What makes / defines an audiophile ?

My understanding is that "audiophilia" is more about the aquisition of better equipment, which is what most people talk about in these message boards and why 95% of the stuff up for sale/auction is hardware. It is an obsessive-compulsive disorder that can only be cured by: (a) having to sell off parts of your system (including a kidney) because you can't afford to buy food anymore, (b) losing your spouse due to circustances as described in (a), or (c) taking a really cold shower and finally coming to your senses and realize that no hi-fi will ever equal the "real thing" and it's just plain ludicrous to spend another $10k on the next "upgrade" that will squeeze an additional 1-2%out of your system. The difference between a hardcore "audiophile" and a hardcore "music lover" is the audiophile will blow a $10k bonus on a pair of speakers or preamp. The music lover will pick up several hundred CD's or LP's. Both should probably seek help. :)

Dictionary Definitions: audiophile: "A high fidelity audio hobbyist". Audio: "Pertaining to audible sound", -phile: "Indicates one having love or strong affinity or preference for". In sum: one having strong affinity for audible sound. My definition (what an audiophile should be): a lover of realistically reproduced music.

Hifinut604, I have to improve on your (b) : (b) losing your speakers, amps, front end, cables, LP's, CD's to your spouse due to circumstances as described in (a), forcing to start all over again. (It is the loss of equipment that hurts not the spouse).

Arcmania, Ljgj, Hifinut; You guys are great-- I now know where I belong-- and why:-). One addition: a true audiophile also has a closet full of various spare ICs, PCs, cables etc., and a full set of "back-up components", each of which costs more than the average Bears rack system. Cheers. Craig

***Warning, a lot of rambling to follow*** Suggesting that it takes an audiophile to really love reproduced music is akin to saying that you need a gourmet to really love food. I've seen plenty of people who obviously enjoy (VERY obviously) food, but who couldn't tell their thyme. Similarly, I've known many people who spend just about every working hour listening and appreciating great music with just the aid of the department store. My best friend, in fact, listened only through a clock radio for months after his old stereo (one of those old , but has one of the most encylopedic knowledge of jazz of anyone I've met and has stated on occasion that live music is his reason for living. Now eventually I convinced him to let me find him a stereo, but even then he gave me a budget of $600 (Fisher 100B, Thorens 145, Polk Rt-5, and a Panasonic discman that I loaned him). He likes the stereo and admits that it sounds much better, but I honestly can't say that he's enjoying the music any more. Now I really like music, but I think that this audiophile thing is something a little different. To me, audiophiles are more akin to those guys who spend all their time under the hood of their cars. It's a hobby of continuous improvement, trying to eke out a little more performance. Not that you need that extra .05 seconds getting to 60 or an extra tiny fraction of a decibel less of a noise floor. It's fun to see how much more accurate or even 'better' we can get our equipment to sound, but I don't think that it necessarily leads to more 'enjoyment' of the music. Well, that's not entirely true either. I have found that when listening to very familiar recordings I can hear new and excitimg nuances to songs that I thought I knew like the back of my hand. And it is more exhilerating to hear tight quick kick drums than it is hearying blurry images. On the other hand, I'd be VERY hard pressed to argue that I have more fun listening to music under the perfect conditions than I do listening to it at some chatty party with a bunch of friends singing along. Oh well, who knows?