Shattering audiophile stereotypes
Audiophile gear is always really expensive.
Not true. While there's no shortage of stupid expensive audio toys, there's lots of affordable stuff too, such as Rotel's beautifully built RA 1062 integrated amplifier ($699).
(Credit: Rotel)Audiophiles rarely embrace new technology.
Guilty, with an explanation. Audiophiles don't jump on every new tech gizmo that comes down the pike, so we steered clear of iPods for the longest time. But now that we can get uncompressed digital directly out of the little buggers with devices like Wadia's 170iTransport, audiophiles are getting with the program. We were just waiting for them to sound decent.
All audiophiles are really old.
You got me, there are very few under 40 'philes, and I wish I knew why. That certainly wasn't true when I was in my early 20s. Please don't write and whine that younger people can't afford the good stuff. Good stuff was always expensive, but if you really wanted it, you found a way to buy some. Second hand high-end gear is a good way to get in.
Audiophiles are all anti-digital.
No way. Sure, there's a lot of hard-core vinyl junkies reveling in analog bliss, but at least three or four times as many audiophiles are into digital and steer clear of vinyl. Most stick with CD and some mix CD and SACD/DVD-Audio discs into their collections. Some go both ways, and savor the best of analog and digital.
Audiophiles are weird.
True, but no weirder than guys who obsess about watches, cars, baseball cards, or boats. Audiophiles have a passion for sound and music. Is that such a bad thing?
Steve Guttenberg is a frequent contributor to magazines and Web sites including Home Entertainment, Playback, and Ultimate AV. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
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My home theater is the Klipsch RF-52s and I love them <3
Until the Best Buy's and Apple's of the world put quality over quantity again, then I think it's a safe bet that the audiophile fanbase is going to progressively shrink. That's a sad thing, because it inevitably means that some smaller outfits may not be able to continue making gear or drop out of business entirely.
BTW, of the five stereotypes you cite, you admit to three of them, and I submit you're in denial about #1. Not exactly a good batting average to shattering stereotypes.
Back on earth $700 is a lot of money, and what do you get for that? An integrated amp. What do you still need? Speakers, cdp, wiring, turntable etc etc. At the end of the day lets pretend you spend $700 for your integrated, multiply that 4 and you've got yourself a very bare bones $2800 system (and no material to play on said system)
In the end yes, you probably have a decent low-fi/mid-fi system, but the reality is, in the audiophile world, this is merely the beginining of an ongoing cycle. You then decide that an integrated amp is probably not the way to go and you decide to ditch it in favor of an amp/pre-amp setup. Later you realize "Wow these speakers are nice, but I really want a full range get up" then you have stereo subs 2 more amps an active cross-over and no money.
As far as being weird, I don't know I'm a pretty average guy, married, working, making less than $50K a year pretty "normal" I guess (no severed heads in my basement if that's what normal is!)
Last but not least, any self respecting audiophile fully and whole heartedly embraces the FACT that Vinyl is the superior format END OF STORY. Digital is merely a stop gap for those of us who can't afford a decent TT/phono stage etc. Anyone who thinks different is an amatuer posing as an audiophile.
5 for 5
I have an iPod that I think is great (with over 9k mp3's on it). I also have been fortunate enough to have a top notch system. I can go anywhere and listen to my music. I even use it at home within my high-end set up. It has it?s place and it's time. But, when I can find 20 minutes to listen to music with no other constraints, like my 2.5 yr-old banging into my turntable, I will do so. But those times are rare. So, I have realized that for the next many years, since we are trying for another child, I will be limited to digital music (iPod, cd, or high quality downloads). That is just fine with me. That is what it is supposed to be about? hearing the music.
Remember, if you do not care how good it sounds, then you should be happy with that, also. My wife thought she could not tell the difference, until I took her with me to audition some of the equipment I bought. She could tell the difference between most products, especially speakers. But, she did not really care. So, she is not an audiophile. But, every day for a few minutes, I go listen to a something that sounds great, and I appreciate it for what it is? feeling very close to hearing live music.
The Sony STR DG 510 is my amp and it is AWESOME. It has great reviews on CNET and was 50% for a price of 200 dollars. Fantastic Deal. To maximize the audio quality and increase functionality, I hooked the amp up to my turntable and my PC.
Turntable is an Audio-Technica, 250$. PC is standard with Creative Audio Blaster. I play 320 kbps MP3s and love the sound from both analog and digital. Of course I have an iPod and am dissapointed with the strict 120 kbps sound quality, but I purchased a Creative Zen Vision M for the 320 capabilities. Sony MDR V700 DJ headphones for listening fidelity as well.
Total cost: $1070 for the equipment.
Vinyl: 50$ (Rasputin's has a one dollar section with BRAND NEW records)
MP3's: Free (I'm a teenager what can you expect)