Do you refer to yourself as an 'audiophile'?

[Doodski]

and really, where on earth would you find the time?

Yes, true that...Hehe. This ASR stuff is what I do when I am not obsessed with news reading as was occurring lately for ~some months+. But I am more healthy now and am over what became a mental illness. I really enjoy ASR and appreciate what it has to offer. It's wholesome stuff. I just need to ensure I keep in the MODs good favor and don't over do the chatter... That's critical I think.

 

[Mr. Widget]

If you love music and love a good sound system, you’re probably an audiophile. If you have more than the Apple USB-C dongle, know what SINAD, PEQ, and THD+N means, and the difference between speakers with a 4 or 8 ohm impedance, you’re an audiophile.

You can be an audiophile who favors objective evaluation over subjective evaluation, but you’re an audiophile. Instead of treating it like a derogatory term, realize that your prejudice and bias is what makes the word derogatory.

Not probably, definitely!

Non-audiophiles don't look at or understand frequency response plots, look at or understand distortion and noise plots. If you enjoy this site, you may not want to admit it, but you are an audiophile.

 

[GXAlan]

Most instead of trying to gain knowledge on their passion cling to ramblings and wild tales of magic and mystique.

What makes you say that? None of the audiophiles in my circle have that perspective. My circle of audiophiles includes millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers but admittedly not the younger crowd.

I wonder if there are generational differences?

You may be the Jeff Foxworthy of ASR.

You may be an audiophile…
… if you know toe-in and toe-out has nothing to do with putting on flip-flops.

You may be an audiophile…
… if the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word Topping isn’t rainbow sprinkles or whipped cream

You may be an audiophile…
… if “End Game” means something other than the last Avengers movie.

You may be an audiophile…
… if Neumann doesn’t make you think of the Seinfeld character.

You may be an audiophile…
… if the first thing that comes to mind when you see the word REW isn’t the button on your remote control/CD/VCR/DVD.

 

[Kevin1956]

Only occasionally, when trying to describe my 60+ years of love of listening to music to someone, if I think that term makes my explanation more clear to that person. Even then, I am reluctant to use the term. Over the years, I have grown to view the term with derision. Too much snake oil and vodoo on one side of the hobby, too much adherence to measurements and chasing inaudible specification changes on the other. And too much condescension and derision towards anyone who doesn’t agree, or appears “uneducated”, from both sides. Generally, I just refer to my love of listening to music, via equipment that satisfies me, as my hobby.

 

[LeShog]

Yes, true that...Hehe. This ASR stuff is what I do when I am not obsessed with news reading as was occurring lately for ~some months+. But I am more healthy now and am over what became a mental illness. I really enjoy ASR and appreciate what it has to offer. It's wholesome stuff. I just need to ensure I keep in the MODs good favor and don't over do the chatter... That's critical I think.

I believe a forum enthusiast like you is pretty much its vital strength, so they should thank you also I like to read you

I view an audiophile as someone really caught up with gear. I consider gear only from the utilitarian point of view and passion for a piece of gear (or even pride!) seems just silly to my eyes. Yes it gives me a lot of pleasure, but in the end it's the music that does it, so I consider myself a music enthusiast. I like in general beautiful sounds, so you can also find me taking a stroll in the park listening at all the birds chirping and at the wind blowing in the trees's leaves. Does that make me an audiophile even if I don't have with me my fancy brick shaped DAP with my fancy audiophile grade IEMs with my fancy audiophile-woven cable? I suppose it all depends from what we consider as an audiophile. I don't like the term because it makes me think of people obsessioned with silly things.

 

[Turambar]

I would rather describe myself as a 'melomaniac'.

 

[dtaylo1066]

I only would refer to myself as an audiophile to other hi-fi geeks. To others I just say I like hi-fi and listening to music, and don't do that very often.

Audiophiles are a unique niche and demographic. When I was attending audio fests there would be about 2% women and almost everyone was over age 40, and most over age 50. Can Jams are a different animal.

I wonder how long home speakers are going to last given the fact anyone under the age of 40 has earbuds in their head at least 8 hours per day.

 

[Doodski]

I believe a forum enthusiast like you is pretty much its vital strength, so they should thank you also I like to read you

Well thank you for your kind words. The situation is that at ASR we all are subject to chatter rules and it matters not who one is if the chatter gets too much then it needs to be regulated so we don't all become chatting messes and that means me too as is fair for all here. The MODs are very kind to me as has been proven time and time again and have forgiven me for multiple thread violations and I do really appreciate that and I do try to stay out of review threads if I am not 100% on topic etc. I am simply gabby, try to be involved and try to share a little of me along the way as I enjoy it when others share tidbits too. Otherwise I guess from all the reading in this thread I should think I am a audiophile too. LoL.

 

[Doodski]

I wonder how long home speakers are going to last given the fact anyone under the age of 40 has earbuds in their head at least 8 hours per day.

Very good point. The face of audiophiles has really changed and I think a large part of that is personal electronics, cel tels and the the development and popularity of the PC.

 

[vicenzo_del_paris]

If the question was "are you an audiophile?" that would be the case. But if we are asking "do you refer to yourself as an audiophile?" then the connotations of the term to each person will likely determine the answer.

Yes I agree, but the issue of how you think of yourself or others define you is also interesting, gourmet or foodie, racist or supremacist, naturalist or environmentalist, cultured or cool, to name few modern ones. There are subtleties and euphemisms that one defines or escape a wanted or unwanted label.

I get what you mean but still this kind of reasoning seems very weird to me.
Following this reasoning, shall I lie or hide the fact I eat meat in front of vegetarians ? Just because they will judge me as a bad person or an has-been or whatever else?
NO!

Defining yourself through the perception of others to avoid others moral judgement is wrong to me.

A cat is a cat!
An op-amp is an op-amp!
It is not defined by people's views.

Audiophile has a clear definition.

Let's stop modifying words meaning with our own views / judgements / stereotypes.

We see from posts in this thread that everybody place different stereotypes on that word and some confuse words with stereotypes.

Knowing some negative stereotypes about the word "audiophile", I can refer myself as an audiophile despite that I am not like such stereotypes.

 

[dtaylo1066]

Very good point. The face of audiophiles has really changed and I think a large part of that is personal electronics, cel tels and the the development and popularity of the PC.

Yes, they totally changed the game and approach.

 

[Doodski]

Yes, they totally changed the game and approach.

When I was a beginning audio equipment salesperson way back long ago the PC was just starting to come out and where @ the least several thousand dollars+ for a basic quality system. We saw that and where advised what the intention for the future was for the PC and how it would become a fully versatile and have a variety of very useful capabilities and we knew audio and video was going to suffer for that. That the entire AV industry might collapse and the available choices for equipment and purchasing gear would be minimized.

 

[DMill]

Used to, I like audio enthusiast or hobbyist better but music collector is good to. The whole audiophile thing puts off new people with a holier than thou vibe, IMO.

I agree. It never was a bad thing in the past, but now there is a ton of baggage associated with the term. All too often people associate it with overspending on gear. In fact, a good friend of mine who calls me an audiophile spent a lot on a pair of B&W 704s. Wish he would’ve talked to me first, though I admit they look nice in his living room. Must be the AQ speaker cables they got him on. Knowledge is power.

 

[DHzHolden]

I refer to myself as a recovering audiophile.

 

[Multicore]

I also like musical instruments, and wish I could play every model and every style of clarinet (for instance). And every possible mouthpiece and ligature. But this is not practical, so I just play the ones I have access too and don't think too longingly at how much better one model vs. the other would affect me. I seriously doubt I would find a favorite though.

I'm well over 40 years playing guitar and still have not played or even held in my hands a 12-fret steel string acoustic, a proper archtop, a 1930/40s gypsy guitar, even a parlor, ... aw forget it. Next up is a Line CM4 pair and learning to use them. The AKG D-880 I'm using now isn't exactly sounding awesome.

 

[Philbo King]

I'm curious.

As most of us here are here for enlightenment and actual real world science and substance to decide what is potentially a good investment or not I find it really rather strange that a large number of people still refer to themselves in such a way. The term 'audiophile' to me is almost derogatory and signals being one of the cult, the simple of mind lead by the influencers masquerading as reviewers and in so many cases genuinely believing they are some kind of oracle that would have the mighty lord creator bowing at their feet. Seems like something people here should maybe try to avoid, after all the term 'audiophile' is such an industry and influencer created trope to herd the flock into a bracket whereby they are lead to believe that with the badge comes greatness and they have been bestowed with the elevation above any doubters or anyone that questions.

Each to their own and all that, but it really seems like a cliché that people who think and like to be genuinely armed with knowledge rather than the promise and fable of some false prophet. I love music and a good sound system but I've never referred to myself as an audiophile, it's self deficating in my mind.

How do others feel regarding this?

I'm more of a musicphile. The gear are simply tools to get the music.

 

[MattHooper]

Sure, why not?

That being said, if someone thinks there's too much baggage attached to the term and they don't like it, such is absolutely their prerogative.

I fully realize the term "audiophile" has strong negative connotations in some circles, this being one of them. But to someone outside the hobby I am totally indistinguishable from what they have in mind when they use the term. And that probably goes for most of the participants here, including those who consider the word to be pejorative.

I have a hunch that most people don't think much about audiophiles or what it is, and don't have really strong opinions on what audiophiles do. That's probably more something audiophiles think about other audiophiles, in group stuff. That's why the goofy audiophile joke cartoons were found in audio magazines, rarely in more popular magazines.

So when it comes up at all among friends or acquaintances I have no problem saying I'm an audiophile. There's no "yeaagh!" reaction; they just don't have strong feelings either way, and I can elaborate on what that means if they are interested. Often enough it can start when a guest spots my speakers or my rack full of equipment, tube amps, big assed shiny turntable etc, and they express some surprise "wow, what's this stuff?" Then I briefly explain. If I just said "I love music" that wouldn't really explain the gear. They love music too, but they don't buy this kind of stuff! So I say I love music and I'm an audiophile as well so I enjoy geeking out on audio gear too, and this is the type of gear I find interesting. I never get the sense they are like "wow, this guy is crazy" but rather "that's cool, you have a hobby, and it's sort of interesting because I never knew about this kind of thing." And if it turns out they are up for a listen to something they get it even more.

It's all about how you communicate, IMO. If someone happens to have some negative connotation about the term, you can just explain how you approach the hobby.

 

[MattHooper]

I'm more of a musicphile. The gear are simply tools to get the music.

But that's what my wife would say. She loves music, but youtube and her laptop, or her (crappy) earbuds or smart speakers are simply tools to get the music.

What separates you from my wife and the average music lover is that they wouldn't dream of being interested enough in audio gear to join a forum like this.

You are an audiophile.

 

[Duke]

I have a hunch that most people don't think much about audiophiles or what it is, and don't have really strong opinions on what audiophiles do. That's probably more something audiophiles think about other audiophiles, in group stuff. That's why the goofy audiophile joke cartoons were found in audio magazines, rarely in more popular magazines.

So when it comes up at all among friends or acquaintances I have no problem saying I'm an audiophile. There's no "yeaagh!" reaction; they just don't have strong feelings either way, and I can elaborate on what that means if they are interested. Often enough it can start when a guest spots my speakers or my rack full of equipment, tube amps, big assed shiny turntable etc, and they express some surprise "wow, what's this stuff?" Then I briefly explain. If I just said "I love music" that wouldn't really explain the gear. They love music too, but they don't buy this kind of stuff! So I say I love music and I'm an audiophile as well so I enjoy geeking out on audio gear too, and this is the type of gear I find interesting. I never get the sense they are like "wow, this guy is crazy" but rather "that's cool, you have a hobby, and it's sort of interesting because I never knew about this kind of thing." And if it turns out they are up for a listen to something they get it even more.

It's all about how you communicate, IMO. If someone happens to have some negative connotation about the term, you can just explain how you approach the hobby.

The analogy I sometimes use is this: In the not too distant past, there were people into photography to the extent that they had their own darkrooms where they developed their film. I'm kinda like that, except my thing is playing back recorded music.

[tangent] The BEST introduction I ever got was at a Christmas dinner hosted by my wife's employer. I introduced myself to her and when she asked what I did, I told her that I sell expensive stereo equipment, which was sort of like toys for grownups. When her husband showed up for the dinner a few minutes later, she introduced me as follows: "This is Lori's husband Duke. He sells adult toys." [/tangent]

 

[Axo1989]

I get what you mean but still this kind of reasoning seems very weird to me.
Following this reasoning, shall I lie or hide the fact I eat meat in front of vegetarians ? Just because they will judge me as a bad person or an has-been or whatever else?
NO!

Defining yourself through the perception of others to avoid others moral judgement is wrong to me.

A cat is a cat!
An op-amp is an op-amp!
It is not defined by people's views.

Audiophile has a clear definition.

Let's stop modifying words meaning with our own views / judgements / stereotypes.

We see from posts in this thread that everybody place different stereotypes on that word and some confuse words with stereotypes.

Knowing some negative stereotypes about the word "audiophile", I can refer myself as an audiophile despite that I am not like such stereotypes.

Hmmm. Our cat is certainly a cat. But she has never referred to herself as one.

There are two different questions here. The one not asked—are you an audiophile—depends on a definition. You appear to be an originalist and don't care for the pejorative baggage some associate with the term. Nor do I. On that we agree. Most people posting here are audiophiles.

But the question posed is a different one. Whether we refer to ourselves that way depends on many factors, including how we perceive the term personally. Most people posting here probably don't refer to themselves as audiophiles. But for a range of reasons. In some cases it's the aforementioned baggage. In other cases it's because the people we may be describing ourselves to don't use the term. And so on. I don't think I've ever referred to myself as an audiophile (outside discussions like these maybe) because somewhat like my cat, it isn't really in my day-to-day vocabulary. She almost certainly doesn't care about the moral judgement of others, and it isn't a major factor for me either.