2. music
  3. 185837-111109

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 2 responses by waytoomuchstuff

waytoomuchstuff's avatar
waytoomuchstuff
992 posts
 

Home theater:

There are some good story tellers out there that have something interesting to convey. Seeing the accumulation of the effects of talented writers, casting, directors, lighting, makeup, sound, etc. who can "pull off" delivering the story the writer wanted to tell, is quite amazing when all the stars line up and it comes together seamlessly.

Some movies have absolutely amazing soundtracks, and nobody has to get killed or maimed to make a good story. More channels (correctly rendered) add to the believabilty of being there, and part of the story.

And, yes, my 2-channel system is still my favorite system. Music, presented competantly, is a hard act to follow.

waytoomuchstuff's avatar
waytoomuchstuff
992 posts
 

We have a lake home on a golf course. I don’t fish or play golf. Neither pulled me in as a participant, or spectator. But, I do like touring around lake in my golf cart, and my evening escursions on UBL (the Ugliest Boat on the Lake).

But, quite early, I was taken in by the phemonon of sound. It didn’t matter whether it was the sound of a screaming Mac9 chainsaw engine mounted behind my head on a go cart, or a Top 40 hit, sound moved me in ways I didn’t quite understand.

Picking up a guitar a few years later, I learned to appreciate what it took to make music that sounded like ... music. It was difficult, complex, and challenging. It was at that point that I came to appreciate those who could pull it off artisically. Write it. Perform it. Conduct it. I was simply in awe with those who could make sound so complex, so beautiful, so riviting. A music appreciation course in college elevated my appreciation for classical music. Now I my "antenna" was far more sensitive, and could assign the correct music terms to what I was hearing and experiencing. Music was far more than "music" to me. It was the ability to fully resonate with a natural phenomena, and attach (almost) all of my brain to embracing what as happening in front of me. It was the ultimate embodiment of sound, arranged and delivered will all the resources genius could produce, record, and reproduce in my space. I can’t begin to express the level of gratitute I have for any and ALL parts of this process.

I’ve been taken by other pleasures life has to offer and enjoy them immensely. Especially the one’s I share with others. It’s nice to relegate the status of "expert" to someone else once in a while. Just "being there" is enough, sometimes.

So, no need feel "weird" about an obsession with music. And, audio. I do know professional musicans whose life and livelihood depend on their command of their instrument (an $80k cello with $30 bow comes to mind) who are completely oblivious to goal of reproducing quality music at home. The "music bug" hit them in a big way. The "audio bug’, not a all. Those of us who enjoy both have been given a gift. One we an enjoy for a lifetime.

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