Why audio?

puroagave

puroagave

Active member
Joined
Oct 12, 2013
Messages
1,334
Location
"Clueless" in California
Of all the hobbies, pursuits, endeavors, etc one can obsess on why audio? putting aside the love of music, etc what else attracts you to the strange and wonderful world of high-end audio?

I've come to find out its not so wonderful to those on the outside looking in, like wondering why someone would sit hours on end, motionless and in the 'sweet spot' whats that all about (?). It seems no matter who I demo my system for they usually don't 'get it' or dismiss it with "thats cool" and the subject quickly turns to where we're going for dinner. :sigh:

I ceased showing guests whats in the other room and very few took interest anyway. At one point I left the hobby for a long period and vowed not to get 'wrapped up' in it again (i must of had my fingers crossed behind my back). I'm back and enjoying it more than ever. The music collecting aspect (vinyl) probably gives me the biggest buzz, that and when the system is really cooking and i'm completely lost in the music.:yahoo1:
 
I guess it just touches our soul and we can't let it go. I have loved listening to music since as long as I can remember and I can remember back to the age of three. Even when I was still in grade school I was always looking to improve the sound that I was hearing. You either get it or you don't.
 
Mike said:
Solitary escapism.
Click to expand...

That came later and is definitely a factor today, but I really got into music. The audio was a means of improving the sound of music. The equipment itself was never really the hobby.

My main reason for getting into audio was so my music would sound better--when I was about 12.

I almost never go to an audio store just to listen to something new because it exists. I only go to listen to a product that will accomplish a task I think needs addressing.
 
An emotional connection to a media that is uplifting, soothing, at times energising but mostly just downright enjoyable. I also want to hear it reproduced at it's best.
 
puroagave said:
It seems no matter who I demo my system for they usually don't 'get it' or dismiss it with "thats cool" and the subject quickly turns to where we're going for dinner. :sigh:
Click to expand...

Completely agree. Very few people "get it". I don't show off my system either. Not unless someone shows genuine interest which is very rare.

Its a very interesting subject to me. Why we care. I think it takes a certain combination of brain chemistry to make an audiophile. First you have to be someone that truly gets off on great music. Lots of people like music. Far fewer have the connection I do. That's why there are almost no women audiophiles. IMO, they have different brain chemistry that makes music a less moving experience. But I don't think having this connection is enough to make an audiophile. I think you also need a bit of obsessive compulsive disorder. The need to pursue constant tiny improvements to achieve a greater and greater end. That's also a needed element to make an audiophile. And finally, I think an addictive personality is a cotributor. Because just like drug use or gambling there is a certain high that comes with a new acquisition that we seek to reproduce. This is one reason for all the buying and selling. A need to experience that OMG moment again.
 
I love the way music makes me feel. Late night or early morning listening is the best. The house is quiet and the electricity seems better. Others don't get "it", but they have their own diversions/hobbies.
 
jaxwired said:
Completely agree. Very few people "get it". I don't show off my system either. Not unless someone shows genuine interest which is very rare.

Its a very interesting subject to me. Why we care. I think it takes a certain combination of brain chemistry to make an audiophile. First you have to be someone that truly gets off on great music. Lots of people like music. Far fewer have the connection I do. That's why there are almost no women audiophiles. IMO, they have different brain chemistry that makes music a less moving experience. But I don't think having this connection is enough to make an audiophile. I think you also need a bit of obsessive compulsive disorder. The need to pursue constant tiny improvements to achieve a greater and greater end. That's also a needed element to make an audiophile. And finally, I think an addictive personality is a cotributor. Because just like drug use or gambling there is a certain high that comes with a new acquisition that we seek to reproduce. This is one reason for all the buying and selling. A need to experience that OMG moment again.
Click to expand...

Jax, I think that you've nailed it. Care to form a support group for us?

Very few of my friends get it. I plop them in the sweet spot and tell them to close their eyes and imagine the instrumentalists. Most of the time: nothing, nada. Blank stares or darting eyes wondering how much all this stuff costs.

But for us hobbyists I think that there is a dopamine high at the mere prospect that some tweak or refinement may get us an inch further to the right on the bell curve blissful sound.
 
jaxwired said:
Completely agree. Very few people "get it". I don't show off my system either. Not unless someone shows genuine interest which is very rare.

Its a very interesting subject to me. Why we care. I think it takes a certain combination of brain chemistry to make an audiophile. First you have to be someone that truly gets off on great music. Lots of people like music. Far fewer have the connection I do. That's why there are almost no women audiophiles. IMO, they have different brain chemistry that makes music a less moving experience. But I don't think having this connection is enough to make an audiophile. I think you also need a bit of obsessive compulsive disorder. The need to pursue constant tiny improvements to achieve a greater and greater end. That's also a needed element to make an audiophile. And finally, I think an addictive personality is a cotributor. Because just like drug use or gambling there is a certain high that comes with a new acquisition that we seek to reproduce. This is one reason for all the buying and selling. A need to experience that OMG moment again.
Click to expand...

You're kidding right? Women don't get music? That's why 1/2 of orchestras today are composed of women. Or women rockers. Or the number of young women now involved in jazz music, not to mention winning numerous jazz competitions. So women make the music but only us audiophiles really understand music. Maybe they aren't involved because they don't like the condescending attitude of audiophiles. Something that both my current wife (and ex-wife) encountered in their time attending audio shows.
 
Tons of women in Warsaw at the Warsaw Audio Show.

Boys like to tinker with the pretty boxes, while girls just wanna hear the music and not have the big boxes destroy their interior design motif. LoL
 
wisnon said:
Tons of women in Warsaw at the Warsaw Audio Show.

Boys like to tinker with the pretty boxes, while girls just wanna hear the music and not have the big boxes destroy their interior design motif. LoL
Click to expand...

I agree with the bolded text. I know a whole lot of women who are better with a soldering iron than I am.
 
LoL

By tinker here, i mean mix and match...not actual repairs and mods.

In any case, we have Teresa and Eloise at Comp-audiophile as regular contributers and a new Aussie lady as well (Alice, I think).

Last weekend I was having dinner with a pal and his ladyfriend, who is new to the fascinating world of audiophilia and she cracked up when hearing of our stale jokes, concepts like WAF and male audiophile's greatest fear (ie, dying and wife selling gear for what he SAID he paid for it!). This proves to me that most ladies know that Audiophiles are crazy and they want no part of it. Heheheh
 
wisnon said:
LoL

By tinker here, i mean mix and match...not actual repairs and mods.

In any case, we have Teresa and Eloise at Comp-audiophile as regular contributers and a new Aussie lady as well (Alice, I think).

Last weekend I was having dinner with a pal and his ladyfriend, who is new to the fascinating world of audiophilia and she cracked up when hearing of our stale jokes, concepts like WAF and male audiophile's greatest fear (ie, dying and wife selling gear for what he SAID he paid for it!). This proves to me that most ladies know that Audiophiles are crazy and they want no part of it. Heheheh
Click to expand...

Or women find that passion -- that can be a double edged sword -- an endearing quality! :)
 
Music always need to be the essential part. Without music your set is worth nothing. But.....yess there is a big but. In the 16 years I work in this world I saw too many people who are more focussed on sound than listening and enjoying music. Even people with very expensive highend sets had less than 100 music albums. So I said to them: I don't think you are happy with your set/hobby. Thye said; that is why I asked you to come. So I said: I cannot make you happy when your focus is not on music. You need to focus more on music to become happy with your set. When you don't like music enough, no set will change that.

This is a problem I still see. I give another example. At shows people demo music which they don't even know. Often it is a good recording but with music most people even don't like. So I asked a question. Is this your favorite music? They said no. My next question was; do you know which artist it is? He answered; No. Many people don't understand audio.

My biggest passion in life is music. I buy for about 300 euro on new streaming music on Qobuz ( what is the best side in the world, HDtracks is inferior. I compared the same recordings of HDtracks with Qobuz. The Qobuz were more dynamic and more analog sounding. They have a lot more titels as well. I call HDtracks; budgettracks or inferiortracks. I can tell you one thing; I hate inferior quality. ) At shows I use my own music. Music I love. Often people want to buy the same music.
 
Bo - you need to follow site protocol and insert your dealership affiliation and brands in your signature. You click on settings in the top right hand corner and then along the left side you will see "edit signature".


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The other day, when the designer folks were decorating the upper floor of our home, besides my anecdotal story posted elsewhere, one of the designers looked into the area of my music room and said "the seating in that room isn't very good" to which I replied "if you come into my music room to have a conversation, I'll ask you to leave. You've just spent hours decorating lots of areas for conversation, this area is for listening to music".

My music collection is a fraction of Miles', but always growing. I had a long hiatus before returning to the hobby. Amazing reproduction of music I like is what gets me, and discovering new music. And yes, there is a geek factor which my bank account wishes were absent. There have been many times I've sat in the dark and enjoyed music on far inferior systems, not to mention beating the steering wheel like a drum when listening to my cheap car stereo. So the gear is fun to have and play with, but enjoying music is the crux.
 
I bought it all for my dog to enjoy. He appreciated the sentiment that I was able to share with him. Now that he is gone, it's time to get another dog!

A great system has enough musical resolution to sparkle emotion. An expressive moment of clarity that transcends humanity. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top