I need YOUR help -- this should be fun for you

[Biggiesized]

Okay, guys, I need your help with my homework.

Now wait just a second before you click back into The Steam Vent sub-forum!

Hear me out:

For my English Literature class (Introduction to Shakespeare) I have to examine conventions in arts or social behavior because Shakespeare used lots of conventions in his writing (plot devices, sonnet structure, etc.).

Think about the conventions of elevator behavior. How do people act before and after they enter an elevator and finally when they enter and ride in one? Think about all the weird things we do: stand as far apart from one another as space would permit; pretend we're too busy to notice one another by staring at our feet; a sudden silence befalling everyone's tongues. We never really give thought to this, but it seems pretty bizarre when we step back and examine it.

For my paper, I wanted to examine the conventions of... wait for it... AUDIOPHILES!

I figured you guys might want to rant a bit about the conventions of audiophiles: their purchasing behavior (cables, anyone?), how they listen to and critique music, etc.

If you know anything about audiophiles (I'm focusing on the bad breed, not Audioholics ), please share your thoughts with me in this thread.

I need to list and analyze their conventions for a paper. My teacher wants this to be a light and humorous piece, rather than plodding and earnest. What better a subject to make fun of?

And for anyone unclear as to what conventions are in this context, they're not places of formal assembly! I'm talking about practices, customs, traditions, etc.

Thanks, guys!

P.S. Gene, feel free to "pursue the truth in audio" in this thread

 

[jamie2112]

Lets see, I guess that the term audiophile is a very loose term for most.I get a kick out of people whom buy $2000 cables and biamp their speakers.For most it just sounds better which is a load of crap because almost 100% of "audiophiles" don't bypass the internal crossover.The speaker cable lifters that make your speakers cable sound better cause its not touching the floor are freaking too much man.There are a ton of idiots out there who believe bose is the end all in audio(we all know better).There are people who believe in only full range speakers some like transmission line speakers others like a 3 way vented design,its really all in the ear of the beholder but their are some snake oil companies out there such as the monster noal lee and Dakiom with their little box you connect to your speakers........Audiophile could mean (there's a sucker born every minute and we will exploit them) or it could mean something totally different.I guess its in the eye of the beholder so they say...

 

[njedpx3]

An audiophile

Audiophiles-


Cheap subs sound awful-- either get a good one or do without, expensive cables (copper is copper), ranting about speakers or equipment they haven ever heard- group think --example Bose bashers. Relistening to 45s digitally remastered All the expert discussion about ohms and watts by non- electrical engineers or even engineers or even not understanding that power is logrithmic. All the fan-boy answers; a person should audition and pick what they like. Geting an AVR with all the features and not using or understanding any or at least very few. Not understanding the difference between pure music ( pure stereo) and Movies /TV. Bashing power filters and surge protectors. Plasma opinions without Plasma knowledge. Not understanding timbre. Not aknowledging that surrounds are for enchancement only! The Blu Ray conspiracy -- and why is it so slow. Audiophiles who try to discuss other subjects for which they have no knowledge -- example politics and religion. Trying to talk above a person's level of understanding -- a variation of Peter Drucker's Peter Principle " A person rise to the level of incompetence in management" --- parallel analogy with Audiophiles, DIY people are the coolest; wish I could do that and still obtain audio perfection.

YMMV ( Your milage May Vary) - In other words just my opinions and you may disagree, even strongly disagee. I respect your rights and opinions. Peace -- I do not mean to offend.

Forrest Man

P.S. - Great day hiked in the woods fro a couple of hours, ate a serene lunch on a log facing the lake from the National Forest while the finished pouring the slab on my new cabin.

 

[Alex2507]

When I'm showing off my system to somebody it kind of irritates me that I can never get them to sit in just the exact spot that my SPL meter was in when I calibrated and EQ'ed the system. It makes a pretty big difference with the lower frequencies because of the proximity to the back wall. I want to go over and pick them up like a 2 year old and put them in the right spot and push their heads back until their ears are 20" from the wall.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Thats funny, I wanted to do that to you at my house. You set off to the left each time you went to the couch. I was like, what's that all about??????????

When I'm showing off my system to somebody it kind of irritates me that I can never get them to sit in just the exact spot that my SPL meter was in when I calibrated and EQ'ed the system. It makes a pretty big difference with the lower frequencies because of the proximity to the back wall. I want to go over and pick them up like a 2 year old and put them in the right spot and push their heads back until their ears are 20" from the wall.

 

[Xargos]

Hmmm....

There are plenty who swear that either tube or solid state equipment is the only way to go without examining the options on the opposite side.

There is also use of ridiculous accessories like wooden knobs, the previously mentioned cable lifters, and other "magical" objects that supposedly change sound quality in major ways. I'm talking about objects that are not connected to anything electrically or designed to actually make acoustical changes.

Or, how about the idea that two bit for bit identical copies of music in a digital format (CDs, lossless files, etc...) sound different when played back using the same properly functioning equipment?

 

[Alex2507]

Thats funny, I wanted to do that to you at my house. You set off to the left each time you went to the couch. I was like, what's that all about??????????

I didn't want to be sitting in your lap ... at first.
Then I just wanted to be comfortable so I was kind of jockeying for position with those pillows.
In any event I never got a sense that the sound was coming right from the speakers if you know what I mean. The sweet spot seems to be quite wide in that room with the Studio 100's.

 

[CraigV]

Well, in the interest of helping a fellow forum member…

I do consider myself an audiophile, which has placed me into “black sheep” status on these boards. I do believe different equipment sounds different (it wouldn’t exist if everyone thought all equipment sounded the same) and even cables can make a difference in overall quality. I think we can all agree that I’m not alone in this manner of thought, and it can be tough trying to extol the virtues of say a good Audioquest interconnect over a plain Jean cable, mono E mono < (pun intended) I know my Emotiva amp sounds different than the B&K it replaced, and now I’m looking for a Anthem Statement amp to supplant the XPA-5 – say what you will, I believe it to be a superior amp.

I do however know when to draw the line. My speaker cables sit on the floor, and even though they’re considered “cream of the crop”, Krell* & Levinson are way overpriced, as are many items in the realm of A/V equipment, especially speakers (don’t even get me started on Better Off w/Something Else) My biggest issue is trying to be an audiophile on a budget. No, I would not spend $4500 on a tone arm, or $6000 on a pair of speakers, but everything comes at a price, and often times, the items I want are out of reach.

I’m sure many of you would like to take some pot shots at me right now, but let’s remember the theme of & reason for this thread.

On a completely side note, the spell check on MS Word 2007 flagged Krell, but not Levinson

 

[njedpx3]

My Pet Peeve ... Alex just reminded me of

When I'm showing off my system to somebody it kind of irritates me that I can never get them to sit in just the exact spot that my SPL meter was in when I calibrated and EQ'ed the system. It makes a pretty big difference with the lower frequencies because of the proximity to the back wall. I want to go over and pick them up like a 2 year old and put them in the right spot and push their heads back until their ears are 20" from the wall.

Even worse, when they "start" to adjust YOUR equipment --- Not Good

LOL I can just envision Alex picking people up --- because he is big and strong and capable of.

Good Morning Everyone

 

[droht]

CraigV, no offense intended here, but your post frames this pretty well. You say that you know where to draw the line. That is the convention that is most laughable. Almost all of us think we know where that line is, and a lot of us mock and ridicule those who draw the line somewhere else.

It is certainly a function of what we hear vs what we can afford to buy as well. No one wants to feel like a rich fool just throwing money around, whether you are like me trying to "defend" a $500 pair of speakers to someone who insists that the ancient under the cabinet CD player sounds exactly the same, or if you are the guy with the $4500 tone arm who is not yet satisfied.

I don't know how we can all be so sure that we are correct. I guess audiophilia is not so different from religion and politics in that regard. Interesting.

 

[Biggiesized]

That is a great point, droht! I always kind of saw it as a black and white issue (either you are all those bad things or you aren't). But I guess now it comes down to the individual and how far they are willing to take it.