a lot. Indicating many people like to say it. I was not meaning to disparage you directly, I am not calling you silly, sorry if you took it that way, but I am am calling that particular comment silly. And you did not state you pay a larger "percentage" in tax. You made that claim about your charitable giving, and I applaud your generosity. You exact comment on tax was "not to mention I pay way more taxes." My issue with that statement, and all those who repeat it, is the simple fact, people who earn the big incomes pay more total tax dollars than those who earn less. Your words "A person who reports more, to be correct" indicates people who are dishonest and lie to the tax department are the ones who pay less. That's a discussion for another day. As for your "rich friends" who brag about paying less tax than you, I can only suggest they are full of s-h-i-t. Some of the biggest lies people like to tell is who much they make and how little they pay. Anyway, this is supposed to be a forum about music. Sorry again if we are getting off track. Usually happens by the time any thread hits page 3. We are both entitled to our own views. |
@jackhifiguy What are smoking. Are you referencing my post one past one of this thread "A good read with my morning coffee. I've always found the use of the word Audiophile to be interesting. To me it means someone who has great knowledge on the technical side of hi-fi equipment. And there are plenty of "Audiophiles" on this site. I don't think you need to have much technical expertise in order to be a great lover of music and to be able to fully appreciate a great system. I don't understand half of what is said in many posts, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the sound to the same degree as the member who can build their own equipment. I can derive great enjoyment just by looking at my system, simply as room art when not playing, and I don't care who thinks that's wrong. I think you really just need to move past the label of Audiophile and get back to enjoying your system and the music it provides. If others want to get lost in the magic of a power cable, that's all right too. Everyone gets to enjoy this hobby in their own way. 😁 " Yes, that is clearly lacking in maturity and shows almost no grasp of the English Language. Troll someone else as I don't suffer fools lightly. Cheers. |