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Snobbery in Hi-Fi. Why are people so stupid and turn their noses up at gear costing much less which is just as good?

PristineSound said:
To spend $20k on a pair of speakers is a big deal for people like me. For people sitting on $20m, just the annual return from the market on a mediocre year, is more than the annual income of 15 average incomes combined.

While we applaud the OP's concern for the well being of the snobby rich by telling them how they should spend their own money, but I'm afraid the snobby rich aren't the stupid ones.
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The only smart decision one needs, rich or poor, is what people to use at each occasion*.
Different kinds of needs need different kinds of smart.

That, and some luck, that's all we need.

*Edit: a funny story.
I like to be involved when building a new house. "Involve" , like watching the people that actually do it, yes, I'm a constant harassment to them :p and I get kicked out often.

So, two houses after, I have a grip of what the different crews do, vaguely.
Imagine my surprise when I visited a friend in Switzerland who also builds a new house, and realizing that they had a completely dedicated team of three people just to proper apply the silicone sealants around!

Expertise is above all these days.
 
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Peugeot basically gave up on the US decades ago. My father bought one in the 1970s, though, for our family. A 504 wagon. There was an extraordinarily loud and low resonance at 60 mph*, though. You could get around it by speeding up or slowing down a few mph, but it was kind of terrifying as you drove through it. He was not a repeat buyer.

*clearly must have been RPM-driven, but it’s funny how I don’t remember it at other speeds/gears. Perhaps because one often cruises around 60.
 
PristineSound said:
What do your friends think of you when you try to convince them that they are stupid to buy luxury items with their money.
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I haven't got any shallow friends who think they need material things to enhance their life or try to impress others with brands, they choose things that are functional. I have worked with plenty over the years though, that's the thing with work, you can't choose your workmates.
 
Westsounds said:
I haven't got any shallow friends who think they need material things to enhance their life or try to impress others with brands, they choose things that are functional. I have worked with plenty over the years though, that's the thing with work, you can't choose your workmates.
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Good, now I would like to show you my Benchmark AHB2, I chose it over a Topping amp because I didn't want the cheap and mere functional stuff.

I was aiming for a snob level of 10/10 with a shallowness of 12/10, I would be very disappointed if I didn't achieve it. :D

12180.jpg
 
Westsounds said:
I haven't got any shallow friends who think they need material things to enhance their life or try to impress others with brands, they choose things that are functional. I have worked with plenty over the years though, that's the thing with work, you can't choose your workmates.
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You know it is possible to have fun owning cool, expensive stuff while at the same time being aware that it's just stuff, and isn't going to bring you inner peace or eternal happiness?

I doubt anyone's life is as hair-shirt as it could be, if they really tried, so is anyone really in a position to judge others?
 
BlueTunes said:
You can be elitist and a snob with yourself in the 1st person. :)

In fact, a shrink would probably argue it is the 1st person who is the most important audience.
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So they themselves are very important (to themselves & others are not at all important to them)?
Kind of like this (if done all the time, everyday)?
IMG_0766.JPG
 
Mart68 said:
You know it is possible to have fun owning cool, expensive stuff while at the same time being aware that it's just stuff, and isn't going to bring you inner peace or eternal happiness?

I doubt anyone's life is as hair-shirt as it could be, if they really tried, so is anyone really in a position to judge others?
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It's interesting, I was trying to see what equipment the OP has so I can (with good joking spirit) poke fun at him, then this came up:

1776864396733.png


It appears the OP fancies a £16k CD player with admiration. Yes, a CD player, not an amp, not speakers, a CD player.


I'm afraid I was right all along, there is very much, at a minimum, an element of self-esteem and self-assurance issue at play here.

OP, don't worry about other people! Everyone is at a different point in their lives; you have no idea what those with the riches have sacrificed to achieve it. And you have no idea what goes on in the minds of other people. Be happy with what you have and if you aspire for more, you can work towards it if it's important enough for you.
 
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PristineSound said:
Good, now I would like to show you my Benchmark AHB2, I chose it over a Topping amp because I didn't want the cheap and mere functional stuff.

I was aiming for a snob level of 10/10 with a shallowness of 12/10, I would be very disappointed if I didn't achieve it. :D

View attachment 526958
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I'm sure Benchmark are very pleased.
PristineSound said:
It's interesting, I was trying to see what equipment the OP has so I can (with good joking spirit) poke fun at him, then this came up:

View attachment 526965

It appears the OP fancies a £16k CD player with admiration. Yes, a CD player, not an amp, not speakers, a CD player.


I'm afraid I was right all along, there is very much, at a minimum, an element of self-esteem and self-assurance issue at play here.

OP, don't worry about other people! Everyone is at a different point in their lives; you have no idea what those with the riches have sacrificed to achieve it. And you have no idea what goes on in the minds of other people. Be happy with what you have and if you aspire for more, you can work towards it if it's important enough for you.
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Will you stop going on about self-esteem issues you're like a broken record! No wonder you have no friends. I can assure you I really don’t care what Muppets spend their money on. I would like to see people better educated that they don’t have to waste £2500 on a DAC when a £250 one is just as good and looks a lot better than an over polished metal shoebox.

How can anyone justify 16 grand on a CDP that’s no better than many costing under a grand, it’s complete lunacy, that’s why I’d like to see it tested. I don’t even use discs anymore. There is not a chance I’d buy one, even if I had Bill Gates money.
 
Westsounds said:
I'm sure Benchmark are very pleased.

Will you stop going on about self-esteem issues you're like a broken record! No wonder you have no friends. I can assure you I really don’t care what Muppets spend their money on. I would like to see people better educated that they don’t have to waste £2500 on a DAC when a £250 one is just as good and looks a lot better than an over polished metal shoebox.

How can anyone justify 16 grand on a CDP that’s no better than many costing under a grand, it’s complete lunacy, that’s why I’d like to see it tested. I don’t even use discs anymore. There is not a chance I’d buy one, even if I had Bill Gates money.
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OP, let me share a story with you, I hope this will help you overcome your self-esteem and self-assurance issues.

When I was a teenager, I used to work at an electronic store, a customer came in and brought a $8k home theater system, at that time, that was A LOT of money. I was in awe and frankly a bit jealous, I was selling things I couldn't afford to buy myself.

As I talked with that customer, I learn that he came from Nigeria, his family borrowed money from everyone that was willing to lend them in order to send him to the US for medical school. He couldn't afford to buy books for classes, so he had to do all of his homework and studies in the library where he has access to books; he lived on a food budget of $30/week. He eventually graduated and was offered a residency at one of the best hospitals where he worked over 100 hours/week . . .for 4 years.

10 years later, he paid back the money his family borrowed, build his family a home back in Nigeria, and after living years in a 1 bedroom apartment for a family of 4, he just brought himself and his family a home. And is now furnishing it with the $8k home theater as an award for all the years of hard work and perseverance.


After learning his story, not only was I not jealous anymore, I admired and aspired to have his work ethnics and perseverance.

Don't worry about other people, and what they can afford! You live within your means and let others figure it out for themselves.
 
PristineSound said:
OP, let me share a story with you, I hope this will help you overcome your self-esteem and self-assurance issues.

When I was a teenager, I used to work at an electronic store, a customer came in and brought a $8k home theater system, at that time, that was A LOT of money. I was in awe and frankly a bit jealous, I was selling things I couldn't afford to buy myself.

As I talked with that customer, I learn that he came from Nigeria, his family borrowed money from everyone that was willing to lend them in order to send him to the US for medical school. He couldn't afford to buy books for classes, so he had to do all of his homework and studies in the library where he has access to books; he lived on a food budget of $30/week. He eventually graduated and was offered a residency at one of the best hospitals where he worked over 100 hours/week . . .for 4 years.

10 years later, he paid back the money his family borrowed, build his family a home back in Nigeria, and after living years in a 1 bedroom apartment for a family of 4, he just brought himself and his family a home. And is now furnishing it with the $8k home theater as an award for all the years of hard work and perseverance.


After learning his story, not only was I not jealous anymore, I admired and aspired to have his work ethnics and perseverance.

Don't worry about other people, and what they can afford! You live within your means and let others figure it out for themselves.
Click to expand...
Amazing. Makes me want to go out and buy a Chord DAVE.
 
PristineSound said:
It's interesting, I was trying to see what equipment the OP has so I can (with good joking spirit) poke fun at him, then this came up:

View attachment 526965

It appears the OP fancies a £16k CD player with admiration. Yes, a CD player, not an amp, not speakers, a CD player.


I'm afraid I was right all along, there is very much, at a minimum, an element of self-esteem and self-assurance issue at play here.

OP, don't worry about other people! Everyone is at a different point in their lives; you have no idea what those with the riches have sacrificed to achieve it. And you have no idea what goes on in the minds of other people. Be happy with what you have and if you aspire for more, you can work towards it if it's important enough for you.
Click to expand...
I think you are trying a bit too hard now tbh.
 
Westsounds said:
Amazing. Makes me want to go out and buy a Chord DAVE.
Click to expand...
If that is what you truly aspire to have (despite going against all of your posts so far of how you have a problem with people being stupid to buy expensive things that isn't "better") then use your energy to work on it.

I'm glad we can come to a closure; I think this thread has been fruitful for those of us with self-esteem and self-assurance issues.

Now, let's get back to talking about fancy cars!
 
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I'm pretty sure this was on a poster of every single wall of teenagers from the 90's


1776871073611.png
 
Isn’t the point of marketing to influence how a person feels about one’s self in comparison to imagined others?
 
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