Does being an audiophile stop you from liking music?!

Everybody hates snake oil :slight_smile:

As for the wolf pack: I think there are a lot of passionate people here, who are as passionate about their world views as they are about their music, so it’s no wonder that tempers get a little frayed and noses put out of joint. To be honest, it would be dull if it were any other way, but I see your point - it’s less fun to be pounced on than it is to pounce.

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First poster is asking an honest and open question, and you could have answered that in your first comment with “I think being an audiophile does not preclude them/us from being passionate about music as well”. Excellent reply and lots of people on here would agree with that. So if you were going to reply anyway, why the hateful “ridiculous question imo” ? Answer the question, discuss it… fine. Putting people down by telling them they’re asking rediculous questions… not so much.

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I would argue it allows one’s love of recorded music to blossom

Cheers!

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After getting the Trinnov Altitude32 I have completely stopped looking at other gear. I’m done and have been for several years. It is module based so there might be some upgrades of those in the future, but only if I see the need. Stay away from this voodoo cable magic optimization, it is really a waste of money.

Currently I enjoy the music :slight_smile:

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All of that voodoo cable magic optimization really is a waste of money. But how many cm off the floor should my cables be suspended at sea level?

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0 cm :sunglasses:

Of course, unless it is for aesthetic reasons.

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Really depends on the phase of the moon…

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As one of the aging Roon users , 71, kit these days is close to irrelevant.

I could spend a fortune on the best and not even notice, loss of hearing , tinnitus etc

I have been through the merry go round of hi fi upgrades over the years but the common factor has always been Music.

Rushing out to buy NME, Gramophone etc to see what’s new has now turned into AllMusics weekly newsletter and Tidal new releases

As with all things in life, a philosophical bit, it’s about balance,

Come the day when I am so decrepit that I hit a nursing home I am sure my 200w per channel, Led Zeppelin will be appreciated by all , till then keep listening

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I pressed like by accident, sorry. I didn’t greatly value your intervention.

I see no difference in the negative value linked to the use of either word, ridiculous or hateful. But neither might be meant as negative, the written word is so easily misunderstood.

As for the original question, it does appear to distinguish between two camps, I came to this decision based on the I am not an audiophile comment.

Me, when I have cash to spend, I’m an audiophile when I’m broke I’m a music lover, currently I love music.

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Fair enough, you put your spin on it and I’ll stick by mine.

Sometimes.

I’ll hit play on something and if its poorly recorded I’ll wait till I’m in the car or some other “background music” location to listen. I’ll also get into a mood where I must listen to something that gets me to that “being there” feeling. That feeling is less about the music and more about the recording. The chase of being transported to a venue is really what the audiophile side of this hobby is for me. The number of recordings that do this are more prevalent for certain genre so that has certainly influenced my overall “taste” in genre over the years.

But, what is music? For most of us it is a feeling so why isn’t the stuff that isn’t the direct notes and vocals just as important? The reverb caused by a space is fires the same emotional path in the brain as the a string vibration at 264 Hz. I consider both being reproduced correctly an equally important part of the hobby. I took only a couple years of band in school but never got deep into music theory. Someone who is identifying if its a sus4 or sus2 or chases music using a diatonic scale is probably having a completely different listening experience than I am. And that’s ok. Our background and knowledge should influence our emotional responses.

Good question. Happy listening.
(Wrote this while listening to Grouper - Shade)

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I think audiophiles listen to music with a focus toward their gear, and how to improve the experience.

I think “music fans” listen with a focus on the music, and have the best gear they can. I don’t think the gear impedes their enjoyment.

I think you can be both. I have a great system, and sometimes I have to put in something “old” or poorly recorded to break the tendency to listen to gear. It’s a struggle. But I think I can be both.

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Of course not!
I love music and I enjoy messing around with stereo gear.
I don’t enjoy low quality playback or recording because both get in the way of the music.

I don’t define being an audiophile as one who insists on expensive gear. It’s absolutely possible to have a very satisfying time listening to music without constantly pouring more money into the gear.

I’m the type of audiophile who seeks balance. I want the best listening experience I can have with gear that is reasonably within my reach. I’ll gladly replace something if I think I can improve the experience, but I’d rather spend the time listening to the music.

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There’s different ways to read the OP’s question. Sure, if the music I’m playing on my ‘audiophile’ rig sounds like crap - because of the equipment, because of the recording or maybe just because I’m having a bad day - then I’ll just turn it off or hope to find something that sounds better. Did I stop liking music? Nah, just stopped enjoying it in the moment. That’s not because I’m an audiophile. That’s because I’ve learned what sounds good to me and what doesn’t. My guess is that happens to all of us at times regardless of what equipment we’re using and whether or not we consider ourselves ‘audiophiles’.

By being a self-professed audiophile (i.e. I take great care and joy in selecting equipment that works best for my taste in music, my ears, my budget), I can’t imagine losing my love of the music. For me, it’s always all about the music. But I can imagine being disappointed in what I’m hearing at times.

Of course, I suspect we have all met someone along the way that is in this hobby primarily because of their love of audio equipment and its array of peripherals. Perhaps music is just a means that serves an end for them. But even if so, being an audiophile doesn’t stop them from liking music. It just may not be a necessary prerequisite.

My guess is that even those people that refuse the label ‘audiophile’ still take great care and satisfaction in selecting audio gear that best meets their needs and budget. It may not be your hobby, but it can certainly enhance the joy that music brings.

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Because it is snake oil !

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Not necessarily…

I’ve spent some time (and money) changing interconnects, power blocks and even power cords. And incrementally, and accumulatively they do make a difference, and in my system at least changing some cables has provided an improvement.

People are too quick to dismiss such a concept, without tying it first.

Funny actually, “an audiophile”…
Do you realize that this is different for every person? I consider myself also an audiophile: I’m always searching for the best, but (!!!) it has to stay affordable.
I can buy an amplifier for 10000 €/$ amplifier, and I can buy one for 1000 €/$.
Will they sound differently? You betcha!
Will you hear that difference? You betcha! At least if your hearing is TOP!
Me, at my age (58), I don’t hear as well as I used to at 20 (Hearing is best between 18 and 25).
So, even tho I’m always searching for the best, it is pointless at a certain moment in your life to spend thousand and thousands of €/$ for something you don’t hear anymore.
JMHO
JST

Addon: Thank God (for those who believe in higher spirits) it goes downhill with your hearing. If it would get better with age, (like (some) wines) it would be horrible. You buy an amp at 20 for 1000 €/$ and 10 years later you realize that it was the biggest crap you ever bought… :crazy_face:

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Not in my experience. In my opinion streaming has reduced music enjoyment though (commercial universal access). My enjoyment peaked back when mix tapes were common. But that might give away the real secret, my age. : )

Perhaps a more enlightening question would be ‘What increases your enjoyment of music?’.

Sure, audio gear might factor high on the list for many, but there is so much more.

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This is a common misconception. Human hearing is very complex and cannot be reduced to a single frequency response graph. You may not be able to hear above 8KHz on a standard auditory test because your cochlear hair cells that are responsive to higher frequency tones are damaged, but you may well still be able to make very fine time-domain distinctions that are handled in the auditory nerve and auditory cortex.

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