Are YOU an audiophile?
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- Опубліковано 4 вер 2024
- Camera: Jana Dagdagan | Editor: John Darko
Or do you see yourself as more of a (cough) 'music lover'?
I polled Darko.Audio followers on Facebook, Twitter and UA-cam with this very question. Here are the results.
Kindly discuss in the comments section below.
Politely.
(Yes, I identify as an audiophile)
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Stumptown Evergreen coffee:
www.stumptownc...
Rancilio SILVIA espresso machine:
www.ranciliogr...
Graef CM 800 coffee grinder:
www.coffeecirc...
#audiophile #coffee #musiclover
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Back story: darko.audio/2019/11/global-feedback-audiophile-or-music-lover/
love making and listening to music as well as brewing my own coffee, nice machine you got there ☕👍
I'm an audiophile with no money for audiophile equipment.
I can listen to what I consider good music through a poor sounding system but I can't listen to bad music through a great sounding system.
I agree. Some very compressed music (like Rihanna) is sometimes hard to listen to in a high end system. I do listen to a lot (most?) music that is not really audiophile quality, but there are extremes where some music really does sound awful in a high res system.
fair point
Well said.
I’m with you Miguel it’s the worst
The perfect response.
You are an audiophile if:
1. You love music
2. You enjoy investigating sound
3. You love gadgets
Sure, music comes first, but the other two are powerful drivers as well.
I check 1 and 3 and they're leading me to start being interested in 2
I dont love music I love how good the sounds music produced. Its so tangible
i can only relate to number 1.................
Check check check
Hd600 + ALO Pan Am
Love it fo sure
As a music lover, I go to concerts and gigs. As an aspiring audiophile, I listen to the best quality of recorded music and experimental recordings that I can afford to access. These are two rather different pleasures - and I enjoy them both.
Thank you, John, for all the help you have given me and so many others!
IMO over the years I think there’s a caricature of the “audiophile”. These individuals nearly ruin the hobby for the rest of us. The gear heads with no passion or interest in the love, discovery, or journey of exploring music. $25k of gear and 20 LP’s; some classical, some jazz, and Dire Straits Brothers In Arms. They all own the same 20 LP’s and same pressings and looking to reproduce subtleties they read about.
Reticence to be aligned with joyless hobbyists injures the community.
I am an audiophile because I’m a music lover.
bartkdt OK, that would pretty much be also my answer! Totally agree.
I was thinking exactly the same thing only the other way?!?
I am a music lover and I became an audiophile.
Hey, don't forget Yosi Horikawa - Wondering EP. Specifically Bubbles.. Very that type of audiophile. And yes, you do get tired of people calling us audiofools because they can 'prove' that a more expensive turntable (which is the AT-LP120) via crap cables, a crap mixer for phono pre-amp into a horribly crappy amp doesn't make a difference, compared to a AT-LP60. *sigh* (VWestlife, who has pretty good stuff usually)
Either me.
You have kiking the nail in the head.
I totally agree and I couldn't have said it better myself. At the end of the day, if you enjoy collecting new equipment whether it's expensive or not, or you enjoy simply talking about it, you're an audiophile. It's a hobby that's all inclusive, it's just the gatekeepers or the people who have to stand loud and proud to belittle others in other hobbies that tarnish that hobby's appearance.
i don't want to be classified as anything with "phile" at the end of it.
My wallet tells me I'm not
My wallet is empty, but I have DIY built my whole system
CIKEDEES Mine, too.😅
I have two kids, and a wife that loves to shop. My wallet is an abyss. However you don't have to have a ton of money or an expensive system to be an audiophile.
@@chadisrc No matter how much your gear worth or cost, if you have the best that you can afford to listen to your music as best as you can, then you are audiophile.
Ivica Marusevic thats cool but are you using an AV Receiver? I notice they are generally costly
50K subs, nice!!
STEVE! LOVE YOU, MAN!
Yup, I'm an audiophile and have been since the age of 16, the love of music and the sound (quality) of it go hand in hand to me.
The sounds are so good they are so tangible. The density and fullness fill our ears with passion. Absolute pleasure
So let me see if I have this straight: If I refer to myself as an audiophile, non-audiophiles will think I'm pretentious; but if I refer to myself as a music-lover, audiophiles will think I'm pretentious. I think I'll just go and listen to some music and forget all about it.
Or just call yourself an audiophile if you want and say screw whoever has a problem. Why would you just cower like a bitch?
Why would it be pretentious to be called a music lover, music nerd is pretentious not music lover, thats the term old people use. If someone thinks your pretentious for calling yourself a music lover they old, haha do what pleases you :D
The preferred characteristics from an hi-fi system varies from listener to listener. And similarly taste in music varies too. In my humble opinion, anyone who loves listening to the music of his/her choice and truly tries to optimize the quality of sound within their permissible budget, is an audiophile.
Sincere thanks for all the amazing videos.
I agree
The term “audiophile” is tainted with obsession and never ending dissatisfaction (and possibly annoying character traits along those lines). The appreciation for high quality sound is obviously independent from the appreciation of music. I personally was drawn to learn about music from my gear curiosity rather than the other way around. I love gear, I love music, and I love discovery. I think I am an audiophile.
Im a music lover and audio gear enthusiast - two separate things
I have a hypothesis - some people associate "audiophile" with "snooty and judgmental". As such, many prefer to call themselves something else.
In any case, it's pretty interesting how tweaking the questions can greatly change the outcomes.
Spot on! If you love music then you must care how it is delivered to you (quality wise).
Not necessarily, there are plenty of music lovers out there (I would say most of them, actually) who just haven't been exposed to high quality sources/gear, and think that their Spotify/AirPods combo is the bee's knees.
@@dershed and still love music. Do they miss out or is it blissful ignorance?
I would rather say if you watch this channel and care about sound quality, then you are.
shupadupa and also there are plenty of people who have been exposed to hi quality sound but just do not care. Still they love music.
@@dershed Also lots of music lovers listen to just about anything.I agree about Spotify/Air Pods.Spotify sounds like a bird shitting on something too LOL.
I think people are not a big fan of that word, because there is a whiff of pretentiousness about it. However, I think the more affordable gear that is praised and put forward as sensible options, people will see it's not a dirty word.
And a distinct odor of OCC.
Well said. Looking forward to the content that results from Jana's visit. Have fun!
I find there is a lot of overlap between “audiophiles” and (ahem) “coffee snobs”
I read the related article and it's cool to be considered by you as an audiophile. These lines are simply amazing: "It depends not on one’s financial status or hardware/software spend but on a simple attitude: maximising sound quality within one’s own means". However, it's a point of view I continue to find difficult to apply for me and other music lovers. I always thought that being an audiophile requires high technical knowledge, almost sound engineering skills as well as have listened to many different pieces of hardware, for understand sound differences.
I think it's more proper and less pretensious to self-define as a music lover who try to listen to a decent sound quality.
A sort of respect towards people like you.
I'm a music lover who loves being an Audiophilliac ! Lol I enjoy your videos, John The Audio Proffessional Darko ! Being a newer audio Reviewer I must say , I have learned so much from your channel, and By the way Your Spotify Freya+ music list is outstanding ! Thank the Darko crew for me also !
Well i always loved music, even from i was a child. My dad had a decent set of Bang & Olufsen with the cd player and a turntable. I loved it back then but today i wouldn't want it in my own living room, these days i got about 17000gbp invested in my own stereo.
But it didn't hit me before someone called me an audiophile a couple of weeks back and i didn't really know how to respond to that.
I mean, the amount of money i spend never hit me like that before because it has been a journey over the past year or two.
I just see myself as a music lover who really like electronics. As with everything else i do i like something in good quality. I never thought about it like that before that day.
I started disgussing Tidal vs Qobuz vs cd quality. Well, he briefly suggested Spotify but after i said i didn't want that crap playing anywhere near my system, he shot me down as an audiophile and as the conversation kept going i started to ponder about that.
Sometimes i really hate when my mates play certain things on their Sonos or whatever systems.
UA-cam, Spotify. Whatever.
Some stuff i really like and hate to hear butchered like that.
Get a nice pair of used speakers and a decent source for christ sake.
I quess i am an audiophile.
That being said, i have had a lot of different stereos over the last 15 years. And a bigger budget doesn't make you more happy with your system.
I still remember fondly the first pair of speakers i saved up to being a newspaper boy. I am still sad those burned down with my parents house 10 years ago.
Buttom line. Don't let budget stop you. Just go for it.
And being an audiophile is indeed very close to a "music lover" the music lover is just a tiny nodge from becomming an audiophile.
Hell yes! Not ashamed to admit it. How do I know? I'm having huge fun messing around with old budget boxes and hearing what they sound like with some careful tweaks. I also spend most of my day listening to FM radio through a NAD 4020A tuner. I've recapped it and replaced the horrid RCA sockets with a pair of silver plated sockets by AudioNote. The quality from this 40 year old tuner (£10 off eBay!) is amazing. I also love twirling the tuning knob and watching the needle glide along the scale.
In the evening I listen to a much better quality CD based system, I hear the groans from here. It's wonderful and more musical than I thought possible from digital. I recently listened to a La Serenissima CD after hearing them live at St Georges Hall in Liverpool. The similarity was absolutely uncanny.
So, yes, music lover and audiophile.
Oh, and thanks for the great videos John. Like your perspectives even if I don't share your music taste. 😄
I am Audiophile, but... I believe people are afraid to accept etiquette publicly... It sounds much cooler to be a music lover, and it's safer not to be laughed at! And I'm a professional musician - but I'm not afraid to admit - I am Audiophile!
I don’t think anyone is afraid of it. Audiophile care more about gear than music, and spend more on gear than music. Are never content with their gear and always want to upgrade it.
@@pablovi77 You are very wrong. I do not claim that there aren't people like that, but they are audio-fetishists, and that is not the true meaning of the word-Audiophile! If a person admits that he loves sex, it does not automatically make him pervert? Does it?
But this misconception is probably one of the big reasons for people to have prejudices
Massive LOL at your conclusion 😂
I voted on here as being 'YES'
I was disappointed at the conclusion. It just came out flat.
I've been a music lover all of my life and I've had a Technics stereo system when I was college student, but back then I didnt have a clue about well done music playback, I only cared about volume levels.
I've got old and by chance I discovered how music can sound on a very good stereo system and I only can tell that it's "a whole different experience" than listening the same music on a Bad sounding rig.
I have a pretty good sounding high end stereo system and sometimes music moves me a lot with it. It can get very emotional sometimes.
I still love music and I also listen to it on bad sounding gear from time to time and I still enjoy it, but it cant be compared with listening on my main system. Not even close emotionally.
The end of this video was perfect PERFECT!
Great question.
If Audiophile means , I'm absolutely into Music , Equipment and the interaction and enjoyment of listening to both and get over excited every time something new comes in so I can use it play my favorite tunes. Then Yes I am a Audiophile, Enthusiast or Audio Geek and music lover. 👍
I was one of the people that said I’m a music lover, why, because I don’t really care much for gear, but to listen to music and that it sounds good enough for me. I’m not trying to upgrade my gear every year or even every 5 years, I don’t have multiple systems, or even stock up on earphones, I’m content with what I could buy, and wasn’t willing to spend more even if I could.
I bought in 2010 a good entry level system, I have the cheapest Rotel pre and amp combo, RC-06, RB-06, an Olive 03HD music server with CD drive, the cheapest B&W monitors B&W 685. A very cheap Polk Audio 10” subwoofer. And the most expensive thing I have is my turntable, a Music Hall 5.1 SE, with a Goldring 2400 cartridge. That’s it, I haven’t changed anything since I got it almost 10 years ago, I haven’t built another system, well, I did change my CD transport, I had a Marantz CD5001, but wanted a music server, so I got the Olive, and ripped all my CD’s with it. The only audio gear I’ve bought in almost 10 years was a DAP, Sony Wm1A a few months ago and 2 IEM’s, cheap Chinese KZ za10 and TinHifi T3, the DAP is a lot cheaper here, almost half the price new, that’s why I got it.
The audiophiles I’ve know from forums, groups, etc, have multiple system, are always changing gear, have many IEM’s and headphones, have multiple DAP’s etc...
That’s why I said I’m not an audiophile, I spend a lot more on physical and digital media than in gear.
I have grown up associating the term 'audiophile' with people willing and able to spend a lot of money on their systems, rather than the more accurate description of an audiophile as someone willing to spend time and effort on their hifi. IMHO this has not been helped at all by the hifi media, which has for years built a perception around 'budget' (i.e. 'affordable to most people') and 'high end' systems. Really, if the objective is a great sound that you love, cost is only one factor! Nowadays I can still only aspire to kit like the Hegel amp or Devialet speakers that are out of my budget, but I am happy to tweak the kit I do have to get the sound I like.
I also think that digital audio is removing this barrier between entry and high-end to a degree. The shift towards Active speakers is a big part of this, and I would definitely ditch the traditional stack of metal boxes active speakers in the future.
Coffeephile and audiophile checking in!
In both cases I also love the hardware involved. Great coffee and audio is about the same things, good equipment to get the best out of it but in the end it is about the beans or music you put in. That is what you enjoy in the end.
Very well put. John; please please please stop bashing your portafilter with your tamper. I winced when I saw that, but then again I'm way more of a coffeegeek than an audiophile.
Rancilio Sylvia. I owned one for two weeks, got obsessed in trying to calibrate it, spent a whole paycheck on additional baskets and tampers and scales and grinders, brought myself more dissatisfaction than joy, sent it all back.
Im an Audiophile that loves to hear music reproduced as great as possible.
When you think you’re done with your system and you spot more weaknesses, that makes me an audiophile.
Just attended a high-end 2ch audiophile show in the DC area as a manufacturer. One visitor to my room asked me what file format was the best, so it was immediately obvious to me that while he didn't really understand the technology aspect of his own question, it was equally clear that he was trying, and was excited about enjoying music. I told him "The best file format for you is whatever is playing the music that makes you happiest." He was surprised, and then we lightly discussed how quality mixing and mastering can play a huge role with improving even the messiest of formats, which gave him a foundation to work from as he continues his self-education.
Audiophile can be a loaded term.......
Most Audiophile's started loving music then migrated to trying to get the best gear to enhance the music .
But I know Audiophile's that play music or even sound effects that show off what their systems are capable of more than they actually listen to music they love .
And then there are the huge debates on the validity of High end cables or vinyl vs digital etc .....
I personally think it's your money spend it on what you want but I've heard claims from Amplifier isolation Stand companies that claim their Rack/stands require 500 hours of burn in Really ? LoL
But again it's your money just don't try to get me to drink the Kool Aid.....
So some think Audiophile = Gullible so that's why a lot of people decline to be an Audiophile but I am unashamedly and most definitely an Audiophile and proud of it .
Haha I wasn't expecting that last line! But I absolutely can agree with it. I feel comfortable calling myself an audiophile to people who can follow what I mean by that. Other than that, I just explain that I'm an avid music lover to everyone else. It gets the same message across but with different terms.
Yes I do ....definitely. If you have the contacts , get yourself a bag of Monmouth Espresso beans from London . Beautiful coffee 👍 I’m rarely happier than when I’ve a fresh ground coffee in my hand and listening to the system . Simple pleasures
I’m a music lover, but I’m a huge equipment and tech lover also. I do geek out on the equipment side. The thirst for the knowledge on why and how something can reproduce sound so accurately and mellifluously is right there with my enjoyment of the music.
I'm an audiophile on a budget and a long-time music lover. I love listening to my music on the BEST equipment I can afford. Most people don't want to be identified as an "audiophile" since most can be snobbish if you don't own mega $$$$$ equipment. Unfortunately, it's an attitude thing with some people.
I identify as a music lover. I love many genres of music and love to hear them played with the best tools I have. Having said this, I don't feel as though I know enough about the technicals of audio equipment and design to identify as an audiophile. I think this speaks to something Jana mentioned in an interview recently that there is a large technical barrier to people wanting to learn more about "sound". But yes, lovers of music still love gear.
Jana’s the best! I’m an audiophile: I love both music and high quality in music reproduction
I found I like the better engineered recordings, and the better equipment. So I would say I identify as an audiophile. You don't have to spend a lot of money for better equipment, you just have to shop and keep an eye out for equipment on sale, or hand me downs so you learn what is good and not.
"... the biggest audiophiles of all" A great one liner John!
I do most definitely. Its a pleasure and pain thing for me; - the pleasure is that i know that for the money, I cant really get any better than what I already have, also the pleasure is knowing that my room is as suitable as ever for optimum performance from my system. The pleasure is what I feel and think from listening to music on my system.( dont ask what my system is)
The pain is always knowing what could be......
I think your very last comment John hits the nail on the head
I'm a music lover and also proud to be an audioholic, because listening to music on a proper stereo is a much better musical experience than on a non-hifi system.
Music listener and like you JOHN a Designophile. It’s like Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance where there are the ‘mechanicals’ and the ‘asthetics’ I listen to music AND I read magazines and sites, look and listen to gear on UA-cam, at HiFi shows and in shops to see if my (or when there) music improves. I like good recordings and cool gear that I can’t afford. I listen to experts, take advice and tweak what I have but I’m not into Graphs ,lab reports octaves and decibels. In car speak I like the old Ferrari shape and styles like 99.9% of the Ferrari Army and would be happy with a cheap replica that isn’t capable of absurd speeds and is not condemned to low mileage and spending a lifetime in expensive garages waiting for its value to appreciate. BUT to be fair from the high end often comes improvements to the low end
Audiophiles listen to the equipment not the music. I consider myself as a reproduction freak consider this the best sound I've heard coming out of my system was a 1940's mono movie you could hear everything the size of the room the placement of the actors was spot on. When it comes to music I visualize colors more than performance. Loud sound makes me feel sick and throws my day off a friend played a Jimi Hendrix Live track for me at live volume I could hardly wait for the song to be over.
Of course I had to lie and say that was great man really outstanding which it would of been if I could of stood 100 feet away.
I am a music lover who has rapidly become an audiophile snob by spending waay too much cash on my obsession.
This video has provided me with a newfound sense of humility to my non audiophile music lovers...Thank you JD.
I think the term 'audiophile' has snobby connotations and so people prefer to call themselves 'music lovers'. I'd call my self a music lover primarily but I guess I'm an audiophile aswell in to some depending on what someone thinks constitutes being an audiophile.
An audiophile AND a music lover. Music for its language and lyricism and audio for the sound quality. I don't buy gadgets all the time but choose carefully and slowly. My newest component is 5 years old, my oldest is 34 years old and one day may be replaced when I find something significantly better at an appropriate price. The biggest influence on the sound is the room anyway. I have been listening to good music for at least 45 years while incrementally improving the systems. I like good coffee too.
If you are looking for music and reading about music majority of your time then you are a music lover. If you spend lot of your time googling about how you can improve sound of your audio system then you are an audiophile. However, I think we are all music lovers at a gun point.
Perfect assessment! Spot on!
Love to hear all the sanctimonious “I’m a music Lover”.... justifying them claiming they aren’t audiophiles. If yOu are truly a music lover .... wouldn’t you want that music to sound as good as possible? Audiophiles care about the quality of the music they love.
This is true for many, but you dont have to be an audiophile to be a music lover. In my opinion caring about sound quality isnt enough to make you an audiophile. You have to care about it enough to be willing to invest (space, time, resources) as well. Many would love better sound but can't or don't want to invest in these commodities to get it. Therefore they are not audiophiles. They can still love music though.
Given music tends to be a lot about emotions and feeling, I’d say it’s possible to love music without caring about trying to extract every little nuance. Most speakers are just going to give you a different flavour of music if you look at it from that perspective :)
Richard Singer good points but IMO any budget can buy good sound. The new LRS magnepans are $650 a pair. Anyone who cares about music and the quality of that music should be able to save that amount of money. ELAC speakers are also very affordable. Many great value integrated amps, DACs, and turntables too....especially if one investigates used options.
@@lannylippold1461 well yes, I'm sure this is true, but the question is do they want to enhance their sound enough to spend that money? My own situation is less about money than compromised listening space. I could improve the sound of my current system simply by optimising my loudspeaker placement. But that would mean reorganising my house quite considerably. Surely its a question of priorities and intent, not merely about affordability.
You've not thought this through very well, but responded with your own bias instead.
Music can be loved and enjoyed at nearly any fidelity though, from the low to the high. Ex. I'm listening via Android tablet's speakers at the moment. While it's decidedly not as high fidelity as my bedroom system, despite being tuned by Harmon Kardon, I'm still very much enjoying what I hear... 😎
What do you call yourself if you like high quality multi channel and home theater? A multi-channel-aphile?
I thought I clicked on a James Hoffman review for a second there.
Actively listening to music and sharing thoughts, dancing to it or digging deeper into the back-catalogue of an artist is probably the biggest constant in my life. And since I was able to buy a stereo-system with dedicated components in the age of 14 from my flea-market savings this stayed with me. Still knowing only a little, I am trying to enjoy the music in the best way that my current circumstances allow it to be. And even if my budget is very limited or my rooms acoustics are far away from anything brilliant or high-fidelity, i seek for a sound experience that values the music and allows me to enjoy and appreciate the artists work.
I will never get even close to the acoustic experience of a Klein und Hummel setup in the mastering studio of a theater that I once had the opportunity to listen to - but I love great sound, either way.
I'm an hybrid. Most of my disposable income goes into buying music and audio equipment.
Love listening to music and study the history of music.
Plus, I care about the quality of my audio equipment too. Don't mind spending the money for the best experience possible.
Yup! No one needs any of the gear you or I cover to listen to music. The better gear just makes it sound better. That's it.
Ha! So true. I answer music lover on the poll. Happy listening.
why don't wine lovers have a problem calling themselves oenophiles, whether they possess 12 bottles or a cellar brimming with 120 bottles or 1,200? The perception of an audiophile is an inverse relationship between the size of one's music collection and the cost of their hifi. small music collection + expensive system = audiophile (or something like that).
The word audiophile literally means love for audio.
Bravo! In high school, people hearing about my listening equipment habits would ask what "stereo" to buy.... -listen to better music was my always my response!
Most audiophiles would not consider me as an audiophile, so I dont either. I have not spent anything on audio equipment except replacement styli in 25 years! Do I care about audio quality - yes of course. Do I invest hard earned cash in it? Not at the moment. Am I an audiophile? Clearly not. I do buy a lot of cds and lps though.
I love listening to my music and finding new details I'd not heard before.... almost always after changing something that I use to listen through (new amp, new USB filtering device, new headphones... new speakers... new cartridges, new stylus...vintage amp, vintage record deck... the list goes on)...
I suppose it makes me a music loving audiophile?
Would love to be, but cant afford it. My home hifi system is: JBL XTI 20 speakers, Yamaha AVR RX-V481, Sony UBP 800 bluray player mainly used as CD player, Norstone speaker stands and all my audio cables are Audioquesq Forest. My next purchase is going to be a turntable, maybe Project Debut Carbon Esprit SB, and Schiit Many phono preamp.
Interesting question John. I never thought of myself as an audiophile. I always believed that you had to spend a ton of money on gear to be one. Yet, through the 70's and 80's I subscribed to Stereo Review and Audio. Spent hours bending the ear of audio salesmen. Knew a ton of specs on various gear, but didn't have the budget for the things I drooled over like the Nakamichi Dragon Cassette deck. Eventually settled for a Luxman 3 head. Growing up in a house where the Telefunken stereo was playing music more often than the TV was on. Experiencing not just my parents music but the music of my older sisters and brother. Lying on the living room floor and pouring over album covers. Music wasn't just aural in those days it was tactile also. I Finally got myself a Pioneer SX-424 with a PL-12d and a pair of Altec Lansing Capri's at age 17. I rarely came out of my room. Yes budget equipment but it sure sounded better than that antique Telefunken console Sure wish I'd taken that when my parents retired to the cottage. It was a beautiful piece of furniture. Now I'm in my 60's and I still want to call myself a music lover. Well that's because I am. My gear has improved dramatically though.
The meaning of a word is how it is used. By this assumption, the meaning of audiophile for me, is a person who does not simply go by what is determined, by others, as a good sound but instead by how it sounds. To me, it all boils down to whether you put your trust in someone else or yourself.
Music is the object.
Audio is the means.
Therefore, to achieve my object I care about the means.
Good 'tools'will help me get closer to my 'object'.
That is critical analysis of what I am trying to achieve.
.....
If you want to brand me an audiophile (or anything else), be that as it may.
I never loose sight of my object though.. ever!
To me, a music lover is one who can sit/lie down and listen to music while doing Nothing else. Either at a concert or in their home. An audiophile, additionally, can do that and is willing to spend the money on a system that will sound like it is live ( at a concert).
To me, the difference between a music lover and an audiophile resides in the fact that the music lover will be more interested in the art of music by seeking to develop a deeper understanding of the craft itself (perhaps by learning composition, music theory, history of music, etc.) while the audiophile will be fascinated by the art and science of sound reproduction. One doesn't exclude the other.
Most people became an audiophile because they looked for a better way to hear the music they love. Not mutually exclusive. I think for me it started with getting a record deck which didn't chew up my vinyl Lps.
Not sure... depends on what an audiophile is... definition which is not clear to me.
I know a couple things though:
1. I like good sound. Be it music, games or movies (games benefit immensely from good quality audio, despite popular belief)
2. I can tell the difference when using nice audio gear
Does that make me an audiophile?? I dont know
I'm a music lover, the gear is a means to an end. I've spent under five hundred quid to upgrade my 'system', with a WiiM Pro Plus, a Mojo Chord and a vintage amp.
it has allowed me to get into other genres, such as jazz guitar and classical- listening with my previous gear was pointless, and I had ended up just listening to more raucous sounds.
LOL. I voted in the Music Lover camp. I think it's common to make generic assumptions based on generic groupings. Like seeing a person drive a particular car and making a spot assumption...BMW people:: Pompous jerks, Corvette owners:; Old men wearing gold recklessness, Mustang drivers: crashing into crowds after car shows....(by the way, i love all of those cars)
When I think of an "Audiophiles", I think of people who get more excited about equipment than the music itself. And while I certainly care about the quality of the sound, I don't always sit in the sweet spot of my listening room; much like I am not always centered between the speakers at a concert or music lounge. I've never had an emotional experience based on equipment but it has happened listening to a great song on an average system. Hence, I am not an Audiophile. :-)
I took the “music lover” option as the choice for someone who likes the gear, but loves the tunes.
Sadly the label “audiophile” might be associated with the terms “sounds more musical”, “true to source” and all those other terms which are potential bees in people’s bonnets. You say yourself that you don’t listen to audiophile music.......are you even an audiophile?? 😜
Don’t get me wrong, I like the gear, but I like my gear to be simple, plug and play additions or improvements. As for the nuanced, micro adjustments needed in the quest for “perfection”, I’m glad that people get a kick out of it and I’m sure it sounds great but I’m not that fussed when it comes to my own system. The music that comes out of it is more important.
I’m an audiophile, and I’m proud of it! I love music, and I care about how I listen to it, and I also love audio gear. In my opinion, if you are willing to spend more money on just a pair of speakers, an amplifier, DAC or streamer alone than most normal people would spend on a sound bar, then to me, you are an audiophile.
I’ve heard audiophiles say that the quality of the music matters more than the music itself. Some very famous audiophiles. I’ll call myself an audiophile, but the music always comes first.
The word audiophile has become a pejorative term due to the pretentious nature of many "audiophiles" In other words they judge people generally on how expensive their system is or how exotic. It's just like the wine business...which can be very pretentious. The "best" is the most expensive which sometimes is true but not always. As with coffee whether it be Jamaica Blue Mountain at $50/lb or Kopi Luwak Arabica that laughably goes for $135/lb. Many "audiophiles" also talk incessantly about their equipment and are always obsessing about some $200 per foot headphone cables. You would almost think they don't care about the MUSIC without which there would be nothing to listen to. My two cents...
I'm an equipment-phile. Music meant more to me when I was younger; I still enjoy music but its message is replaced by my life experiences. I get excited when I see shiny boxes and blinking lights.
You and Steve Guttenberg.
Audiophile listen to their (expensive) audio equipment.Music lovers simply enjoys music period.
Coffee coffee coffee. Stereos. Motorcycles. Fuck yes.
Hmm..difficult as I generally like nice sounding stereo systems and well thought out hi-fi products. But I have only ever had two serious hi-fi systems in 35 years. The first a record based setup with a pink triangle, Myst amp and tannoy speakers which I only ever changed cartridges and used for 15+ years . Which I then sold to go travelling and working overseas. I did record and store all my music onto a hard drive to take and play but mainly through a laptop and cheap logitech speakers. Then on my return I checked around to see what was interesting and put together a digital streaming based system. Deezer through laptop into a peachtree then gainclone into qacoustic floor standers and 2 Gallo subs (all secondhand off fleabay). My only additional purchase might be a bluesound node, but to be honest it sounds pretty good and engaging as it is. But in truth the real buzz for me was finding, listening to and enjoying interesting music from around the world and therefore sound quality was and is often secondary to me. But of course when done right and recorded well it is a bonus. But I have friends who are audiophiles - but they are never truly happy with their systems for long and always chasing the next best something or recommended upgrade to help them connect or reconnect to their music. Which seems sad but I guess it enables people like me to get their quality hand me downs. So I'm not sure if I am an audiophile or not as I was equally happy in Africa with the laptop, logitechs and my trusty old guitar
I am absolutely confident to define myself as a Music Lover because in the end I’m already totally happy with my DT 990 Pro 250 ohm + Schiit Stack and have zero desire to do any more improvement.
More critically I’m even satisfied with MP3 320kbps soundtracks where as an audiophile which is absolutely unacceptable lol
I think there’s a connotation that sticks to audiophiles and that’s the idea that many are obsessed to the point where they’ve bought into the snake oil one runs into when you go down this rabbit-hole. And frankly, these folks, whether they’re the ones in the industry, or the buyer, are not too hard to spot.
I have a background in biology and spent a few years in research and the claims made in this industry about expensive equipment and hearing audible differences (not simply what can be measured because a lot can be measured but not heard) between certain equipment immediately trigger the skeptical part of my mind. From DACs that cost thousands to speaker cables that costs hundreds or more, this is all very amusing.
If’s so obvious it’s hilarious. You see it all $20K speakers in poorly treated rooms. $500 speaker cables, $2K DACs, total contempt for room correction software, disdain for all things digital, etc.
Often, folks don’t even grasp the concept of rate-limiting steps. You have folks spending offensive amounts of money on DACs and cables and they haven’t even placed their speakers correctly or treated their room properly. Expensive speakers placed properly with proper room treatment and room correction will sound better with a cheapo $200 DAC and 320kbps Spotify track than with fancy cables or expensive DACs files that virtually no audiophile could pick out vs. their cheaper alternatives, especially when folks haven’t addressed more pertinent rate-limiting issues.
Also, there are times where I don’t have an ear for detail. If I’m sleep deprived, stressed, or have just dealt with a bunch of noise pollution, or have been drinking, my ear for detail is really hindered. And I’m in my early 30s and don’t go to loud concerts.
This is the issue many folks have with the title “audiophile”- to the cynical, it denotes a cult-like commitment to bullshit that makes little to no audible difference.
Sorry for the rant.
mohamedahmed1023 But it must be because your cables were orientated the wrong way... ;-)
i think if you selected the components of your HIFI system by careful selection and demo listening with material you know well.....PLUS relied on your ears rather than the price tags to judge which kit you purchased....... i would say that is an audiophile. An audiophile would select equipment that way no matter budget/reputation/review. However a music lover in my humble opinion would be happy with their tunes being reproduced by a system that they have not ensured has the maximum musical reproduction performance........that is to say the joy of music is their core concern rather than the most accurate reproduction of the sound from the original recording......REAL WORLD i think people are a mixture of both types.......me i think i am 40/60 in favour of audiophile....
This made me laugh and smile, especially the bit JD says at the end. (for the record/ poll - I am a music lover and an audiophile).
Surely a music lover is someone who enjoys music and its means of reproduction is of no interest to them as long as they can listen to their favourite songs? An audiophile is someone who cares about both the music and the kit that is used to play it. The equipment and its sound quality are just as important as the music and they will spend hours reading and setting up and changing to get the best sound. That makes me an audiophile then.
I love music. I’ve been to hundreds of concerts and shows, have bought thousands of records, CDs and digital files but I’d rather have a cup of tea than listen to music on a crap sounding system. I’m definitely an audiophile.
I'm not, definitely not. I like my music to sound good (always) and loud (sometimes) :)
I have midfi gear, I like having good sound, but I'm not mad about it. It's a hobby that needs some money and some time ... to listen music.
I kinda have another definition for audiophile, for those who spend (1, 2 or all 3 resources) huge amounts of money, time and energy for their passion. I run my own company and there are weeks that I don't have time to even touch my gear :))) ...
John, is this of grave importance? Some are more gear hounds than music lovers. Chasing nirvana through gear is expensive and can be anticlimactic. It’s mostly a matter of how fat is your wallet or purse. I can not say what others feel or experience, but chasing gear to achieve listening pleasure can get to be a real hassle. Most people have to be realistic in their expectations and not everyone has an unlimited budget for gear. It took years to find this out for some. There will always be better gear at making each the listener achieve that happiness. Each must find a system that can get them there that they can afford and bring a smile. It can be done, but some people are not patient enough to try to find it. They rely on people like yourself to help guide them. The key is to find gear that makes your favorite music sound good and buy that! Smile John, thanks for mentioning Jana!😊👍🏻
Hey JD where do you stand out of those 3 questions? Really enjoy your channel. Not a day goes by with out listening to my record collection or the radio/Sonos. My setup Linn Basik, Kewood amp, Technics CD player Musical Fidelity speakers, haven’t upgraded for years. Mostly listen on iPhone 7 & JBL headphones. Convenience dictates, but when I have some time to play - get the records out.
I am an audiophile.
I always thought that « bad » audiophiles listen to their equipment more than they listen to music, while « good » audiophile will want the better representation of their favorite music.
Rancillio Silvia - one of my best nonaudio buys ;)
Seems as though some people do not like the term audiophile...not sure why
. I have loved listening to music as long as I can remember. We were not well off when I was young but we loved the old Phillips turntable and two ay speaker system we had, the music sounded great! When things got a bit better and finances allowed for it my Dad bought a technics system (90's).when I first heard it as teenager I knew that I had to have a great stereo system because if I enjoyed my music so much I should play it using good equipment as well. Long winded i know but simply put, the music lover just loves to hear the sound and the audiophile , for the love of music , loves to make the sound better.
I can (and do) recognize quality sound over par or sub-par sound, but I don't really care about all the technicalities of what got it there. Do I appreciate good products? Yes! Do I buy them? Not normally. I own very little in the way of 'audiophile' products actually. So, to me it's not exactly a cut-and-dry question. I'm a music lover that cares not only about the songs, but about the quality of said songs. But again, I don't care how that quality got there, nor do I even understand it all.
music lover sounds so much nicer, less pretentious... to me @least
Some are in it for the equipment and will chase sound quality that way, others are in it for the music and will want good sound quality for that reason. There is a difference between the two and I guess you can be the one or the other and possibly both.
Busted, what can I say. It's all about the means, if one has the resources, as a "music lover" would spend maximum available on gear. I, for one, know what can I afford, imagining that everyone does so. Sorry for voting "music lover", retracted :D . (I absolutely love music, certain genres, totally not listening to the gear and hoping that I will find the means and the tools that I can't hear).
By definition I am an audiophile, but only because I love music and have never been disciplined enough to be a musician. I use my audio system to bring the music as close as I can to real. I also don't particularly care for the label audiophile. Unlike like Steve Guttenberg, who I happen to like by the way. But by his self titled Audiophiliac tag is just corny as hell, IMHO lol.
A rose by any other name...
Could you make a video on critical listening and explain all the audiophile lingo about “soundstage” and “dynamic range” etc.? I am hooked on your videos and have really gotten into HiFi stuff but feel like I need a glossary sometimes.