Same here. I've found it ever increasingly embarrassing to use "audiophile" in today's word lest I be associated with the phools buying $6k power cords, $30k speaker cables or $20k interconnects.I like the term high-fidelity, and I'm increasingly using it.
Same here. I've found it ever increasingly embarrassing to use "audiophile" in today's word lest I be associated with the phools buying $6k power cords, $30k speaker cables or $20k interconnects.
Intresting story, a dealer I know demo' d a TT to a client .. They loved it but when the client found out how much it was they were a little dissopointed as to them it was not expensive enough ( it was several thousands of pounds mind you)The strangest thing, to me, is that some of these people actively DONT WANT to save money. "So you're saying that a DAC that costs 1/10 of the DAC I'm thinking of buying can serve me just as well? Hm... I don't like the sound of that".
Intresting story, a dealer I know demo' d a TT to a client .. They loved it but when the client found out how much it was they were a little dissopointed as to them it was not expensive enough ( it was several thousands of pounds mind you)
Solution , custom fitted diamonds here and there to increase the cost... Happy client
Nowt strange as folk.
The strangest thing, to me, is that some of these people actively DONT WANT to save money. "So you're saying that a DAC that costs 1/10 of the DAC I'm thinking of buying can serve me just as well? Hm... I don't like the sound of that".
Same here. I've found it ever increasingly embarrassing to use "audiophile" in today's word lest I be associated with the phools buying $6k power cords, $30k speaker cables or $20k interconnects.
I've foun the electrons in my cables and gear are guaranteed for at least 66,000 yotta years.
http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/2015/dec/09/electron-lifetime-is-at-least-66000-yottayears
I learned that early in high school. At the time, I was an "outside salesman" for a local audio store where the owner hired local kids to wire up Dynakits and he sold the amps at lower prices than the factory-wired. However, considering the narrow range of prices (Stereo 70 was originally 89.99 as a kit and $110.95 factory-wired), he found it hard to sell his locally-wired amps at any intermediate price. However, at my suggestion, he repriced his amps at a higher price than factory-wired and they sold rapidly.The strangest thing, to me, is that some of these people actively DONT WANT to save money. "So you're saying that a DAC that costs 1/10 of the DAC I'm thinking of buying can serve me just as well? Hm... I don't like the sound of that".
I learned that early in high school. At the time, I was an "outside salesman" for a local audio store where the owner hired local kids to wire up Dynakits and he sold the amps at lower prices than the factory-wired. However, considering the narrow range of prices (Stereo 70 was originally 89.99 as a kit and $110.95 factory-wired), he found it hard to sell his locally-wired amps at any intermediate price. However, at my suggestion, he repriced his amps at a higher price than factory-wired and they sold rapidly.
[in] “markets in which people are not completely sure of how to assess quality, they use price as a stand-in for quality.”
This is probably a perfect fit for audio...
I've found the electrons in my cables and gear are guaranteed for at least 66,000 yotta years.
http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/2015/dec/09/electron-lifetime-is-at-least-66000-yottayears
Fascinating. This tendency has apparently been studied by psychologists:
"Social psychologist Robert Cialdini suggests that in some cases, businesses can actually increase their sales by raising prices. The reason behind this surprising phenomenon, he revealed in a recent podcast interview, is that in “markets in which people are not completely sure of how to assess quality, they use price as a stand-in for quality.” While most customers wouldn’t pay $20 for paper towels because it’s easy to compare them to other products on the store shelves, it’s much harder to evaluate certain categories of products or services. Art is notoriously challenging – what makes a Damien Hirst sell for millions while a similar piece by someone else might languish?"
This is probably a perfect fit for audio... How can I know - and I mean really, really know - that there's no way that super expensive cable actually will improve my system just a little? After all, it IS more expensive.
https://www.google.no/amp/www.forbe...prices-can-increase-your-sales/?client=safari
A sad state of affairs for sure."High End Audio" as we know it today is all about luxury goods and bragging rights. For these people, actual performance doesn't even matter at all.
"You show me your price-tag, and I'll show you mine".
Bah, humbug...
A sad state of affairs for sure.
Worst part is that this situation so dominates the industry. From the manufacturers to the distributors, the dealers, and the media. They have all joined together to promote the snake-oil claims on the basis that its "good for commerce" and to hell with any real promotion of true Hi Fi.
Spending becomes a way of vanquishing anxiety, it becomes a addiction . The need to replace the defective part with the new much better part as they will see it.Sounds right. It fits with the actual basis of the audiophile hobby for many people: spending on expensive gear as often as finances allow. They don't spend reluctantly; they spend eagerly. Cheap gear just doesn't satisfy the need.
It also explains why audiophiles are anti-science and anti-measurement. They don't want their gear turned into commodities.
More you spend the more you know and the more gravitas you opinion holds..