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I am not an Audiophile (and never have been)

I think Tony has this one wrong, I don't think some here are against the definition of audiophile, i'm certainly not, the term seems to have morphed into something I don't personally care for, but seem to be stuck with, that is, someone with more money than sense when it comes to buying hifi equipment.
It's those who mock the hobby that are inverted snobs, not those who enjoy the hobby.
Seems to have become, yet another label, banded around by some on this thread too.

I would say, anyone who openly admits to being a snob, cannot aim the inverted snobbery tag at anyone else, in a derogatory way, as seen here recently, without coming over as a bit of an arse.
 
Tony L said:
I'm prepared to bet that those here happy to wear the audiophile tag actually have far larger and more specialised music collections than the inverse snobs whinging about it! We should perhaps have a 'post a pic of your music collection' contest!
Click to expand...

Didn't we do this once? Hi-res photos of record racks?
 
Ragaman said:
I think Tony has this one wrong, I don't think some here are against the definition of audiophile, i'm certainly not, the term seems to have morphed into something I don't personally care for, but seem to be stuck with, that is, someone with more money than sense when it comes to buying hifi equipment.
It's those who mock the hobby that are inverted snobs, not those who enjoy the hobby.
Seems to have become, yet another label, banded around by some on this thread too.

I would say, anyone who openly admits to being a snob, cannot aim the inverted snobbery tag at anyone else, in a derogatory way, as seen here recently, without coming over as a bit of an arse.
Click to expand...

It is all semantics, and everyone's idea of wealth, value etc is very different, and I'm not certain even relevant as it is so relative. It is certanly not for me to establish those points for others. I view myself as neither poor nor wealthy; there is no way I could afford Naim Statement, Wilson Maxx, Beolab 90s or countless other things I see pictured in Stereophile, but neither would I wish to sneer at those who can and choose to own them. We live in a capitalist society; where a market exists people will cater for it, and if that means interconnects or isolation cones coating thousands that I have no issue with those who choose to make them or buy them. I am neither of those people, but this market exists in everything from cars, cycling through to women's handbags etc.

I guess I'm lucky to be completely content in my own skin; I can afford to own the sort of classic vintage kit I am most interested in, in fact I often achieve it with investment alone (i.e. no long term cost, just a few quid stuck in something that can be released later upon selling). I have no issue with the term 'audiophile'; I have an interest in sound reproduction and have had snce I was a child unable to afford any kit at all. I live a pretty modest life, my interests are music, audio and cycling, all of which I can do to a reasonable level. What is the big deal? I don't see the term 'audiophile' any different to 'cyclist', 'bassist' or the other things I do. I'd argue the term 'audiophile' applies just as relevantly to the person who has just upgraded their iPhone earbuds to a nicer pair of Sennheisers or AKGs and chosen to fill their phone with lossless media. They are one of us now! I don't see anything snobby about the term, only from those who are trying to sneer at it.
 
The problem is not so much with the word itself, so much as the people who deploy it. I use the term 'deploy' advisedly, because it the term audiophile has become weaponised. Unfortunately, any word we choose to replace it seems likely to suffer the same fate, in due course, especially if the new term gains any traction. Best option, IMHO, is not to rise to the bait.
 
Chaps

Back in the 1980s and 1990s, being called an audiophile was a compliment. If you had a good system with big speakers, you were dead cool, men admired you, your children were proud of you and women fancied you.You were the kiddie so to speak.

Today it is a mild insult because of the old geezer image and most of us here are on the wrong side of 50 as evidence of that.

Personally I think it is impossible to give a precise definition of the word audiophile and it is now a bit of an irrelevance. However if you have an interest in music playing equipment, be it tat or expensive, you could be described as an audiophile and that covers most of us.

If someone is happy with a little Denon and a pair of cheap speakers, then good luck to them. I discovered years ago that I was addicted to the Naim sound and I will stick with it. That makes me neither clever nor stupid, but it does make me happy. If one of my black boxes was to conk out today, it would either be repaired or replaced with an even better Naim box. That is my choice and is the business of no one else.

Also we all have differing attitudes to our equipment. Some people get a buzz out of trying and retrying equipment and enjoy the experimental side of it. I, on the other hand, trust a company like Naim who have a proven track record to provide me with a tailored product and then I will stick with it.

I still believe in the concept, just worry about your own stuff and forget what the other guy is using.

Regards

Mick
 
In Finnish slang, "to hifi" seems to have become a general term for being an obsessive anorak...
 
Tony L said:
We should perhaps have a 'post a pic of your music collection' contest!
Click to expand...

Code: 
$ beet stats
Tracks: 19662
Total time: 8.0 weeks
Approximate total size: 510.2 Gib
Artists: 2754
Albums: 1305
Album artists: 658
 
Tony L said:
I'm prepared to bet that those here happy to wear the audiophile tag actually have far larger and more specialised music collections than the inverse snobs whinging about it! We should perhaps have a 'post a pic of your music collection' contest!
Click to expand...

Funny, that's the reason I don't consider myself an audiophile!

My music collection is woeful.
 
Mick P said:
Chaps

Back in the 1980s and 1990s, being called an audiophile was a compliment. If you had a good system with big speakers, you were dead cool, men admired you, your children were proud of you and women fancied you.You were the kiddie so to speak.

Today it is a mild insult because of the old geezer image and most of us here are on the wrong side of 50 as evidence of that.

Personally I think it is impossible to give a precise definition of the word audiophile and it is now a bit of an irrelevance. However if you have an interest in music playing equipment, be it tat or expensive, you could be described as an audiophile and that covers most of us.

If someone is happy with a little Denon and a pair of cheap speakers, then good luck to them. I discovered years ago that I was addicted to the Naim sound and I will stick with it. That makes me neither clever nor stupid, but it does make me happy. If one of my black boxes was to conk out today, it would either be repaired or replaced with an even better Naim box. That is my choice and is the business of no one else.

Also we all have differing attitudes to our equipment. Some people get a buzz out of trying and retrying equipment and enjoy the experimental side of it. I, on the other hand, trust a company like Naim who have a proven track record to provide me with a tailored product and then I will stick with it.

I still believe in the concept, just worry about your own stuff and forget what the other guy is using.

Regards

Mick
Click to expand...
This ^^

And label free, nice.
 
Julf said:
Code: 
$ beet stats
Tracks: 19662
Total time: 8.0 weeks
Approximate total size: 510.2 Gib
Artists: 2754
Albums: 1305
Album artists: 658
Click to expand...

Tracks: 14983983
Approximate total size: 5130.2 Gib
Artists: 542754
Albums: 341305
Album artists: 14658

No scope for cheating on this one. What's the prize?
 
richgilb said:
Tracks: 14983983
Approximate total size: 5130.2 Gib
Artists: 542754
Albums: 341305
Album artists: 14658

No scope for cheating on this one. What's the prize?
Click to expand...

My posting was simply a light-hearted example of how to post a picture of a digital collection. The numbers really didn't matter, so if someone feels the need to outdo them (even falsely), my response would be "good for you!"
 
Just kidding too...I don't have any digital format music. I use my download codes for roach material and nothing else.
 
In my own opinion / experience it’s not that “proper” hi-fi is something amazing, it’s, rather, that the majority of music reproduction equipment is so very poor.

It seems odd to me that not wanting to listen to badly reproduced music is the exception and therefore, worthy of a label.
 
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