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I'm frustrated with people who don't ...

Sorry for a long post...
Recently I was at a 3-day meeting out of town for work. For an evening activity we had a cook out at a colleague's house. While there, we gathered around his deck and a small fire in the back yard. I found myself in a group of 6 guys discussing hobbies. I mentioned my love for audio and began to describe my system and music library. Almost instantly, I was "pounced" for believing that any "hi end" component is worth the money compared to anything else one can buy from Best Buy. "Digital is digital" one guy stated, "an $89 player is as good as anything else out there". I attempted to defend my position but in no way was I able to convince anyone. I told them the next time they're in town, I'd have them over to my place and let them hear the difference, but I know most will not acknowledge the quality of sound. Footnote: I've known these guys for 3-5 years and they are professional level headed guys, I wasn't bragging, I made no grand statements that my system is better than anything else, I just talked about my interest and brought it up when they asked me. The icing on the cake was their disbelief that my system can only play one CD at a time... "you don't have a carousel on your CDP?" Man, I was frustrated.
mijknarf
quadophile's avatar
quadophile
417 posts
 
Garyk,

My system is far from being termed as high-end but it is also not something you buy at the Best Buy. I have had similar experience when folks come over who have never heard anything better than a typical $500 rack system.

They usually start of by saying "Why dont you have the wires concealed rather than it lying all over the place?" than maybe "Why do you have those cones under your CD Player, I can see the feet?"

Some however, have actually gone ahead and bought a good system with my advise, those were the ones who had never heard anything beyond boombox, but, they realised what they were missing.

Only if we can be a bit patient with such people we might as well convert some to this hobby and no longer be called ENDANGERED SPIECES :)
surfgod
229 posts
 
Sound is registered by the sence of hearing. Food is regristered by the sence of tasting. Since all CD players, speakers, amplifiers, power cords sound alike, all food must taste alike. After saying this, take him to a MacDonalds restaurant and tell him that a Big Mac is the same as Beef Wellington.
sean
6,229 posts
 
Food tickles many of our senses simultaneously. It can be seen by the eye with judgment passed either way. It can be smelled by the nose and judgment passed either way. It can be tasted with the mouth and judgment passed either way. The texture can be felt with one's hands or in one's mouth and judgment passed either way. In no way can hi-fi be "consumed" in such a sensually rich manner. The one thing that food and hi-fi have in common is that they are both very personal preferences and no too people may share the same exact preferences. Sean
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ellery911
549 posts
 
hmmmmm...interesting post Sean...at first I agreed completely...but then after thinking...this is my take.

Some high end gear...well...to me...lots of it is very beautiful to look at. I'm sure that any person that walked into someones house and saw a full blown JRDG setup would be impressed and inquisitive before even hearing it.

With regards to touch...the first time I turned the volume knob on a piece of high end gear, there was a tactile sensation that had been unmatched by the previous mass market gear that I had been accustomed to.

With regards to smell...I hear ya

With regards to taste...I guess we'll just have to hunt down one of those people with that rare disorder that causes them to eat just about anything...grind up a few different components...feed them to them...and then get their feedback afterwards. This would of course have to be a blind test as you wouldn't want them to assume that the prettier gear will taste better than the uglier gear. (just kidding...children, please do not try this at home)

ok...so I'm in a wierd mood today.
q_man
24 posts
 
A lot of good comments here.

I'm not sure if I would conceder myself an audiophile or not, but I know what I like and what moves me. It has taken me 3 decades to really satisfy my ears, and I'm still not done.

I learned many years ago not to bring up and discuss this hobby with anyone. If I'm now asked anything about my system or equipment, and that is very very rare, I down play it and keep my comments short and simple.

I also found that most people can go listen to a $100,000.00
system and then go to Best Buy and listen to one and then not be able to tell you if one sounded better then the other one or not. If they do remember that one sounded better or more pleasing to them they can't tell you why.

I have one room in my house set up to A/B different networks, drivers, horns, speakers, and sometimes amps. I compare a lot of drivers and horns. I found that most people can tell the difference in equipment only if they can A/B them. Sometimes all it takes is a quick flip of the A/B switch. Other times I have to replay the sound or sounds over and over again for some people to pick out the difference and discribe it to me.

My kids grew up helping me listen to and compare different equipment this way. It is refreshing for me to listen to the adjectives that a non audio person will use to discribe the sound. I may say muffled, they would ask if I stuffed a sock in the throat of the horn. Sorry, I'm getting off of the subject so I'll end now.
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