Is "Audiophile" a dirty word??

tubes4hifi wrote:you were lucky to have a guy in a hi-fi shop with that attitude.  
That's why I don't like people to email me or call me and have me recommend something for them.
It's like they want me to say, well, you'll want my top of the line $5000 preamp.
Maybe what they really want is my budget $500 preamp.
I get about 20 emails everyday from someone new I've never heard from before - they say, I hear you have some good stuff, tell me what to buy . . .
That's a decision THEY have to make.   I refuse to SELL anyone anything.   But if you want you buy something, you're welcome to . . .
You should also know whether you want to buy a Porsche or a VW bug, either will take you down the street.
Read a lot, listen a lot, don't just buy something you don't know anything about.

Yes I was Roy. He had designed his own speakers and was doing very well selling the line, then to reduce costs per unit had a warehouse full of them pre-produced without the internet yet born and an economy that suddenly tanked here in Upstate NY and he was left holding the bag. I think he genuinely loved what he did and he was passionate about it, but he was a one man show. I gave him business for many years because he never "sold" me anything, he just kind of advised me and helped me along and let me listen to any gear I wanted. His business folding opened the door for a competitor who's style was "sell the technology," upgrade warranties, make money on cables, accessories, heavy, heavy advertising and promotions. They were eventually crushed by Circuit City, who folded. Now we have Audio Classics and Best Buy/WalMart/Sams/Target..etc. It is a pathetic environment for higher end audio.

"My question was tongue in cheek of course. Do you want to be painted in the broad brush strokes of the term for what it means to most people? I know it all doesn't really matter in the end as long as we enjoy our music. But c'mon, look at some of the stuff written out there, it's almost comical in the reviews and how seemingly spending $20,000 more will make the sound that much better. There is a HUGE amount of coloration of our perception by what we're fed ahead of time. I'm a wine lover and there are parallels there too. The descriptions for wines can be incredibly verbose, when sometimes you just need to enjoy the glass of wine. More expensive wine is not always better wine. I appreciate your perspective and thanks for that great link!"

No worries. Most of my opinions are so much blarney. Reminds me of what Kissinger said to the effect that the reason battles amongst academics are so vicious is because they are so inconsequential.
I know a couple of guys who make very modestly priced but very good interconnects and speaker cables, doing business soley by word-of-mouth and a miniscule web presence. The advertising money you have to spend up-front to get one of the big glossy magazines to condescend to review one of your products would bankrupt a third-world country. Your wine analogy is spot-on: give "The Billilonaire's Vinegar" a read someday if you haven't.

And at least we're not ranting and inveighing about sex, politics or religion. Give me Horowitz banging out a Chopin ditty any aulde time.

deepee99 wrote:"My question was tongue in cheek of course.  Do you want to be painted in the broad brush strokes of the term for what it means to most people?  I know it all doesn't really matter in the end as long as we enjoy our music.  But c'mon, look at some of the stuff written out there, it's almost comical in the reviews and how seemingly spending $20,000 more will make the sound that much better.  There is a HUGE amount of coloration of our perception by what we're fed ahead of time.  I'm a wine lover and there are parallels there too.  The descriptions for wines can be incredibly verbose, when sometimes you just need to enjoy the glass of wine.  More expensive wine is not always better wine.  I appreciate your perspective and thanks for that great link!"

No worries. Most of my opinions are so much blarney. Reminds me of what Kissinger said to the effect that the reason battles amongst academics are so vicious is because they are so inconsequential.
I know a couple of guys who make very modestly priced but very good interconnects and speaker cables, doing business soley by word-of-mouth and a miniscule web presence. The advertising money you have to spend up-front to get one of the big glossy magazines to condescend to review one of your products would bankrupt a third-world country. Your wine analogy is spot-on: give "The Billilonaire's Vinegar" a read someday if you haven't.

And at least we're not ranting and inveighing about sex, politics or religion. Give me Horowitz banging out a Chopin ditty any aulde time.

Thank you. And you know what? I have that very book on my "to read" pile right under my Tubes and Circuits book I'm having trouble digesting!

Here's a good linky:

http://forums.naimaudio.com/topic/the-unease-of-the-audiophile

 And so wickedly true. Thanks for sharing that.