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What is wrong with audiophiles?

Something that has happened countless times happened again last night. Ordinary people over for a party listening to some music easily hear things audiophiles argue endlessly don't even exist. Oh, its worse even than that- they not only easily hear but are stunned and amazed at what they hear. Its absolutely clearly obvious this is not anything they ever were expecting, not anything they can explain- and also is not anything they can deny. Because its so freaking obvious! Happens every time. Then I come on here and read one after another not only saying its impossible, but actually ridiculing people for the audacity of reporting on the existence of reality.

What is wrong with audiophiles?

Okay, concrete examples. Easy demos done last night. Cable Elevators, little ceramic insulators, raise cables off the floor. There's four holding each speaker cable up off the floor. Removed them one by one while playing music. Then replaced them. Music playing the whole time. First one came out, instant the cable goes on the floor the guy in the sweet spot says, "OH! WTF!?!?!"

Yeah. Just one. One by one, sound stage just collapses. Put em back, image depth returns.

Another one? Okay.

Element CTS cables have Active Shielding, another easy demo. Unplug, plug back in. Only takes a few seconds. Tuning bullets. Same thing. These are all very easy to demo while the music is playing without interruption. This kills like I don' know how many birds with one stone. Auditory memory? Zero. Change happens real time. Double blind? What could be more double blind than you don't know? Because nobody, not me, not the listener, not one single person in the room, knows exactly when to expect to hear a change- or what change to expect, or even if there would be any change to hear at all. Heck, even I have never sat there while someone did this so even I did not know it was possible to hear just one, or that the change would happen not when the Cable Elevator was removed but when the cable went down on the floor.

We're talking real experience here people. No armchair theorizing. What real people really hear in real time playing real music in a real room.

I could go on. People who get the point will get the point. People who ridicule- ALWAYS without ever bothering to try and hear for themselves!- will continue to hate and argue.

What is wrong with audiophiles?

Something almost all audiophiles insist on, its like Dogma 101, you absolutely always must play the same "revealing" track over and over again. Well, I never do this. Used to. Realized pretty quickly though just how boring it is. Ask yourself, which is easier to concentrate on- something new and interesting? Or something repetitive and boring? You know the answer. Its silly even to argue. Every single person in my experience hears just fine without boring them to tears playing the same thing over and over again. Only audiophiles subject themselves to such counterproductive tedium.

What is wrong with audiophiles????
128x128millercarbon
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923 posts
 
While I like the OP’s ideas, personally when looking for differences in a component or set up, I like to concentrate on not on a whole song, but often on a particular instrument. I find it much easier to remember the sound of a wood block, or piano, or flute, etc.

I’ll playback the same section with changes, sometimes several times to get a baseline. Once I have a good handle on what the change brings (or doesn’t) it’s back to enjoying the performance once again.

I can remember many times after a critical listening session feeling quite hungry. Our brains consume a large portion of energy when we are concentrating. Sometimes I’ll use unfamiliar music when comparing, but usually it requires a break in the music to do the change (as opposed to something easy like cable lifters on or off) and I find the reference cuts more helpful. (However they do change from time to time). Another thing is that I live alone (which is why I can do late night listening sessions) so all my tweeking is done solo.

Also im wondering if you have carpet?  I have read that cable lifting is really beneficial for carpet as opposed to wood floors. Now you’ve got me curious to try it again. 
cd318
2,636 posts
 
@agrippa, "For maybe the first 10-15 years of my audiophile "career" I heard differences between anything and everything. Cable lifters, signal cables, speaker cables, power cables, isolation devices, that green CD pen, you name it. I heard the differences at shop demos, at my friends’ places and at home.

Then real stuff happened and I lost interest in HiFi completely for a couple of years or so. When I came back I heard none, or almost none, of it. Not, I hasten to add, because I’d lost my hearing in the meantime. It is and has always been excellent. I have no problem picking up and pointing out slight nuances between cartridges, tone arms, CD players, amplifiers and whatever else which *ought* to sound different - but all that other stuff all sound the same or make no difference whatsoever.

I’ve given this quite some thought and the one change from before to after that I can point to as an explanation is that I no longer give a s**t. I no longer want, need or expect things to sound different and so, apparently, many of them don’t.

That’s my personal experience anyway. Take it as you will."




Portrait of the Audiophile as a Young Man?

Many poignant and wise words here

"Then the "real stuff" happens."

"an explanation is that I no longer give a s**t"

"I no longer want, need or expect things to sound different and so, apparently, many of them don’t."


Trust me, you're not the only one who feels this way.

Great post, I'll take it with thanks.

mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,011 posts
 
I dont look for differences in sound for differences in sound...

I dont pick differences for differences with no clues about the way music must be experienced...I educated my hearing with my music...

I look for the music experience...

I created it bit by bit with my ears and little money, and homemade solutions...

I listen now music with a smile...I can appreciate differences in sound but without being obsessed by costly products anymore because of frustration and incapacity....


Takes the sound experience in your own hands and makes music happen...


Dont buy anymore, think first....And think with your ears not only the brain...


mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
mahgister, I think you were on to something. Your last line should have read, "And think with your heart not only your brain."
If listening to your system makes you smile, gives you that little tingle inside you are in business. If all you hear are problems you are in trouble. You will spend all you time and money chasing them.
So, the best thing to do if your system is not making you smile is to listen to as many systems and live events as you can to figure out what does make you smile. Then take the steps to get you there over time. Do not waste your money on trivial crap  like cable elevators and fancy cables. That stuff is for guys who need their egos stroked. You want more volume? Go for a bigger amp or more efficient speakers. You want a larger sound stage? Go for large Dipole loudspeakers. You want more bass? Go for subwoofers. Take the big steps in an evolutionary pattern until you get that smile every time you turn it on. Then you can deal with the little things. As Nelson Pass said, Audiophiles (real ones) just want to be happy." Nobody can tell you what makes you happy. To get good advice you have to be able to tell them what makes you happy.
The very best audio system is one that makes everybody smile with just the first measure.
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,011 posts
 
Thanks mijostyn for your interesting remarks...


Just a word tough, my ears are in my heart....    :)


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