What Is An Audiophile?

[MrBoat]

Sorry, you're an audiophile already...but being a Florida man could go a coupla ways.

Chances of me being a Florida man are pretty slim. Something like 13% are Floridian, the rest are from up north and the mid-west. Florida died off around 1976. It's all some Yankee dream now, with west coast ideas that don't work here either.

 

[Will Brink]

With out a doubt Wilson speakers are a statuses symbol. Sales of the high-end and ultra high-end can be numbered, per year. Most dealers in the US and UK don't even carry the top of the range models. Low end and entry level are the the choice in OZ, With only one dealer in the country. Magico and YG are more or less the same. The big sales and money available is in the Middle East and Indonesia, Where status is a prime example of wealth, Porsche and Bugatti and common. The latest Bugatti Chiron nudges close to four million dollars . The same people also own super yachts which never leave the harbour.

And not surprisingly the system I listened to, with the 350k per pair Wilson's is just outside Palm Beach FL, where the ultra wealthy live.

 

[cpp]

Chances of me being a Florida man are pretty slim. Something like 13% are Floridian, the rest are from up north and the mid-west. Florida died off around 1976. It's all some Yankee dream now, with west coast ideas that don't work here either.

I've been in Fla since 1958 when there was only 4.6 million people in the whole state, I've seen it all and I've seen the people from up north that moved here pretty much turn Fl into a NY, NY, PA and CA movers are coming here. In the first eight months of this 2022, 20,319 former Californians made the swap for a Florida license to the Orlando and Miami Dade area.. The only real parts of Fl left is north of Ocala, and moving up dead center of the state to the GA line. And that's east of Tallahassee and west of 295 west.

 

[MrBoat]

I've been in Fla since 1958 when there was only 4.6 million people in the whole state, I've seen it all and I've seen the people from up north that moved here pretty much turn Fl into a NY, NY, PA and CA movers are coming here. In the first eight months of this 2022, 20,319 former Californians made the swap for a Florida license to the Orlando and Miami Dade area.. The only real parts of Fl left is north of Ocala, and moving up dead center of the state to the GA line. And that's east of Tallahassee and west of 295 west.

Glad I got to experience the real Florida where I grew up right up the road a couple miles from Boca Grande. When I left my hometown, there was not one condo on the beaches. Now there is barely a strand left.

So now when FL. gets stereotyped as it does, It perplexes me that the people who do it are basically looking into their own mirror, or that they don't see where the ignorance really stems from. I mean, what kind of idiot would sweep the cesspool they helped to create whence they came under the proverbial rug, only to create the exact same mess here. Next thing you know, city sammy is now the HOA's all knowing alligator whisperer and expert on everything Florida. That is, until said gators drag fluffy into the drink for a little snack. lol

 

[cpp]

Glad I got to experience the real Florida where I grew up right up the road a couple miles from Boca Grande. When I left my hometown, there was not one condo on the beaches. Now there is barely a strand left.

So now when FL. gets stereotyped as it does, It perplexes me that the people who do it are basically looking into their own mirror, or that they don't see where the ignorance really stems from. I mean, what kind of idiot would sweep the cesspool they helped to create whence they came under the proverbial rug, only to create the exact same mess here. Next thing you know, city sammy is now the HOA's all knowing alligator whisperer and expert on everything Florida. That is, until said gators drag fluffy into the drink for a little snack. lol

Where I live the people, who none ( well a few are) are actually from Fla, are complaining about the same crap they had in lets say NY, PA and Ohio. Like hey, you contributed to this mess with your local changes and bickering at city and county commission meetings and now you don't like it. Freaking comical.

 

[MrBoat]

Where I live the people, who none ( well a few are) are actually from Fla, are complaining about the same crap they had in lets say NY, PA and Ohio. Like hey, you contributed to this mess with your local changes and bickering at city and county commission meetings and now you don't like it. Freaking comical.

Ahh well, it's a done deal. Now the rest of us who knew not to live on the (duh) beaches in what amounts to hurricane alley, get to help pay for their mess when their paradise gets wasted in a storm. Kind of hard to take them seriously when the first thing that occurs to me is. . . yeah but, you built your house on the beach like a dummy. I mean, they can't even go out at dusk for the noseeums trying to carry them off so basically, they experience Florida thru the glass. Well fk. They could have put up a big screen and streamed in any paradise in the world where they came from if all they wanted to do was stare at it, and for a whole lot less $.

 

[highfigh]

Many audiopiles believe that if something isn't expensive, it can't be good. They also believe outlandish claims about the ability of many things that are generally impossible- not improbable, literally impossible. They want to think they understand many concepts, but if you see their setups, you'll quickly see they don't.

When someone believes that their new power cords for their amplifiers decrease the warn-up time from a couple of hours to roughly twenty minutes, you can bet they lack any ability to understand this.

This is a real example of something I was told by the owner of a particular system.

 

[cpp]

Ahh well, it's a done deal. Now the rest of us who knew not to live on the (duh) beaches in what amounts to hurricane alley, get to help pay for their mess when their paradise gets wasted in a storm. Kind of hard to take them seriously when the first thing that occurs to me is. . . yeah but, you built your house on the beach like a dummy. I mean, they can't even go out at dusk for the noseeums trying to carry them off so basically, they experience Florida thru the glass. Well fk. They could have put up a big screen and streamed in any paradise in the world where they came from if all they wanted to do was stare at it, and for a whole lot less $.

Nowadays, a hurricane can impact anyone in this state or any other state that boarders a coast. Ian was a perfect example of that and Michael with its damage in GA. And lets not forget the damage tornado's generate in Midwest and southern states or the recent floodings in CA and BC around Hope. Weather is weather regardless of the state and people that are not impacted always seem to be negative at those that are impacted, until you get impacted then its all about you. Odd how that changes a persons view.

 

[highfigh]

I have heard a number of Wilson speakers before, and not one of them has sounded like anything I would want to own.

Just remember that somewhere, is a room that makes those look and sound good. While it may be completely devoid of light, they will compliment the errors in the sound and THAT'S where the magic lies.

Hey- that would be a good name for those speaker- 'Magic Lies'.

 

[highfigh]

@TLS Guy @lovinthehd
First off, I was stunned by the sound. Probably the best thing I have ever heard. But that's not the point of this reply. The point of this reply was I asked the sales guy how in the world, or who in the world, buys such systems and how can they afford to have one in house? The answer was very illustrative.

He said they had just sold one to its new owner (he did not use the term audiophile, but it fits) in Maui, Hawaii. The owner was building a new home there just for the audio system. The home was designed for the system. This is millions of dollars for the home on top of the system itself (north of 1/2 million USD). The second thing he said was they aim to sell just 1 to 2 of these systems a year. If they do that he said, it makes enough to keep the store open and operating for the entire year. Because it isn't just the hardware sale, this is a consulting engagement too. The design and engineering help on the home. The setup and blahblahblah. The hardware is just one component of a massively profitable engagement.

The world of really expensive audio like that is very different than Best Buy and Magnolia. I used to be of the opinion that it was all crap and smoke and mirrors. I don't think that way anymore. Systems like the two I listened to were pure audio joy. Enthralling and the best stuff I have ever heard. I listened to Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb like I have never heard it before. But the cost is not of my world. It never will be. Wilson Audio, and others, charge those amounts because they KNOW there are people who will buy them just because they cost so much. Charging less devalues the systems in that class of owner's eyes. If you and I can afford it, well, it's just not what they are looking for. I don't make fun of those kinds of systems anymore. I am still trying to find someone who has one that will let me come over and listen occasionally.

I think you just confirmed my "Somewhere, a room...." comment. They built the room FOR the speakers, whereas, other equipment can sound very good right out of the box. It's a niche market and this place has tapped into it. They seem to know how to treat and design a room for audio and that's OK, but Wilson should be forthcoming with info, when it has been requested. It would make room design and treatment much easier if they were to hand it over, rather than force the sellers analyze and design around it.

 

[highfigh]

Chances of me being a Florida man are pretty slim. Something like 13% are Floridian, the rest are from up north and the mid-west. Florida died off around 1976. It's all some Yankee dream now, with west coast ideas that don't work here either.

You just used "some Yankee dream"- what does that make you, Southern?

 

[highfigh]

Ahh well, it's a done deal. Now the rest of us who knew not to live on the (duh) beaches in what amounts to hurricane alley, get to help pay for their mess when their paradise gets wasted in a storm. Kind of hard to take them seriously when the first thing that occurs to me is. . . yeah but, you built your house on the beach like a dummy. I mean, they can't even go out at dusk for the noseeums trying to carry them off so basically, they experience Florida thru the glass. Well fk. They could have put up a big screen and streamed in any paradise in the world where they came from if all they wanted to do was stare at it, and for a whole lot less $.

Noseeums are one reason I don't go to FLA and probably would never buy a place there- I was there in '98 or '99 and they were just torture. It was nice, on Sanibel Island, but I was there for a boat manufacturer's dealer meeting and was able to leave. I have friends who go to the Ft Myers area and one who lives in Estero- these places are, at the most, 11 feet above sea level. Other friends live in the Bahamas and he was there when Hurricane Dorian took its sweet time passing through at the blistering pace of 6 FEET/SECOND. The speed of most storms are rated in MPH (not the wind speed) and this one moved through at walking speed, as it it were out for a nice walk.

Nice to look at, not gonna live there.

 

[MrBoat]

You just used "some Yankee dream"- what does that make you, Southern?

It wasn't that serious. Yes, I can toss stones at my own heritage too. You never see me speaking from a critical regional/cultural standpoint otherwise. Such criticisms and regional stereotypes are typically perpetuated by those bogged down in football politics. I'd rather eat bugs.

 

[highfigh]

It wasn't that serious. Yes, I can toss stones at my own heritage too. You never see me speaking from a critical regional/cultural standpoint otherwise. Such criticisms and regional stereotypes are typically perpetuated by those bogged down in football politics. I'd rather eat bugs.

Y'all like those Palmetto bugs? I hear they're good when dipped in hot sauce.

 

[afterlife2]

Audiophiles are over thinkers with alot of time.

 

[Will Brink]

Audiophiles are over thinkers with alot of time.

Hey, I resemble that comment!

 

[Kingnoob]

Hey, I resemble that comment!

Yeah some people overthink everything not just Audio, I’m also worried about everything.. and how bad my spectrum app looks can’t even use my newest tv for it.
Multi billion dollar company can’t steam true hd.
paradox of a rabbit hole that home audio is.

 

[Hobbit]

Audiophiles are people who buy a lot of snake oil.

 

[jeff51]

A music lover buys equipment to listen to music.
An Audiophile buys music to listen to their equipment.
All The Best,
Jeff

 

[MrBoat]

It's nice to be able to dance on both sides of the aisle. I came from years of tweaking sub-standard equipment to just get past it's inherent, unavoidable distortion, and then to mid-fi, which ended up sort of being the best of trouble free music listening. Enough power, with reasonably low audible distortion.

Mid-fi, taught us to buy enough headroom and learn our way around tone controls/EQ. It ends up working on the audiophile side of things when you don't feel like fiddling with stuff, either. Is also where I had most of my fun with music. I end up slumming there, more often than not.

I can post a pic of budget JBL speakers and tell by the likes, who my people are.