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 1 response by pindac

When did I get the passion to experience music?

Was it at a certain age and being able to experience Shellac replays owned by Parents, maybe not.

Was it as a result of being able to experience music replays on a Radio, definitely something stuck from such early experiences and still remains with myself to date. 

Was it experiencing how a Musical Encounter can impact on oneself through seeing it as a replayed happening on a TV, definitely a biggy this one, and has a great influence on my developing a interest.

Was it going out and experiencing live music being replayed of Bands I had become very influenced by and discovering New Music Encounters as a live performed music, this is substantial and possibly the most influential. This is now a lifestyle, a personality is developing and friendships are evolving through shared enthusiasm for the same attraction. Merchandise of the influential performers is being acquired and the desire to experience the merchandise replayed is a big attraction.

Replaying merchandise requires a few simple tools to get a end result, the tools at some point can become of importance and hence the pursuit of learning about audio equipment becomes a secondary interest.

I believe without any reservation, that when a intense focus has manifested on the audio equipment side of the equation, that music and the enjoyment it brings becomes a out of focus area in the individuals life. How the audio equipment is said to perform is to become much more important than the Source Material containing the recorded music.

The focus on audio equipment becomes even more deranged when individuals become solitary and have very isolated experiences with their pursuit of the equipment nirvana. There take is all that matters, and their experiences are mainly gathered as interpreting Manufacturers Sales Spiel and reviewers assessments.

This gets even more interesting when such an individual becomes in their own mind a authority not to be challenged, on the basis they are now with a unusually deep insight into how a publicly presented measurement for a audio devices designed parameters impacts on the end produced sonic.

I have learned to keep myself steered well clear of this mindset and avoid any extended communication with such types, the most basic exchanges are to me exhausting, life is way too short.

The two types that occasionally cross paths are easily defined, the following is a very basic outline.

One type really enjoys musical encounters, as a Live experience or as a Recorded Music Replay, or there is a alternative, where the music being produced means little, but the Obsession about the Audio Equipment has taken on such a controlling influence the pursuit has become extremely sapping of the individual.