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Our Responsibility

As my music system competes with fireworks in the background (4th of July, after 9 pm) I’ve been reflecting on John Darko’s recent post (linked below). Specifically this section:

"Being a hi-fi enthusiast isn’t about the gear we own, the music we listen to or in which format. It’s about how we listen: attentively and mindfully, to the music AND to others."

Perhaps the significance and import of this very special day in our national history has opened up a window within me, to explore this further.

I’m asking our community: What is it that we can do to share and expand our interest and hobby, and this special love of music, with others?

From Darko.Audio: https://darko.audio/2019/07/the-know-it-all-audiophile-threatens-community-expansion/
david_ten
tablejockey
4,002 posts
 
geoffkait-

there's likely plenty of people who have heard nice audio systems, like music and could care less about how it's delivered. I'm sure there are some among us who have actual musician friends who live/breath music,and are content with an awful Soundesign all in one from 1977.
tuberist
951 posts
 
I follow John Darko’s YouTube blog. I find him informative and not the least bit bombastic. The way he described the "know it all audiophile" could really apply to just about any "hobby" I think many of us who post here do not behave like "know it alls" and just have a passion and willingness to share knowledge/experiences with others.
keegiam
731 posts
 
Kosst_Amojan:  <<Your post is a text book example of the "leave people alone in their own opinions and never challenge them" thinking>>

Not sure how you inferred this from my post.  I neither said nor think that.  You simply seem much more heavy-handed than I in introducing people to higher-quality audio than they're aware of - thus my "proselytism" comment.

There are primarily two scenarios that might lead me to an introduction.  1:  people visit and see my system, and I make a light-hearted apology for the elaborate equipment, explaining that high quality music playback is a lifelong hobby.  If they respond positively or are inquisitive, then the discussion leads where it may.

2:  At home, or out and about, if someone comments on good sound they're hearing, I will follow up to see what they're thinking and if they're receptive to pursuing it for themselves.

I do not feel any duty to "spread the gospel" by bringing the topic up every time I realize someone just wants to listen to songs and has no interest in more realistic reproduction.
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,636 posts
 
“I think many of us who post here do not behave like "know it alls" and just have a passion and willingness to share knowledge/experiences with others.”

+1, tuberist. 

I very much enjoy John Darko’s reviews / blogs and his no-nonsense approach. 
ianrodger
164 posts
 
Assuming (uh,oh) that most people on here were born between 1945 and 1960, I think the reason behind the lack of enthusiasm  for our hobby might be because we all matured and first had our own disposable income available at the time when "stack stereo" was in vogue and hi-fi was being heavily advertised as something to aspire to.

There were stores everywhere and the golden age of LPs and music in general was well underway.
The improvement in SQ compared to the radio or parents console was readily apparent so that gave us easy reasons to get on the treadmill of further SQ improvement and away we went.
We had our own rooms at home to set them up in and likely moved out of home and into our own houses or good sized apartments when real estate was affordable to all. There, we carried on because we took our gear with us.
Today? No stores, no ads, no LPs and it is very difficult to enter the real estate market.
What do they have instead? Portability and poor sound. With some education, they might work on improving the SQ from their phones but it is not the goal that it was for us.
Of my 3 boys who have all been fortunate to buy their own homes, only one has shown any interest in separate component music reproduction. His wife thinks it is a waste of time, money and space so it seems unlikely that he will stay on the treadmill.


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