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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?

Weird choice of car makes?

But yes, caring for the less privileged and minimal consumption just meet real needs

as a life philosophy makes sense, also stop breeding unless you really need to, Don't Feed the Beast & all that.
 
Newman said:
Well, you came to the wrong place (audio forums) if that is your plan.

ASR might be the least worst of a bad lot in that regard, but clearly not immune.

Better IMO to laugh one's head off at it and be entertained, like a Monty Python sketch on upper class twits!

cheers
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When you seek it out you will likely find it, sometimes (and maybe often) even where it doesn’t exist ;)
 
Groove01 said:
When you seek it out you will likely find it, sometimes (and maybe often) even where it doesn’t exist ;)
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In the US with the exception of Miami and maybe SoCal (I was told that people there like to be flashy and to show off, though I never been to Miami, and I don't recall SoCal being flashy), the people I come across all across the US on a day-to-day basis, are rarely snobby "rich" people. But most also don't subscribe to this minimalist or Ghandi's voluntary poverty lifestyle.

So I would agree with you, the claims of such snobby "rich" people being so prevalent is likely because these claimants are looking for them.
 
Haven't read the whole thread... life is to short for that but...

What I always see missing in these types of proclamations/threads is the "middle ground"... i.e. the space between ya $300 Chinese DAC or amp *** (that might die after 3 months, have it's volume go 100% and blow ya speakers, have a channel die etc) and the $30,000 boutique DAC that measures no better.

For example, I have in the last 30 years patronized companies like Ayre, Bryston, Esoteric, Rogue Audio, Benchmark (and many others).+++

So lets throw out a number and say one of their devices costs $US 6000 (on average). Now when I buy that device, I am feeding the dealer network, marketing budgets etc (hence the "elevated" price which are cost of sale items the Chinese brands don't need to worry about) but what I do get are well engineered components from companies that take an objective ethic into their designs, I get a product designed to last decades and I get full after sales support from both the dealer and the manufacturer for years ahead.

So the issue I have with threads like this is they cast people like me, who have spent elevated levels of money on audio gear as audio phools or rich snobs.

Well all the gear I owned from these brands I noted have lasted at least 10 years (some 20 years) before being replaced and you have people willing to buy these on the second hand market because of the reputaion of these brands. Buy a 10 year old device, get it recapped as needed and away you go.

And while ASR might not see gear from these brands to measure, JA at sterephile does so you don't need to buy blind..cause I am an objective audiophile.

Peter


*** note: I am not attacking chinese brands per se, just pointing out issues that have occurred to members here

+++ I am not mentioning these brands to say "look at me..look at me",,, cause that isn't who I am
 
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All depends on one's social circle

and whether you submit yourself to sales types and marketing "influencers".
 
john61ct said:
All depends on one's social circle

and whether you submit yourself to sales types and marketing "influencers".
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my social circle... wife and dog (well technically she is a bitch) and my wife (who technically isn't a bitch) hates shopping.

have no social media accounts **** and the only media I consume is whatever resides on my hard drive.

Peter

**** forums like ASR are not social media... although we are generally social to each other
 
Distinction without a difference, even back in my CompuServe "Special Interest Groups" sysop days

there were shills paid to grind the commercial entities' axes
 
fatoldgit said:
forums like ASR are not social media... although we are generally social to each other
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I've got non-forum knowledgeable friends that when I happen to mention something said here or elsewhere, I often get the funny face and query about "you hang out in chat rooms"? :facepalm:
 
Groove01 said:
When you seek it out you will likely find it, sometimes (and maybe often) even where it doesn’t exist ;)
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Isn't that a quote from the Andrew formerly known as Prince? ;)
 
PristineSound said:
In the US with the exception of Miami and maybe SoCal (I was told that people there like to be flashy and to show off, though I never been to Miami, and I don't recall SoCal being flashy), the people I come across all across the US on a day-to-day basis, are rarely snobby "rich" people. But most also don't subscribe to this minimalist or Ghandi's voluntary poverty lifestyle.

So I would agree with you, the claims of such snobby "rich" people being so prevalent is likely because these claimants are looking for them.
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First time I was in SoCal (early ‘80s) it struck me that people’s cars were similar to their shoes and very much crucial to the occupant’s self identity.
 
wadude said:
First time I was in SoCal (early ‘80s) it struck me that people’s cars were similar to their shoes and very much crucial to the occupant’s self identity.
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Whereas that would never happen in, oh, let's say, the land of boot spurs and ten gallon hats!
 
wadude said:
First time I was in SoCal (early ‘80s) it struck me that people’s cars were similar to their shoes and very much crucial to the occupant’s self identity.
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It's still like that, it's total car culture here. The highways are lifelines, most spend an inordinate amount of time in mind numbing traffic. I don't follow that way of life, I'm pretty much a hermit, just drive back and forth between 2 houses that are 5 minutes apart on local roads. I have a hand me down 2000 Lexus ES300 that's kind of beat up, but it gets me from point A to point B. My dog seems to like it, he must dig the leather.

I no longer wear watches (no more tanlines), just use my cell for time. Don't need a flashlight anymore either.

Especially snobby was the high end audio store I used to frequent. Well the owner that I got along with, he passed away. There was a fight and bad juju between the son and the wife over who had rights to the famous store. Son opened up a new venture in Pasadena (and thrived), wife ran the store into the ground, it's no longer here. (Her big idea was to go extremely upscale, with Magico and Burmester gear, along with Mcintosh and VPI.) I had a bad run-in there, as a I didn't have a car at the time, so I walked using a golf club as a cane. Apparently you're not supposed to bring a golf club to a high end audio store, they see that as some sort of threat or something. They also looked down on lack of car, and I must of been dressed shabbily since that's what I tend to do. They were friendly to my face, got me to drop my stuff, kept me there, but they called some asshole who came storming in, yelling at me to get out the store. The asshole got physical with me, was grabbing me by the shirt, and karate chopping my arm. He pissed me off, so I wouldn't budge. Took 4 or 5 of them to push me out of the store. They took my stuff, I also brought a business folder and a coffee tumbler, and only got the coffee back. They called the cops after that, confiscated my stuff, damn I liked that golf club too. Anyways, bad juju on them, a dark cloud hangs over that place and the memory of the revered audiophile. He was a nice guy and a brilliant salesman, his successors not so much.
 
drewdawg999 said:
It's still like that, it's total car culture here. The highways are lifelines, most spend an inordinate amount of time in mind numbing traffic. I don't follow that way of life, I'm pretty much a hermit, just drive back and forth between 2 houses that are 5 minutes apart on local roads. I have a hand me down 2000 Lexus ES300 that's kind of beat up, but it gets me from point A to point B. My dog seems to like it, he must dig the leather.

I no longer wear watches (no more tanlines), just use my cell for time. Don't need a flashlight anymore either.

Especially snobby was the high end audio store I used to frequent. Well the owner that I got along with, he passed away. There was a fight and bad juju between the son and the wife over who had rights to the famous store. Son opened up a new venture in Pasadena (and thrived), wife ran the store into the ground, it's no longer here. (Her big idea was to go extremely upscale, with Magico and Burmester gear, along with Mcintosh and VPI.) I had a bad run-in there, as a I didn't have a car at the time, so I walked using a golf club as a cane. Apparently you're not supposed to bring a golf club to a high end audio store, they see that as some sort of threat or something. They also looked down on lack of car, and I must of been dressed shabbily since that's what I tend to do. They were friendly to my face, got me to drop my stuff, kept me there, but they called some asshole who came storming in, yelling at me to get out the store. The asshole got physical with me, was grabbing me by the shirt, and karate chopping my arm. He pissed me off, so I wouldn't budge. Took 4 or 5 of them to push me out of the store. They took my stuff, I also brought a business folder and a coffee tumbler, and only got the coffee back. They called the cops after that, confiscated my stuff, damn I liked that golf club too. Anyways, bad juju on them, a dark cloud hangs over that place and the memory of the revered audiophile. He was a nice guy and a brilliant salesman, his successors not so much.
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Shoulda swung first and asked questions later.
 
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Newman said:
Whereas that would never happen in, oh, let's say, the land of boot spurs and ten gallon hats!
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Not to mention NYC, not cars so much, but importance of status, "appearance as religion" very much so, possessions often seem to comprise people's entire personality
 
john61ct said:
Not to mention NYC, not cars so much, but importance of status, "appearance as religion" very much so, possessions often seem to comprise people's entire personality
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Huh, I live in NYC for a good portion of my life, I now life in NJ. Sorry, that is simply not true, unless, you work in a high-class white-collar world, where you do need to look presentable for your professional career and reputation. Other than that, simply not the case.
 
PristineSound said:
Huh, I live in NYC for a good portion of my life, I now life in NJ. Sorry, that is simply not true, unless, you work in a high-class white-collar world, where you do need to look presentable for your professional career and reputation. Other than that, simply not the case.
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Yes I meant in wealthy circles, music art creative society, more than office workers.

As opposed to the same context in say Chicago and Atlanta, or in Australian cities, where I lived most of my adult life.

Europe just as much as NYC though, to the point that even working class people let you know you're letting society down by not making much effort before stepping out in public.

Asia as well, but being THAT obviously an outsider they cut you more slack.
 
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