Do audiophiles need to be educated to appreciate certain gear?

[Elliot G.]

Hi Miles,
Being on the front lines of dealing with "audiophiles" a term I hate by the way has taught me that what I said is correct. I am not trying to say that everyone is the same. I have customers and friends that love music, have large collections and see live music all the time. I wish I could say that all audiophiles are like that but it is NOT TRUE. Many have developed a very flawed idea of what music sounds like by having a badly set up system and room and just listening to a small sample of mediocre recordings and it is by this they make judgments. I am not trying to be arrogant or an ******* but the industry has allowed this to happen by not trying to do something that would make it better, and more understood. If they did this it would be easier to expand to many more listeners because it would make it so much less threatening to customers. When a leading reviewer has three different sets of criteria so he never has to give a critical review this should say it all.
I am sure that many of us can look at a room and a system and know it can't sound good just from a picture. Why not try to get a set of standards or even a basic set of instructions put together to help people learn???? I think every one is just so afraid of offending the reviewers and manufacturers that they let the tail wag the dog!

 

[caesar]

Hi Miles,
Being on the front lines of dealing with "audiophiles" a term I hate by the way has taught me that what I said is correct. I am not trying to say that everyone is the same. I have customers and friends that love music, have large collections and see live music all the time. I wish I could say that all audiophiles are like that but it is NOT TRUE. Many have developed a very flawed idea of what music sounds like by having a badly set up system and room and just listening to a small sample of mediocre recordings and it is by this they make judgments. I am not trying to be arrogant or an ******* but the industry has allowed this to happen by not trying to do something that would make it better, and more understood. If they did this it would be easier to expand to many more listeners because it would make it so much less threatening to customers. When a leading reviewer has three different sets of criteria so he never has to give a critical review this should say it all.
I am sure that many of us can look at a room and a system and know it can't sound good just from a picture. Why not try to get a set of standards or even a basic set of instructions put together to help people learn???? I think every one is just so afraid of offending the reviewers and manufacturers that they let the tail wag the dog!

Elliot G,

Great points.

But how has the industry allowed this to happen? Is there a "collective industry" or a bunch of small individual companies who are (a) producing what they think is the "absolute sound", or (b) a few companies who study the audiophile and hold focus groups to create the sound that the group of audiophiles will like so they can make a buck from what the customer wants?

Today, the "audiophile" has to learn on their own. There are very few good dealers. IMO, many of the dealers just push the products they are under contract to sell. I know this is probably highly unlikely, but maybe dealers should be free agents like interior decorators and work with the customer as a consultant to help them build the best room, the best system, etc., based on their living situations and the kinds of music they like.

 

[caesar]

Hi Miles,
Being on the front lines of dealing with "audiophiles" a term I hate by the way has taught me that what I said is correct. I am not trying to say that everyone is the same. I have customers and friends that love music, have large collections and see live music all the time. I wish I could say that all audiophiles are like that but it is NOT TRUE. Many have developed a very flawed idea of what music sounds like by having a badly set up system and room and just listening to a small sample of mediocre recordings and it is by this they make judgments. I am not trying to be arrogant or an ******* but the industry has allowed this to happen by not trying to do something that would make it better, and more understood. If they did this it would be easier to expand to many more listeners because it would make it so much less threatening to customers. When a leading reviewer has three different sets of criteria so he never has to give a critical review this should say it all.
I am sure that many of us can look at a room and a system and know it can't sound good just from a picture. Why not try to get a set of standards or even a basic set of instructions put together to help people learn???? I think every one is just so afraid of offending the reviewers and manufacturers that they let the tail wag the dog!

Elliot G,

I also like your thoughts about standards. The problem is - as you mention - is that there is no agreement on "great sound" even from the experts. I think you mention Valin's "cop out". However, another way to spin it is there are real categories of the kind of sound of people like. All Valin is saying is that if you want to hear exactly what's on the record, you will like the Martin Logan CLX driven by Soulution. If you prefer to emulate real live music, you will like Audio Research with another whatever speaker.

Personally, I would rather have the reviewer be upfront of what the piece sounds like (or a category it falls into) rather than read a review from a guy to whom everything sounds great, such as Sircom or Harley. (How can a guy like both BAT and Mark Levinson??????)