Why are there no female Audiophiles?

[kemmler3D]

Don't think so. These are the creatures who will pay a few thousand for a designer handbag which is basically a fabric or leather bag to carry stuff.

What's not sensible about that? If you spend $X,000 on a handbag, people will assume you have lots of money. If you spend $XX,000 on speakers, people will assume you are not only lacking sense, but also broke as a result. Seems like you come out better with the handbag.

 

[kemmler3D]

Also looks almost exclusively white, too.

A hypothesis that I pulled out of thin air: Maybe a major factor of whether you will be a hifi fan or not, depends on whether you had positive exposure to hifi in your formative years. And I'd guess that most higher-end shops have tended to be concentrated in predominately white areas. As for the gender divide, at least in the 1970s, whew, sexism in the way stuff was promoted could be pretty blatant, it got toned down a lot in the 1980s, but in the hifi world, there's still a tendency for females to be treated as decorative objects.

Yes, I think it's probably generational and therefore we see ongoing racial / gender skew as a result. Why am I interested in audio gear? Undoubtedly because my dad was and taught me a thing or two. We both happen to be white guys who had access to hifi shops and $$ to bring some of it home.

If you never get exposed to audio gear in a certain way, you're just not likely to develop an interest in it. I don't hear a lot of stories about mothers teaching their daughters about the wonders of tubes, etc.

 

[Sal1950]

Yet females go ga ga over $4000 handbags (look at the stitching, feel the quality of the leather, OMG) and other expensive accoutrements... does nothing for me... so each to their own.

They go ga-ga over most anything expensive that they can get a man to buy for them.
Proves to them how much they're valued.

 

[tmtomh]

My question is, why is every "women audiophiles" thread on any hi-fi or music forum filled with silly generalizations about women's consumption habits and the frequent use of "female" as a noun?

 

[restorer-john]

My question is, why is every "women audiophiles" thread on any hi-fi or music forum filled with silly generalizations about women's consumption habits and the frequency use of "female" as a noun?

Gotta agree with that.

I think there is a barrier to entry for women, even if they like music and are interested in pursuing better reproduction in their home. That barrier is the 'expertise' is generally guarded my the men of the industry. It's like women have to ask men what they should buy and why. Instead of being comfortable shopping for audio and making their own choices, they end up asking a trusted friend who 'knows about audio gear' and that person again, is likely to be a bloke.

It's a power imbalance that really is unneccesary, but its almost institutionalised in HiFi. It's a boy's club in 2023 and it doesn't need to be.

A pity, because womens' hearing is typically better, they are often more patient, have less preconceived ideas and are willing to try something different.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Gotta agree with that.

I think there is a barrier to entry for women, even if they like music and are interested in pursuing better reproduction in their home. That barrier is the 'expertise' is generally guarded my the men of the industry. It's like women have to ask men what they should buy and why. Instead of being comfortable shopping for audio and making their own choices, they end up asking a trusted friend who 'knows about audio gear' and that person again, is likely to be a bloke.

It's a power imbalance that really is unneccesary, but its almost institutionalised in HiFi. It's a boy's club in 2023 and it doesn't need to be.

A pity, because womens' hearing is typically better, they are often more patient, have less preconceived ideas and are willing to try something different.

I somewhat disagree. No matter how open things are I just don't think nearly as many women are interested in such things as men. You see it in any area that is related to gear. If there were no barriers I doubt the number of women involved would reach 20%. Men and women are by and large different in these areas.

Do men wait until someone invites them to take part? No. Especially now, women, if they had an interest can easily read up on things, go purchase things and get their own experience, and take part. If more people tried to usher them into participation it would help. Yet at the end of the day, I just don't see the same levels of interest.

I tried thinking of some online community or forum where things are technical or related to gear/devices that had more equal participation. The only one I can come up with is medical treatment and forums regarding use of medical devices.

 

[Blumlein 88]

They go ga-ga over most anything expensive that they can get a man to buy for them.
Proves to them how much they're valued.

Look honey, I know you love music. I just purchased a pair of $10k speakers for you to use. Your girlfriends will be so jealous. None of them have had that much money spent on them.

I don't quite visualize that working.

 

[raif71]

I somewhat disagree. No matter how open things are I just don't think nearly as many women are interested in such things as men. You see it in any area that is related to gear. If there were no barriers I doubt the number of women involved would reach 20%. Men and women are by and large different in these areas.

Do men wait until someone invites them to take part? No. Especially now, women, if they had an interest can easily read up on things, go purchase things and get their own experience, and take part. If more people tried to usher them into participation it would help. Yet at the end of the day, I just don't see the same levels of interest.

I tried thinking of some online community or forum where things are technical or related to gear/devices that had more equal participation. The only one I can come up with is medical treatment and forums regarding use of medical devices.

Yup, agree with this. Women if they want to participate can just enter...nobody prohibiting them just like no one prohibiting men from collecting handbags but we have different interests, that's all.

 

[Sal1950]

It's a power imbalance that really is unneccesary, but its almost institutionalised in HiFi. It's a boy's club in 2023 and it doesn't need to be.

I'm not buying that John, it's just in the gene's.
For the most part women don't like working on cars, or having a basement woodshop, or most other things involving tools.

Look honey, I know you love music. I just purchased a pair of $10k speakers for you to use. Your girlfriends will be so jealous. None of them have had that much money spent on them.

I don't quite visualize that working.

Yea but spend that $10k on a ring and she'll be on the phone sending pic's all day.

 

[restorer-john]

For the most part women don't like working on cars, or having a basement woodshop, or most other things involving tools.

Absolutely. I'm glad about that part. My tools = hands off to anyone else. I don't lend my tools to anyone, not even my best mate. Even garden tools to neighbours. One of my neighbours borrowed my wheelbarrow for about 5 years and left it in the rain, split the wood handles and bent (f#ck knows how) my forged 7ft crow bar. Just gave it back and said nuthin'. Glad they moved somewhere else.

 

[restorer-john]

@Sal1950 How's the weather at your place? You guys have been copping some storms yeah? You OK?

 

[GaryH]

 

[Sal1950]

@Sal1950 How's the weather at your place? You guys have been copping some storms yeah? You OK?

Thankfully nothing really effecting my neck of the woods in Central FL
Hurricane Idalia came up the golf coast and mostly missed the mainland except up north.
But thanks for asking.

 

[Travis]

Don't think so. These are the creatures who will pay a few thousand for a designer handbag which is basically a fabric or leather bag to carry stuff.

Count your lucky stars you have never had one who likes Berkin, Channel, etc. Berkin's start at $30K go up over $75K. Channel, for something that's the size of a purse, $10K to start, up to $30K LV is about half that, but it's getting to be about 5K.

Don't even get me started on shoes.

 

[GaryH]

My question is, why is every "women audiophiles" thread on any hi-fi or music forum filled with silly generalizations about women's consumption habits and the frequent use of "female" as a noun?

And even worse, "creature".
*shudders*

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

To me also a another problem is, speakers tend to be very expensive and yet very poorly made and ugly in the entry level... only stupidly priced speakers are ok looking

 

[Sal1950]

Count your lucky stars you have never had one who likes Berkin, Channel, etc. Berkin's start at $30K go up over $75K. Channel, for something that's the size of a purse, $10K to start, up to $30K LV is about half that, but it's getting to be about 5K.

Don't even get me started on shoes.

Get a divorce, they're not worth it!

 

[kemmler3D]

That barrier is the 'expertise' is generally guarded my the men of the industry. It's like women have to ask men what they should buy and why. Instead of being comfortable shopping for audio and making their own choices, they end up asking a trusted friend who 'knows about audio gear' and that person again, is likely to be a bloke.

It's a power imbalance that really is unneccesary, but its almost institutionalised in HiFi. It's a boy's club in 2023 and it doesn't need to be.

A pity, because womens' hearing is typically better, they are often more patient, have less preconceived ideas and are willing to try something different.

Big +1 to that. And, let's not forget why this forum exists... often this carefully guarded "expertise" is nothing more than an elaborate structure of delusions and misinformation designed to separate people from absurd sums of money in exchange for snake oil. And women are supposed to not only enter this dubious pit of boiled-down viper fat, but act grateful for the privilege? I wonder why these forums aren't crawling with 'em...

Even ASR, which is supposed to be more welcoming than most audiophile forums, is pretty rife with comments that would prompt at minimum an eyeroll from most women, and probably not infrequently, a permanent logoff. (this thread has some good examples. WOMEN AND PURSES AMIRITE LOLOLOL) ... wasn't clever when it was first printed in an Esquire cartoon in 1930, (or whatever) isn't clever now.

Now, imagine the LESS welcoming forums and you don't need a lot more explanation for the gender bias, do you?

 

[Sal1950]

To me also a another problem is, speakers tend to be very expensive and yet very poorly made and ugly in the entry level... only stupidly priced speakers are ok looking

Really ???
I'm taking it your not a fan of Genelec?

 

[Blumlein 88]

Big +1 to that. And, let's not forget why this forum exists... often this carefully guarded "expertise" is nothing more than an elaborate structure of delusions and misinformation designed to separate people from absurd sums of money in exchange for snake oil. And women are supposed to not only enter this dubious pit of boiled-down viper fat, but act grateful for the privilege? I wonder why these forums aren't crawling with 'em...

Even ASR, which is supposed to be more welcoming than most audiophile forums, is pretty rife with comments that would prompt at minimum an eyeroll from most women, and probably not infrequently, a permanent logoff. (this thread has some good examples. WOMEN AND PURSES AMIRITE LOLOLOL) ... wasn't clever when it was first printed in an Esquire cartoon in 1930, (or whatever) isn't clever now.

Now, imagine the LESS welcoming forums and you don't need a lot more explanation for the gender bias, do you?

The purses thing wasn't meant to be clever. Simply true. As for asking they be grateful for the privilege etc. I don't recall anyone indicating such ideas here.

If there is very much of an audience, why haven't some women started a women's oriented audio forum, or camera forum or etc etc? Not that they should have to do so, but they could if they wanted to do so. You don't see a basic lack of belief in the abilities of women to think men have to create the environment welcoming to them instead of them doing it for themselves? At least here and in many audio forums, what I've seen indicates most members would welcome more women and be happy for it.