The Audiophile condition

[Analogous]

Darko waxes eloquent on some of the issues we have been discussing here.
- Why do audiophiles tend to be older
- Disposable income, larger dedicated listening spaces and expensive gear
- Chi Fi
- Externalising the personal as universal (when it isn’t)
and more

The audiophile condition | Darko.Audio

Stitching together some thoughts about what it means to be an audiophile in the real world and online.

darko.audio

 

[nikhilblr]

Darko waxes eloquent on some of the issues we have been discussing here.
- Why do audiophiles tend to be older
- Disposable income, larger dedicated listening spaces and expensive gear
- Chi Fi
- Externalising the personal as universal (when it isn’t)
and more

The audiophile condition | Darko.Audio

Stitching together some thoughts about what it means to be an audiophile in the real world and online.

darko.audio

There's no easy answer but if I were to speak from anecdotal experience, it's a generational thing. The new generation would not be interested in the hobbies of the previous generation. What Hi-Fi was to the older generation has now been replaced by gaming for the young generation. Being interested in things like hi fi or automobiles etc for a young 20 year old is like equating himself to his dad and following his Dad's hobbies which is just not cool for a young person. Also if we look at the popular audiophiles on YouTube channels like Michael Fremer etc., they come across as complete boomers. There's no way a young supposedly cool person wants to be associated with a hobby like that

 

[Analogous]

Leads me to think it requires a certain number of years and maturity to start becoming an audiophile!

At any given time there are several generations coexisting. It’s not a binary situation.

My sense is that it takes at least 4 decades of life experience to start the true audiophile journey even if the person has been listening to music from the womb .

No evidence for this but …

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

More resources, more leisure, less partying, tiring limbs, more patience.

 

[keith_correa]

And diminishing hearing...

 

[Analogous]

And diminishing hearing...

This is a essential prerequisite for an audiophile

 

[square_wave]

There's no easy answer but if I were to speak from anecdotal experience, it's a generational thing. The new generation would not be interested in the hobbies of the previous generation. What Hi-Fi was to the older generation has now been replaced by gaming for the young generation. Being interested in things like hi fi or automobiles etc for a young 20 year old is like equating himself to his dad and following his Dad's hobbies which is just not cool for a young person. Also if we look at the popular audiophiles on YouTube channels like Michael Fremer etc., they come across as complete boomers. There's no way a young supposedly cool person wants to be associated with a hobby like that

Adding to it, Youngsters have been listening to their music on the go via headphones all this while. Listening to music while they are tied to a chair does not make any sense. Also, the newer music does not sound any better on an audiophile system. They sit somewhere to watch TV because you cannot carry a large tv wherever you go.

I have seen a small percentage of youngsters who like to own a high quality music system but they don't fit into the mainstream demographic. Their taste in music is also quite wide. That is the future audiophile. But they wont probably pursue the hobby how we do.

 

[COOLDUDE7808]

We belong to a generation wherein we have seen our parents using Vinyl , Tape recorder and then we went on to use Tape , CD and now Digital .
So somewhere we know the difference in terms of SQ in each of these formats . There s a reason why we go for a particular format and spend time and money is buying and setting up a system .

For the new generation its just Digital . For them it all sounds the same . Song is playing and that's enough . So to expect them to be an audiophile like us is not going to happen . Infact even in Streaming services , I doubt its audiophiles like us who go for FLAC , WAV and HD Music . For them even a 320 kbps is enough .

Also during our time too many options for entertainment were not available . It was music , Doordarshan and Local Library where I got all the novels and comics . Now they have too many options to explore . This Hobby is like Doordarshan for them .

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

We belong to a generation wherein we have seen our parents using Vinyl , Tape recorder and then we went on to use Tape , CD and now Digital .
So somewhere we know the difference in terms of SQ in each of these formats . There s a reason why we go for a particular format and spend time and money is buying and setting up a system .

For the new generation its just Digital . For them it all sounds the same . Song is playing and that's enough . So to expect them to be an audiophile like us is not going to happen . Infact even in Streaming services , I doubt its audiophiles like us who go for FLAC , WAV and HD Music . For them even a 320 kbps is enough .

Also during our time too many options for entertainment were not available . It was music , Doordarshan and Local Library where I got all the novels and comics . Now they have too many options to explore . This Hobby is like Doordarshan for them .

Wait till they get to forty. They’d just be the same as us. It’s like home food… you had to eat it when you were a child. Then you dote on restaurant food in your young adulthood. Cross forty, and you are back to home food.

 

[keith_correa]

For the NewGen, it's about the music and not insignificant rubbish like silly priced cables with the virtues of copper over silver and sound quality and lossless vs lossy and pinpoint imaging and wide sound staging and speakers/amplifiers that we sanctimoniously ordain as decent when they make our feet twitch nervously as if we had a condition.
And they don't even have to move their headphones and bluetooth thingamajigs millimeter by millimeter to enjoy their music.

I actually envy them!

Edit: Important to mention that they also don't unhealthily salivate, drool and slobber while browsing through their vinyl or CD collection or what have we.

 

[Analogous]

For the NewGen, it's about the music and not insignificant rubbish like silly priced cables with the virtues of copper over silver and sound quality and lossless vs lossy and pinpoint imaging and wide sound staging and speakers/amplifiers that we sanctimoniously ordain as decent when they make our feet twitch nervously as if we had a condition.
And they don't even have to move their headphones and bluetooth thingamajigs millimeter by millimeter to enjoy their music.

I actually envy them!

Edit: Important to mention that they also don't unhealthily salivate, drool and slobber while browsing through their vinyl or CD collection or what have we.

In case you forgot, we were them once

 

[prem]

I am not sure it’s got to do with age. I have been buying stuff for the last 4 decades. I must have had over 20 systems. I have enjoyed all of them. Including the Bose 301

I don’t change because of state of unhappiness or by looking at what the other guy has. I change primarily to experiment with different topologies. Whether it’s a PSB NAD combo or a JBL Thoress combo or a Rethm Viren combo or an Axiom 80 Thoress combo, I have enjoyed them all.

I am already clear what my next speakers will be.

I have never owned active. So it’s going to be Geithain 901k. Maybe 2 years down the line.

And honestly if I couldn’t have afforded it, I might have called it quits with maybe a Bose 301 or a PSB NAD combo. The one principle I have always followed is to never buy anything beyond my means.

 

[jaiwant_alex]

It's mostly about disposable income and maybe disposable time (if there's such a thing). Young people are low on both.

I was listening to cassettes on 'two in one' players in school and through college. Completely missed the age of CDs because they were too expensive. Sound quality was not top of mind, discovery of music and getting to enjoy it and know it, know about it, was important.

Bandwidth was also limited due to competing interests - mainly social life

What secondhand tapes, 'two in one's, mp3s and computer speakers were for us , are what cheap Bluetooth headphones and Android phones are for today's youngsters - a means to discover music, which they will hopefully enjoy with better sources and equipment later in life

 

[Analogous]

It's mostly about disposable income and maybe disposable time (if there's such a thing). Young people are low on both.

I was listening to cassettes on 'two in one' players in school and through college. Completely missed the age of CDs because they were too expensive. Sound quality was not top of mind, discovery of music and getting to enjoy it and know it, know about it, was important.

Bandwidth was also limited due to competing interests - mainly social life

What secondhand tapes, 'two in one's, mp3s and computer speakers were for us , are what cheap Bluetooth headphones and Android phones are for today's youngsters - a means to discover music, which they will hopefully enjoy with better sources and equipment later in life

I relate to this situation completely.
But thanks to mobile phones and Chi Fi decent audio is becoming more accessible.
Another important part of our lives as young music lovers is that we had access to few choices in audio equipment as imports were restricted heavily and “foreign “ was like a holy mantra stated in a hushed or very formal tone.
When I got a Sony cassette Walkman my hostel room became a sort of pilgrimage destination for fellow hostel dwellers and I had my 5 minutes of fame.

 

[dafreaking]

There are multiple other "hobbies" available. A lot of "audiophiles" are gear heads and there is a plethora of gear now available, so while some might be happy with 90% of the performance/quality at 20% the price.

 

[firearm12]

I as a music lover became a gear acquiring audiophile as age progressed and money became available more. There was a time when i thought expensive is better. But with age and experience I also understood the limitations with this hobby and all snake oil around it. Now I can clearly understand what is important and what's not along with matching expectations. So I tend to keep distance from collecting any more gear and am happy with my chifi gear. The day I feel restless, i tinker with some cables, make them new and other stuff to keep me busy and guessing the changes, that's all I want in this world to keep me away from regular worldly challenges. Chifi has definetely allowed me to reach a satisfaction level which wouldn't have been possible otherwise. It also gives a sense of heavier the better and worth the money spent to own extra kgs. Only downside is not so good looks.

 

[jenson]

Right from the time I can remember, I’ve always been enchanted by a good audio system. I feel this passion stems from the person themselves and naturally takes the shape of a hobby.

We all know people with far more resources than we do, yet they’re perfectly content with a basic soundbar. What gives?

For me, collecting perfumes is another passion, so diving deeper into a hobby feels completely normal to me, but not others... Resources certainly help, but even without them, there are countless ways to pursue and enjoy what you love. Passion finds a way

however, there is perhaps an element of "being unique" and being part of a brethren, which perhaps does fuel this hobby further, and keeps it in a trajectory.

 

[Analogous]

Yq

Right from the time I can remember, I’ve always been enchanted by a good audio system. I feel this passion stems from the person themselves and naturally takes the shape of a hobby.

We all know people with far more resources than we do, yet they’re perfectly content with a basic soundbar. What gives?

For me, collecting perfumes is another passion, so diving deeper into a hobby feels completely normal to me, but not others... Resources certainly help, but even without them, there are countless ways to pursue and enjoy what you love. Passion finds a way

however, there is perhaps an element of "being unique" and being part of a brethren, which perhaps does fuel this hobby further, and keeps it in a trajectory.

very nicely expressed sir.