What is an Audiophile?
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- čas přidán 18. 11. 2019
- A much misunderstood term. It's used as a form of accusation when it should be used as a measure of celebration. Paul Rigby explains the meaning of the word and why he calls himself The Audiophile Man and not the HiFi-phile Man.
Elusive Audio - www.ebay.co.uk/str/elusiveaudio
THE VINYL WALL
Wondered what the vinyl is sitting on the shelves behind me? Here's a list in full. Most of the LPs are original pressings. I'll try to source those. If not available, I'll head for the next best release. I've included links in case you'd like to purchase too. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you.
John Foxx - Enter The Angel
UK - amzn.to/2CUnjoZ
USA - amzn.to/2O2HEyC
Pete Bardens - Seen One Earth
UK - amzn.to/2OwmpnM
USA - amzn.to/2O0Fq2B
Neil Young - Massey Hall 1971
UK - amzn.to/2O2BRcz
USA - amzn.to/37ilNe8
Bing Crosby - Songs of a Lifetime
UK - amzn.to/2CYrdwV
USA - amzn.to/2QBM7Kj
Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother
UK - amzn.to/2r5eRQY
USA - amzn.to/2quuzoJ
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So, a) to be an audiophile, you must be a music lover in the first place; b) in order to seek the truth of music, you should "experience" it beforehand: go to as many live concerts as you can, and c) a true music lover enjoys music on whatever equipment he/she can afford, cheap or expensive, good or bad. Thank you Paul, keep the good work.
"How dare you even breathe the same air as me" 😂😂
I’m a hifi enthusiast. 😬
I got an expensive system but I still enjoy the simple Yamaha RN303 and Sony SS CS5 combo. I can still sit and enjoy the sound of that set up. In a proper room the sound is still satisfying.
To me the reason I'm not an audiophile isn't that I don't care about the quality of sound. I just find that beyond a certain (fairly entry-level) point I cease to notice significant improvements in sound quality. I haven't noticed differences in more expensive cables and I suspect I wouldn't notice those extra damping pads under my CD player. No doubt this is personal and also down to how critically individuals listen to music, but I suggest that for many people sound quality simply reaches a level of 'good enough' whereas audiophiles are continually seeking perfection - and of course that's absolutely fine. Keep up the good work :)
It is a funny thing. How we enjoy music is not usually in proportion to the sound quality, but sound quality can definitely add something to the listening experience, probably mainly to audiophiles. Listening critically can be enjoyable in a different way to listening to music uncritically. Even though I am very much an audiophile I can see how strange it must see from outside and even inside. It can seem like a crazy obsession at times.
I love your definition of an audiophile !! You sound like a good down-to-earth honest person.
I myself have always loved music and I’ve done the best I can to improve my system on my budget. Prior to recent years I never knew we was called audiophiles. Thank you very much for your video I look forward to exploring more of your work.
an audiophile is a person with OCD and is focussed on perfection that doesnt exist.
I'm an Audiophile and have been that since 1986 when I bought my first real stereo, before that I was just a "Phile" with big dreams of owning my own stereo one day.
I hunt feelings in the music and all stereos can't deliver the feelings in the music as they should.
I like your approach to the term and also putting the transistor music listener above the pure gear head. The biggest stumbling block is that very few people have heard even a half way decently set-up audio system. At >50 years and always having been Into music, I just set up a dedicated listening space with existing gear, and finally heard center image for the first time. WOW! That really energized me, and now built bass trap and working on wall panels, and listening to old records like it's the first time. So much fun!
P.S. you reminded me to get some sorbothane feet. Thanks!
Well Explained.!!! Made me a Subscriber. Thanks for your honesty and the Love for the Music. My Respects.
l very much appreciate your job, Paul.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
That's very nice of you Roque - thank you.
I know many audiophiles are concerned about accurate reproduction. But for me, my pursuit is for beautiful sounding music. Sparkling highs, rich midrange and full, tight bass. Even if it turns out to be less accurate (and I use EQ a lot) I need it to sound spectacular to me. When it does, I am THERE.
Yes, I love the aesthetic sensation of beautiful sounds. It’s similar to our noses enjoying fine perfumes.
I very much enjoyed your musings on this topic. Subbed!
Thanks Anton!
The reason I watched this video is because, I was shopping for some new power section tubes for my guitar amplifier. I was looking at a set of Genalex Gold Lion KT88 tubes.The description said that the tubes were a favorite of audiophiles. After watching this video. I immediately ordered a set. That being said. I never knew I was an audiophile, but I do now!
Great video. Unfortunately my first experience going to a hi end shop was very intimidating. It's an old and reputable shop 20 minutes from my home. As I walked there one of the owners immediately got the idea I wasn't "one of them". Did not take me seriously, could clearly feel the subtle inpatience and hostility in his demeanor. My wife looked at me in horror. I wanted to hear the Magnepans .7. I felt that every move he made to make it happen was a colossal effort to grant my wish. And that is not uncommon. I've heard from a few other acquaintances the same thing. We both were extremely kind. There was a third floor with even higher end stuff and he told me not to go there ( in a very dismissive way). The store is 30 y/o. They're getting away with it. Also, the first Facebook group I joined was full of high brow Audiophiles. Luckily I've joined your group and couldn't be happier! Since then my love of learning about quality gear and sharing my exper increased. Thank you. Gustavo
Thanks Gustavo - I'm glad you like the Group. Always let me know too, if you ever feel that the Group is letting you down in any way. I'd like Group members to police it, to maintain that friendly atmosphere. As for you other points? Exactly - I think you've hit the nail on the head here. The old elitist, tribal approach to technology I reckon has spawned the negative associations to the word, audiophile. There is no place for that sort of behaviour in our hobby. It's not just hi-fi either. I experienced that in terms of computers in the late 80s and early 90s. I wonder of technology produces people like that. Cars too, perhaps?
@@TheAudiophileMan , the folks on Facebook are wonderful and they all seem so kind and down to earth. I truly treasure the group. To me, nothing is more important than treating others with dignity. I believe that audiophiles who are insecure and unhappy with other aspects of their lives use their hobbies to excell over others. It happens in all walks of life. On the other hand, some of the most remarkable people I've met, musicians, doctors, scientists and overall hardworking people in construction, cleaning, cooking, have something in common: they truly and genuinely make you feel equal and even special! Will never forget Russ Ferrante, from the Jazz group Yellowjackets, after a concert asking me to stay with him as he unhooked his gear, and even asked me to play a Jobim song on the piano. He was as interested in my presence ( a "no one") as I was in his presence (a genius and Grammy award collector). 😊🙏
Perfect example of audio snobbery. I've had similar experiences, even at places where I've bought multiple pieces of four-figure gear for my five-figure system 😒
Thank you for your wisdom Paul.
I'm glad to find you, do you have any tips to start finding the true sound of the instrument through headset or speaker system?
Thanks for your kind comments - I'm not sure there's absolutes in answer to that question. Personal choice? Quite possibly. Also circumstances because headphones are ideal in certain situations. I enjoy both, to be honest and I can see pros and cons for either method.
in my opinion and audiophile is someone who wants the best quality music and are willing to make compromises for the price. would I consider myself one? kind of. personally right now I'm focusing on battery life more then sound quality. the earbuds I have now (skullcandy dimes I don't know if it's dime 2 or 1) sound great to me but I want a: longer battery life. and b: a replacement because I accidentally messed up some of the prongs on the left side
I'm not an audiophile, but I am a musician so I can appreciate better sound, somewhat, although for a musician the priority is the organisation of the arrangement rather than its fidelity.
I love sound which has warm, energetic ,crispy and more natural to my ears
Did i ask
I'm glad you have addressed this and done so in such a grounded fashion. :-) Until now I hadn't ever really thought about it. Thank you
No problem, Rach - thanks for watching.
@@TheAudiophileMan Ps: Your scouse accent is more prominent than mine ;-)
Bang goes my elocution lessons, then :) Ah, you're from God's own city too then?
@@TheAudiophileMan I am indeed, I now live a bit further away, not too far.
Great video Paul, you're right on!
I'm 58 and got into audio as a kid with a plastic clamshell style record player. From there, my love of music and sound reproduction grew to a Soundesign tri-mode stereo, then my first real hifi kit based around a Kenwood KR-4070 and JBL L40 speakers. From high school on, I've enjoyed the journey of discovering new audio gear (new and used) and how they effect my enjoyment of the most important thing ... music. I consider myself an audiophile, like you, for the reasons you explain really well.
When you ask the question why the term "audiophile" has become a bad word, I have an explanation, based on my experience. The simple truth is that people who fancy themselves audiophiles, have hijacked the term. It think it's time we take it back. This started when esoteric, boutique brands were created by people bent on going above and beyond what established companies produced. Why? Simple. The designers wanted to explore "better" in terms of circuit design, materials/components, and build quality. Great. Except for the fact that the only people who could afford to buy this stuff. I'm sure some of this upper stratosphere audience were guys like many of us, who started making incomes that allowed them to overspend in the pursuit of getting "better" sound reproduction. That's cool. But then, there are people with money to burn, but no temperament or desire to learn for themselves what sounds good to their ears, and having the ability to buy something most people can't have, all feeds into what drives them. Now, I'm oversimplifying, but I have seen this, so I know to some extent, it is true, or mostly true. I'll give you that.
Getting to brass tacks, most of us associate the term "audiophile" with people who think they, and/or their systems are better than everyone else. To me, that is evidence of where their head and heart are. You could say they are overcompensating for something absent in their life. I personally avoid hifi shops that I don't feel comfortable in, because of the sales people. Granted, not many shops exist now. At least not like in the 70's and 80's when I really enjoyed hanging out in places like Pacific Stereo.
My system now, is compromised of gear ranging from the 60's to a new 2019 model cd player. In my mind, the fact that all these pieces of hifi, made in different decades, play so well together, is a great illustration of how TRUE audiophiles are today. Anyone who calls themselves and audiophile, yet doesn't openly appreciate and applaud EVERY music reproduction system out that that makes those owners happy, is a fake or wannabe. Plain and simple. The love of music is plain and simple. The love of taking time and money to put together an audio system that you enjoy ... that you can afford and like the sound of ... well, people who do that are true audiophiles. Like I said at the beginning, it's time to take back the term "audiophile". We know what it means, and can afford to call ourselves that.
Thanks for your thoughts, Matt. Nice of you to write. Absolutely agree about taking the term back. Great points in your text too. And I applaud your thoughts on being inclusive to technologies from all time periods. There's lots of good older stuff out there. Hey, my reference speakers are Quad ESL-57s...from 1957! :)
Your video itself is very high quality when considered the sound quality
Thanks for the video. Excellent explanation about what it is to be an audiophile. As you explain, the quality of music is everything. A bad recording will be heard badly in a system of one thousand dollars and will also be badly heard in a system of one hundred thousand dollars. My system is very economical for snobs standards, but I am very careful with the music I buy. especially vinyl. Again thanks!
Not a problem. Glad you liked the video.
Agreed. Very well explained!
The more and more I watch your videos the more I enjoy the content. I always thought audiophiles were the snobs who looked down on you for having budget stuff. I tend to start humble, with a salary like mine you can't really afford a 400 dollars turntable so I bought mine thinking it was the best I could get and got dissapointed even tho I'm always looking to upgrade it, one penny at a time!
For the record, I thought I would never enjoy a channel called The Audiophile Man hahahaha
Well that's very nice of you, thanks tuturuism
An audiophile loves music and audio applications. It’s all about understanding acoustics, music theory, audio technology and how to maximize any and every audio gear’s potential to get the best sound on stage, in the studio, on the record, on the radio, in the car, on the computer, at church, in schools, on a PA system, on an MP3, on CZcams at home and on the go. It’s not a money thing. It’s about phase shifting, tinkering, tweaking, soldering, breadboarding, logarithms and more! Audio kicks a$$! I love music!
Spot on description.
Pretty spot on, Paul!
Most of us a) like to listen to well reproduced music b)like hi-fi gear, in different proportions. At one end of the spectrum therefore you have someone who spent a moderate budget to get the best sound possible and use his system every day and at the other end someone who has pots of money and buy the best esoteric gear then don't actually spend much time listening to it.
I'm an audiophile , what you described is how I always thought and nobody understood this.
I tried to share the concept.
Thanks for the great video.
Indeed, it’s a lonely perspective and experience for me. I’m ready for a real player, but I’m learning my degree of ignorance as I attempt to navigate the literature on recommendations. I’m a musician and recently started drumming. A new world of sound and tone isolation in order to understand how technique underpins all that is emotionally evoking for me! So I intriguingly complex, yet simultaneously frustrating the shit out of me! I don’t even know what I want as I view specs!
My experience has associated audiophile with snobbery and elitists high-minded attitude in realm of audio listening and gear. In the 80s the air in high-end stores was thick with this attitude. It wasn't until I moved to England that I met some audio enthusiast who shared their knowledge and love for the music and its gear (one was a Cambridge Audio rep in Upper Heyford). Now back in the US, I still run across the old audiophile archetype, but I am pleased to have met more and more enthusiast.
I want to be able to see sound in my mind on a budget, and not with headphones. Barely researching on how to make my bedroom sound like if I'm wearing headphones (not sure if that makes sense😥)
Paul; this is the first time i have heard any influencer say they dont care what equipment looks like, the equipment needs to reproduce what you are looking for. This is my belief also. It boggles my mind when i see comment after comment that say, "Well, the sound is good but i would never have something that looks like that in my home." "I want one of these.It looks so nice." (Never heard it to its job.) Kudos to you,Paul.
Thanks Progressive Guy!
i've ben a Audiophile sense i was 5 years old when i got my first stereo am/fm with a turntable. i have all ways moved up the ladder to get the best i can afford but its about the music. i love music live is best for me you get to live it and i will listen to it on any system. i don't own new stuff it's from the 80's Yamaha stereo and Kilpsch speakers from the 2000's and a hardon kardon turntable from the 80s all used. this works for me my cd lp and cassettes sound good to me and thats all that matters
Interesting vid.
There is a good reason for the derision, and you did not mention it. I will put in slightly provocative language to see how others respond. Let's leave aside the audiophiles who frankly admit, like the Flanders and Swan song 'Hi-fidelity', that they prefer Hifi to music. Audiophiles who compare equipment are implicitly considering how accurately the equipment reproduces the original sound, as far as possible with the limitations of room or headphones. Yet the language often betrays how little time, money and attention the expert devoted to live music. Equipment is evaluated against at worst a fantasy, and at best a sketchy memory, of live music. Mark Levinson in an interview with CZcamsr OCD Hi-fi guy, does refer to comparing recordings with the live version, and does grasp the importance of colouration in evaluations of Hi-Fi gear. Most experts just look for a sound which is exciting, musical, detailed, airy, soundstaged, incisive, and even, God help us, 'accurate', when they are experts in comparing one expensive piece of gear with another, and have little skill at comparing it with live music. How often do you hear a hi-fi expert mention their extensive experience of attending operas or piano recitals or blues gigs as an essential credential for their expertise? Thus, their guidance and their spending is misdirected. It is fun, of course. To be fair, some audiophiles know very well the sound of a violin or a great soprano. They are rarely the ones recommending 'high end' (i.e. phenomenally expensive) equipment.
Thanks for your considered thoughts, John. It's a great point but one I would disagree with :) I have avoided using live music as a standard in measuring sound quality or a gauge for rating hi-fi because live music is so poor in basic quality terms. When sound quality per se is considered, live music is inherently crippled or, at best, compromised. Which is why the music studio exists. I once saw the record label, Eagle Rock, try to enhance the live recording of a group at the Monterey Music Festival for later DVD issue - can't remember who it was now, it was a long time ago. The stage ended up being crammed with clear perspex walls and sheeting, separating the musicians from each other and the audience. If enhanced the sound quality (a bit) but was a disaster in terms of an audience event and turned the entire concert into a cold, clinical exercise. I've never seen that since, thank goodness. The studio is the place in which sound frequencies can be retained and maintained - that's the reference. I see the point of live music as one of engagement with the artist, vice-versa, and if you're in the crowd, with each other. Live music is an event, a social event primarily, a unique occasion and that's how it should be consumed, in my opinion. But its association with hi-fi is tenuous at best.
A explanation that makes sense ... What I don't like about many self claimed audiophiles is that they tell others that for example their system can't sound good because bla bla bla ... despite being told before that the owner absolutely likes what he has and how it sounds.
Well spoken 👍
Truly inspiring, Paul. In the Land of the Fake a genuine man is a King! Blessings. Gustavo
Blimey, you're making me blush! :) Thank you, Gustavo.
Thank you for the video! I consider myself as an "audiophile" too, but for me, it has nothing to do with money. Sure, headphones that cost 1000 dollars are in most cases better than headphones which cost 100 dollars, but for me the spectrum, all the frequencies that fit mor me and which the headphones are able to play, the timing etc., for my hearing, for my sound preferance, that is what mattters to me. There are headphones that cost like 150 bucks that smashes some big brand earphones. It's all to the personal preferences, not to the price of equopment.
What you're saying is completely true! I think the misconception of an audiophile comes from actual people looking down on others... Cause that kind of people actually exist, Plenty of in fact! I got countless encounters with clients, musicians, vendors, sale representative, forum members etc... that will enforce the exact opposite of what you're saying with long existential arguments and extreme perception bias. That is where all misconception are coming from. I try to fight that every day ... but they talk loud, very loud, way way above noise floor ;-)
Hehe - thanks for your entertaining message Vincent :)
I can tell you where it began. It began at these "studio engineering" schools where people go to learn skills for which there is a vastly overcrowded field. This is the same place where the notion that all cables sound the same comes from (this also comes from electric engineering school). It's utter nonsense. The truth is that you need to put in the years to gain the knowledge but you can be an audiophile the moment you become interested in home audio and begin digging deeper.
It was born out of the skyrocketing, and in many cases, absurd prices for high-end gear.
A "budget" system is now considered by many in the industry to be one of which total cost is under $10K. That's a little ridiculous considering the average consumer would never spend even $500 on a home audio source. I know a thing or two about manufacturing
costs and break-even points and can tell you the mark-up on many of these components/brands is outrageous - akin to paying $10 for a bottle of water.
I'm not saying any of this is wrong, it's just where some of the impression of snobbery comes from. And let's be real, there are some audio reviewers, dealers, manufacturers and consumers out there who do exhibit an air of superiority. Some of the Audio Note fans are a good example. Not all of them of course, but I've ran into a good number of them.
To be fair, any hobby that can include luxury goods will have some of this.
Anyhow, I respectfully disagree that an audiophile wants the "truth" or accurate-to-the-source playback. Many openly admit they don't want the truth or accuracy. I think an audiophile is simply one who finds ways to better enjoy their music.
Always good to hear your thoughts, thanks rotorfix.
Well said! I guess I’m a budget audiophile. I’m 74 and don’t have the disposable income like I once had. So, I do the best I can with what I have. It sounds great and makes me very happy. To me it’s all about the music. And the real kicker is, my hearing is NOT what it’s was.
Do you have a car sound system?
excellent
I'd say just cleaning your records or protecting your music from damage your already 1 step ahead of the rest by doing that no matter what setup you've got.
My whole life as a musician I always felt alone with this!
I need help! 😫😂- please recommend a portable music player I can plug into using a module (ead10, for example) and Bluetooth capacity for my buds. I can’t read about them anymore! My brain is fried! I want optimal comprehension through extraordinary clarity and sound. I need to isolate tones and licks - guitar, bass and drums.
I’d appreciate anyone’s guidance 😃❤️
Hi Valerie - you're looking for a portable music player, you already have bluetooth-capable earphones, yes? So where does the EAD come into this?
brilliant say no more
I don’t like the term ‘audiophile’ - and even before it could possibly connected with any other kind of ‘phile’ I think it sounded pretentious. I like that you have tried to analyse its origins and what the terminology means to people. I think it was a poor use of word - that I think came out of the late ‘60’s early ‘70’s when we all lived in a more innocent age.
I don’t think its just about the money or budget, it should be purely about the music and striving for perfection in an imperfect world.
My budget is small - certainly compared to lots of people but huge in comparison to others - if I had an unlimited budget would I spend £15000 or £20000 on an amp or pair of speakers perhaps not.
I believe some people who had spent that kind of money would be forever saying how wonderful it was whether it was or not just to justify the spend.
Thanks for another great review - keep them coming its very insightful 👍😉
Love thin man! 👍🏼👌🙌
Preach it brother. Great Stuff. I cannot tell you the number of "Music Lovers" I run into who would never dare call themselves an "Audiophile". Regardless of the time and attention they invested into their playback equipment, be it modest or costly. There is a stigma to the title now days. We are seen as a bunch of old fools that spend obscene amounts on money on equipment and accessories that offer no measurable results over an $500.00 HT receiver, using out of the box interconnects, and lamp cord. Music Lovers are seen as wise and frugal purchasers of playback technologies, while Audiophiles are looked upon as knuckleheads all too eager to part with their money.
:) Thanks for your thoughts, Ridire.
And BTW, your audio limiter on your cam (or in your chain) saturates ... Sorry! ;-)
Yes, my fault for tweaking. Seeing how far I can push it :) There might be one more video in the can like this but I'll knock it back in the future. Thanks for the heads up, though.
why three of those rubber things?
They basically act as feet, suspending the box above. So, if you only had one or two, the chassis would flop over onto its side :) So look at them like feet.
so wouldn't four be the correct amount? - on the corners
Yes, if the isolation feet are sitting under the chassis' feet. Some isolation feet sit higher than the product's feet, so you can put three under the base of the actual chassis, lifting the feet off the ground or, alternatively, you can sometimes remove cheap/basic feet entirely and just rest the chassis on the isolation feet.
The real question is what is an audiofile?
I am sure when you give a listen to the audiophile using flat response monitoring headphones, they won't like it either 🤣🤣
Being an audiophile or serious music listener doesn't have to have perfect hearing although it is nice to have. Neither thus 20.000 hz or higher undistorted. I still got both ears at 20.000 plus hz. But right hearing has a little lower 'treble' then left since 8 yrs or so caused by lets say a 'sound accident' or incident. I have 'never' listened to headphones to music, radio chatter or phone conversations in my life. Anyways I had to relearn how to optimal sweet spot stereo listening / use my set up tone controls. So now i'm not an audiophile anymore. By the way: The term Audiophile revers historical to a person that is obsessed with sound. Doesn't have to be music, nor HiFi etc and her or she doesn't have to have good excellent or exceptional hearing either!. !!! But as far as Audiophile is used here and nowadays. An music Audiophile is an Audiophile no matter what the state of his hearing may be..! Fols with one or a 'half' ear can be 100% serious Audiophiles having fun, or be obsessed like most of Audiophiles do and no matter the set up specs or price point of their ' set-up '!
I found that this was a hobby on wikipedia.
For many people, that's exactly what it is. For me, it's only a means to an end. A set of tools. Nothing more.
I love my music.
First and foremost, if one is not a mellophile, then he/she doesn't qualify for audiophile category on the first place.
...my favourite philia...I think maybe we just have better hearing than most...
LOL. I don’t know what I am. I like vintage pioneers from the 70s. But I prefer CDs over vinyl. I love going to goodwill. 😂. I love watching CZcams to check out other people’s gear.
I dub thee an *AUDIOPHILE*
Everytime I hear the phrase Audiophile I can't help but laugh my ass off. It's nothing but a fancy word that means A Matter of Opinion 😅😅😅😅😅
The idea that the operator (listener)...requires greater musical clarity and sophistication from devices I suppose is a synonymous union with invariably demanding a steady - or be it rapid progression toward acquiring more and more ultimately expensive equipment in order to do so. Not always in my view of course but It's maybe that 'never being satisfied' compulsion that makes people tentative about 'Audiophiles'. The fact that the very critical component of their being comes into play (pun unintended) and wreaks havoc with musical ambience, if in company say. It perhaps raises questions about to what degree your actually listening to the music and enjoying it as opposed to deconstructing the means in which to do so. The actual fact that your listening to something being played on equipment say sub the par your use to, well will it detract from your listening experience?..meanwhile your companion is utterly lost in the music regardless. I assume it's this that is the primary concern with most individuals who perhaps regard the term by association to be derogatory. From a monetary point of view, I can see how costly it may appear but lets face it Golf can be costly too......or some such other unfashionable and inane past time. (Shout out to the golfers).....No offence its all subjective after all.
The 'never being satisfied' thing you mentioned, the purchase of more and more hi-fi hardware, can also be tied to a typical collector-type mentality. Which is possibly out of the remit of the video and ventures into other areas. Whether that be collecting actual hi-fi or 'collecting' sound quality. 'Reaching for more' is a collector symptom and there are extremists in every hobby who will always take that to the limit (not a bad thing per se, if they enjoy their pursuit, but it moves away from the audiophile thing). As is the joy of the hunt as an activity in and of itself. You could apply that to the search for sound quality too, even if that is a rather nebulous attainment.
You made some valid points, Rach and yes, you have to remember why you're in the hobby in the first place. If you lose that, if music itself becomes a secondary pursuit, then you're not an audiophile, in my book. You're now into a new hobby, something 'other'. And that's fine, sure. But it's not being an audiophile.
@@TheAudiophileMan I agree with you but I wanted to apply some critical thinking in order to ascertain why or where the origin of the stigma may reside, I think that required a slight jaunt outside the proverbial perimeters a tad. I hope I didn't go too off topic ...I have a tendency to do so but I think the essence of what I was saying was retained,. Thank you for the considered response.
@@rach623 Not at all - its very nice of you to spend time considering the issues brought up in the video.
I thaught audiophile was a type of headphones that why watched this video.
Man the high freq. of this video is really high.
But pretty informative one. Thanks !
I have heard an audiophile doesn't like Bose- is that true? I am obsessed with music and I have to have amazing sounding sound systems that you can feel the music with very deep and tone bass and very clear and precise treble and mids. I always considered myself an audiophile but have wondered if I really knew the true definition of that. So it sounds like I am I guess lol. With that said I have heard that a true audiophile's don't like Bose. I don't understand how any one wouldn't like them I think they sound great. Are there better sounding systems- sure, but they're a lot worse sounding systems out there for sure. Some of my favorite ones are the previously mentioned Bose, Sonos- specifically the Architectural series with amp.- it will literally give you the chills at how beautiful they sound. I really like JBL Bluetooth speakers for the price. One of my favorites is a highly underrated computer speakers- the Logitech 400 watt THX certified 2.1 Z625 which the bass goes down to 37hz. they sound great it doesn't get insanely loud or sound the best at 100% volume but for $140 it's hard to beat. I would really like to have a Devialet Phantom I- that would be my ideal speaker. Anyways thanks for clarifying what an audiophile really is. Oh... something else that made me wonder is I have seen a lot of people say a true audiophile wants a flat sounding speaker? That makes no since to me- maybe my definition of flat is different from theirs. Like I just got (not by choice) a Samsung T70 1,500 watt party tower speaker I was originally going to get a JBL Partybox 1000 or Sony mhc-v71 but they were out of them so I went with the Samsung. The speaker is very powerful and produces a lot of pounding bass. But it just sounds flat to me. The bass while powerful doesn't have much of a tone is just boom boom. It only goes down to 50hz. so that may be why-I dunno. The treble is what is really lacking it sounds flat and almost muffled it doesn't have much clarity. I compared it to the $140 Logi Z625, the Logi sounded MUCH better. The Samsung gets really loud and honestly the louder you have it the better it sounds but doesn't take the flatness away.
If you like the sound of Bose then that's all that matters, Eric. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise :) The only issue I have with the company is that they spend a large part of the build budget for any one component on marketing and relatively little on the component itself so the money you spend on Bose pays more for their marketing and less for the item in question. But look, I repeat: if you are enjoying your Bose kit, the continue to do so. The music is the main thing here, after all.
Is a person willing to fork over a ton of money for that 1to5% improvement.
I hope my comments below are taken with the spirit of friendly debate and not as some rhetorical harassment, but I have some rather different and long considered opinions on the matter, so here goes...
Who gets to define a word? Certainly anyone can offer an opinion, but ultimately the definition of words comes down to the ones we hold in common. So it's fine for me or you or any small community to define a word like audiophile in a way that makes sense to us in our subset of the world, or that aspires to create a better or more positive definition than the one that is more frequently used by outsiders. But to the larger society, the outsiders, the word audiophile has a pretty specific definition, and that is, I believe, "a person who likes HiFi audio equipment." For some people it means "a person who is a snob about audio equipment."
What I believe is being described here in this video is more commonly called a "music lover" by the most common definition. Whether or not we would like the word to mean one thing or another, that probably won't make much difference to people who don't think of themselves as audiophiles. And I do believe it's valuable to create an insiders' definition because I do think the pursuit of high quality sound reproduction is misunderstood, but I think it's important to remember that it probably won't have much influence on what non-audiophiles think we're up to.
I definitely agree that audiophile shouldn't be a rank that people achieve by spending enough money to be knighted with the label "audiophile."
My personal aspirational definition of the word is, "anyone who is interested in the subject of sound reproduction." That definition doesn't even require one to be interested in music. By my own definition I am both an audiophile and a music lover, but those are certainly not automatic partners. I know many music lovers who aren't very discerning when it comes to their equipment, but I don't know many audiophiles who aren't also music lovers.
But let's be honest. The world outside of this hobby seems to think the gear is the most important thing to us, so that's how they define us. Are we confident that the gear isn't at the heart of our motivations? I know that for myself, the gear occupies a very important part of my fascination with the subject. I do care what it looks like. I do like the technology, even though I have no practical way of discerning whether something is class A, class A/B or class D just by listening. Sure there's more to being an audiophile than just admiring nice products, but to claim that nice products aren't in the middle of very close to the middle of the love of home audio would be inaccurate in my opinion.
I'm publishing a Buyer's Guide video later today - 13/11/20 - which may add to this debate, Andy.
Sure, your purchases define you and are defined by you but you can say that about clothing and food too. They are also part of who we are but that doesn't mean that we can't retain perspective. Otherwise every man and woman who buys a bottle a beer is automatically branded as an alcoholic. And anyone who does think that needs to be educated in the product and those who buy it.
It's the same with hi-fi. Ultimately, if we don't talk (educate?) and assumptions/misunderstandings remain unchallenged then understanding/knowledge will remain elusive or absent altogether. Which is one reason I made the video.
@@TheAudiophileMan I suppose your last sentence says it all.
"Ultimately, if we don't talk (educate?) and assumptions/misunderstandings remain unchallenged then understanding/knowledge will remain elusive or absent altogether."
I began my comment too hung up on defining the word and not the people. You weren't presenting the word "audiophile." You are asking, "who are the audiophiles, and why do they do what they do?" And that is much more interesting and useful than the impressions of outsiders. Thank you for your thoughtful reply!
One thing I disagree with you on here is that I think it’s important that hi-fi looks good. I look upon Hi-Fi as audio furniture, particularly speakers. In most cases Hi-Fi has to be visible in the living area of a home and as such I think it’s really important that your Hi-Fi looks good as well as sounds good.
Yes, although I disagree that you're disagreeing :) It's not the look of the hi-fi that I had an issue with although I did state that I didn't care what a hifi looked like. The problem I have is when the look of that hifi and the hifi itself becomes more important than the music. It's tough to add every single caveat in a 10 minute video and if I did the video would be an hour long and wouldn't go anywhere. So believe me when I say that sure, it's great to have a lovely looking hifi. Mine is too, actually. As long as you keep a perspective on your priorities.
£8? More like £14 now.
10 min passed like 2 min
Who listen to a music from a small sony sound box and has expensive audio equipment, because he is tired of the high quality sound.
Sounds like I’ve been an audiophile every since the day teenage-me learned to stack pennies on the tone arm. It’s the neverending quest 🙂
A polite word of hearing disorder.
I waste my time in old audio systems, cds, speaker's.its a bad addiction actually
All the people I know who proclaim to be an audiophile do exactly all the bad things you just stated sorry to say
Aaaaaaaaagggghhhhhh .lots of “authorities” on what an audiophile isl 😂😂😂 Nobody knows😝