Very well put, Dinyaar.
On the subject in question, I think it is very hard for people to be 'audiophiles' in the truest sense (whatever that may mean) in India.
You want to critically listen to music? No ceiling fans mate! That is anathema. What do you need? An air conditioner. No, a window air conditioner will not do. It puts out a lot of noise. So, yes, a Split Air Conditioner is called for. Now when you are done spending for that in addition to your Hi fi gear, you might have to worry about whether your room is constructed keeping in mind the bass nodes and all that? But of course it is not.
My point is - anybody can be an audiophile as long it is clear that listening to reproduced music is all about compromises. As long as one has an active imagination, one can match what we are hearing with live concerts or whatever it is we want to compare it to. The moment this imagination goes, we are stuck in a rut. And our mind figures it is time for an upgrade.
Just my 2 rupees.
yes thevortex! - that is so true!
in the room where i listen to speakers, i put the ceiling fans off (there are three of them) and listen. At night, i start sweating (coastal climate) and mosquitoes start their blood sucking, but i listen.
and i have found that the best time of the day is at about 12 in the afternoon - the traffic is less, the dogs are sleeping, no mosquitoes and the cross ventilation is enough to keep the air circulating - so, i rush home at about 11.45 and listen for about a half-hour, and go back to work.