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Who has the Sickness, the Phile or the Non-phile?

So often I find myself resenting the fact that there are only so many hours to listen to HiFi and I think of those that don't hold this resentment.

I used to think anyone who wasn't obsessive simply lacked exposure, but even though I have introduced many, I have discovered no takers.

At audiophile club meeting it seems to me that the attendees are mostly gear-heads and posers; they say "Ooo & Ahhhh" to anything presented and you can see 1 or 2, maybe 3 in the seats nonchalantly looking over in the direction of the ooo-ers and Ahhh-ers; those few get it. And before anyone is defensive because they know, lashes out that I'm this or that....I don't care. These are obviously my opinions and I'm looking for the opinions of others On The  Question  At  Hand  and not whether or not I am a deluded self important snob.

So, if it is not a lack of exposure, is it a lack of ability?

Surely we are all different, short, tall, smart, obtuse, near sighted, far sighted. Are the ears and or the brains of an audiophile just wired differently than others? Can non audiophiles just not hear what we hear?

Was it childhood exposure that caused this difference in wiring? My father had Altec Voice of the Theater horns and the accompanying gear. Was that it, being exposed to HIFi during brain development? My daughter gets it and boy was she pissed when I sold my VPI TT. I never got along with my father, but was he responsible for my affliction by introducing me to superior sound as an infant?

And, who are the sick ones, the philes or the non-philes?

 

TD

128x128tonydennison

Showing 4 responses by cleeds

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cleeds
5,653 posts
 

This is not an either/or question. It's not a black and white world.

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cleeds
5,653 posts
 

kota1

2 channel music hasn't changed in over 70 years. It started out as 3 channel, went to two channel and got stuck. The stalwarts will dig in and defend the beach but that war was basically lost after CD sales imploded.

That's very colorful language, but you're really not saying much. First, there is no "war." Trying to create a divide where none exists is just silly. Further, the world of two-channel audio has changed quite a bit over the decades.

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cleeds
5,653 posts
 
kota1

First, there is no "war."

Tell that to Virgin Record stores or Sam Goodies, wiped out and a distant memory of nostalgia ... Tell that to the brick and mortar "high end" audio stores, remember those?

You're conflating inevitable change and evolution with "war." They are two different things. Nothing is permanent.

Who won the war you ask?

The changes in the world of two-channel audio make everyone a "winner." It isn't clear why you seem to need to describe a "war" with "winners" and "losers," but you certainly have a flair for drama.

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cleeds
5,653 posts
 
kota1

Investing heavily in a two channel system is a waste when compared to investing in a high end home theater ...

If you’re going to evaluate those two options as investments, then they are both poor choices because you’re typically buying depreciating assets. From a depreciation standpoint, you might actually fare better with two-channel gear, because some of it does retain its value. In comparison, consumer home theater gear is often rather disposable.

Either way, your claim assumes a preference for home theater, and that’s quite an assumption. Some of us really don’t care much about movies. We’re music people.

... the sales data I posted ... shows this is the direction that both the consumers and the producers of todays media content are going.

They are also going to McDonald's. Who cares?

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