Definitions for Audiophiles

[wkhanna]

OK, I thought it might be a fun exercise to come up with our own set of definitions related to our beloved hobby.

As a reference, here is a link to the one at Stereophile.

But I thought ours might take a less serious, more lighthearted tack........

As an example, I will offer the following proposal:



Infidelity: When you tell your significant other you only paid one third the actual cost for the ridiculously expensive new piece of equipment you just bought & it still has not cured that V slight high frequency etch you occasionally detect on the that original six eye, Hi-Res rip of ‘Time Out’.

[JeremyG]

Hahahahahahahahahaha!!!!

[madmac]

My definition is this:

Audiophile : someone who is obsessed with re-creating an as close as possible rendition of the original studio recording and/or live performance as possible via their audio systems, knowing fully well that this is not completely and totally possible. Also knowing fully that once a live instrument or vocal that goes into a microphone or mixing board is forever changed. However, we strive to re-create that 'real' effect to as close an approximation as possible. We fidget....adjust.....move furniture....try new gear.....adjust existing gear....re-position our speakers and will do anything.....fair or unfair.....convenient or inconvenient to achieve that goal!!. Women are of course, baffled and oblivious to this concept mostly. However, when everything is kicking and chirping nicely to our satisfaction, they cannot deny that......"Hell....this sounds really good"!!. Women dig good audio but are not willing to go through what is necessary to achieve it!!. That's the job of us dudes.....kinda' like mowing the lawn and stuff!!.

[PewterTA]

Upgradeitis: The constant struggle within one's self to find satisfaction with current state of their system, relating to the need to improve and change the current state. Upgradeitis is highly contagious and often can be transmitted from being in near proximity of others that have recently upgraded their equipment. Prolonged exposure to said new equipment will inevitably lead to a severe case of Upgradeitis. A person will know when they have contracted this infliction by having dark feelings that their equipment is not performing correctly, sound has been degraded ("Sounds like pots and pans rattling"), contemplating the age of the equipment, mysteriously finding one's way onto manufacturer's websites, and even purchasing various magazines about new equipment (ie Stereophile). The only known cure is to, in fact, perform some type of upgrade to ones current system. Small changes have been known to curb the symptoms enough to stop the resulting Infidelity from also occuring. See Infidelity - Post #1 If small changes do not get rid of current symptoms, then the resulting fact will occur: Expensive and new toys will appear in said system. A Holistic approach has been said to work on a minor subset of people, it involves not listening to one's system for one to two weeks. This will re-calibrate and balance one's inner voice to possible cure Upgradeitis.

[Johnloudb]

Aggravation - When you buy an when audiophile brand bluetooth speaker with great reviews and find it's 'bright' tonal balance unpleasant with no tone controls to fix the situation. To top it off, a family member throws out the shipping box and some of the packaging so you can't return it. Of course, now your only option is now to break it in, and if that doesn't work put felt cloth over the tweeter?

[madmac]

To simplify.......audiophiles like good sound? :-)

[Johnloudb]

To simplify.......audiophiles like good sound? :-)

I don't know ... what is good sound? I'm pretty sensitive to bright sounding gear. And the mids sound recessed on these. Some audiophiles like the hyper detailed sound of a very flat frequency response. I like a little extra bass and low-midrange boost. I also haven't heard a metal dome tweeter I liked, and this little sucker has 'em. Anyway I'm going to try and send these back minus some of the packing material.

[madmac]

I don't know ... what is good sound? I'm pretty sensitive to bright sounding gear. And the mids sound recessed on these. Some audiophiles like the hyper detailed sound of a very flat frequency response. I like a little extra bass and low-midrange boost. I also haven't heard a metal dome tweeter I liked, and this little sucker has 'em. Anyway I'm going to try and send these back minus some of the packing material.

Good Sound : when something recorded sounds real (Live) to your ears. Merci !

[Johnloudb]

Good Sound: when something recorded sounds real (Live) to your ears. Merci !

Yeah, that would be my definition, but to some that might mean solid state and conventional speakers, and to others it might mean tubes and horn speakers. So, just saying it can be hard to get two audiophiles to agree on what sounds more 'real' to their ears.

[wkhanna]

Good Sound: When The Wife says; "Thank you for all the lovely presents! For being such a loving & attentive husband, why don't you go ahead & get that audio Thingy-mah-Jig you where talking about the other day".

[madmac]

Yeah, that would be my definition, but to some that might mean solid state and conventional speakers, and to others it might mean tubes and horn speakers. So, just saying it can be hard to get two audiophiles to agree on what sounds more 'real' to their ears.

Yes of course......It's all relative to the listener. However, I like to think that there are some relative truths to what 'accurate' sound reproduction is.....especially here on the forum.

[wkhanna]

I like to think that there are some relative truths to what 'accurate' sound reproduction is.....

From Wiktionary:

accuracy

1. The state of being accurate; freedom from mistakes, this exemption arising from carefulness; exactness; nicety; correctness

2. Exact conformity to truth, or to a rule or model; degree of conformity of a measure to a true or standard value.


It seems to me that 'true' accuracy is exclusive to a live sound.
Any reproduction must by definition be inaccurate.

But if we can get close, as in V, V close......what are the characteristics that make it somewhat believable even though it is only a representation of the original event?

It is a state of mind. Not a tangible or mathematically definable truth.

I know I am not sitting in the twentieth row center at Heinz Hall, but the sound I hear from my system sometimes makes me recognize features of that sound that I am used to hearing (having been there often).
And yet, the V same recording played one day may seem better or worse on another.
It is only my mind that allows me to feel as though I am there.

[Hdale85]

There are different live sounds though, live concert sound, or the sound of an artist playing raw and live with an acoustic instrument and so on. I prefer the later.

[wkhanna]

Any 'live' sound must be reactive to its surroundings, whether they be a concert hall, a stadium, a small club, an open field, a cave........
Whether produced by an acoustic instrument, a human voice or a stack of Marshal amplifiers is of no matter.

[Hdale85]

I guess that is true.

[HedgeHog]

WAF: The fallacy that any gear/accessories/tweaks can be dressed up/placed/disguised as interior decoration and actually be "accepted" by the better half.

[wkhanna]

WAF: The fallacy that any gear/accessories/tweaks can be dressed up/placed/disguised as interior decoration and actually be "accepted" by the better half.

Now there is a 'truism' if I ever heard one!

Let it be known, however, that there are actually those among us who have partners with significant, if uncommon, tolerance levels.

[madmac]

From Wiktionary:

accuracy

1. The state of being accurate; freedom from mistakes, this exemption arising from carefulness; exactness; nicety; correctness

2. Exact conformity to truth, or to a rule or model; degree of conformity of a measure to a true or standard value.


It seems to me that 'true' accuracy is exclusive to a live sound.
Any reproduction must by definition be inaccurate.

But if we can get close, as in V, V close......what are the characteristics that make it somewhat believable even though it is only a representation of the original event?

It is a state of mind. Not a tangible or mathematically definable truth.

I know I am not sitting in the twentieth row center at Heinz Hall, but the sound I hear from my system sometimes makes me recognize features of that sound that I am used to hearing (having been there often).
And yet, the V same recording played one day may seem better or worse on another.
It is only my mind that allows me to feel as though I am there.

Really well said Bill !! Excellent!

[madmac]

WAF: The fallacy that any gear/accessories/tweaks can be dressed up/placed/disguised as interior decoration and actually be "accepted" by the better half.

Hehehe....You have to negotiate that with the wife before the fact. With mine,,,,,ok, we can buy this house but the living room is mine!!. I'm settin' up my stuff!!. Works!!.

[HedgeHog]

You guys are fortunate to have an agreeable spouse/partner/boss.


Revealing: The catharsis one experiences after putting on their best LP/DSD/SACD/BD/etc. that their bank account balance is insufficient in fulfilling the audio goal.


Imaging: Audio reproduction that is so real, the listener feels as if he/she is at the recording venue with musicians placed where the music is recorded....until he/she moves their head +/- 0.5" in X/Y/Z direction.


*I think these are from my personal b!tch!ng sessions

[wkhanna]

:roflmao:

Excellent, HedgeHog.

These are exactly what I was looking for!!!

[stevek]

Now there is a 'truism' if I ever heard one!

Let it be known, however, that there are actually those among us who have partners with significant, if uncommon, tolerance levels.

not mine lol

[PewterTA]

Endgame: Spending obscene amounts of money to finally reach the point where you no longer have a desire to perform any more upgrades to your system. Typically occurs when you hear a system that is 10x the price of your current system. Edit Also associated with an empty wallet.

[Hdale85]

Or maybe Endgame: When your wallet is empty?