The problem with subjective impressions

[Samuel T Cogley]

43 minutes ago, Solstice380 said:

I used to (somewhat) jokingly say:  The universe is 100% physics and 100% personal preference.  Respect both!

 

As long as we're getting all philosophical, the universe doesn't have a particular need for humanity.  Or to paraphrase George Carlin:

 

"Save the planet? You mean save the people!  The earth will just shake us off like a bad case of fleas.  The earth is fine."

 

I always look at this hobby through the lens of consumerism.  Audiophilia can't be more virtuous than consumerism, because it is consumerism.

[Samuel T Cogley]

39 minutes ago, Richard Dale said:

The HiFi hobby has a substantial DIY and modding component to it, along with tweaking, trying out different combinations of gear, sharing great music we’ve come across, and various other activities that aren’t about just passively buying stuff. All of which make it a hobby, and a bit more than just consumerism in my opinion.

 

Hi Richard

 

I'm sure we agree that unless you're making the music yourself, that music consumption is by definition a consumer activity.

 

DIY is a very small percentage of the overall audiophile market.

 

And lastly, I'll say that your arrival in this forum was precipitated my what I call your "Nikita Khrushchev moment" at, wait for it, an audiophile consumer trade show.

 

I'm not trying to disparage audiophilia, but I don't think grandiosity helps the cause IMHO.

 

 

[Samuel T Cogley]

1 hour ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

For many audiophiles the hobby is about the journey as well as the destination. It’s also about feeding the soul after a rough day or week. 
 

To me it’s much more than many make it out to be. Sure, I know a couple “rich” guys with five Patricia Barber CDs and $250,000 systems. But, let’s not let the tail wag the dog. The vast majority, in my experience, love the journey and destination and get so much out of listening to music. 

 

Perhaps this is part of the "subjectivist/objectivist" schism.  I consume music during every part of my day.  In the shower, on the way to work, at work, on the way home, at home, and I even have a bedside headphone rig.

 

Would all the gear that I use to consume music pass audiophile muster?  Probably not.  But to me, it's inescapable that consumption of music and the acquisition of gear is a rather pure form of consumerism.  How old is your oldest DAC Chris and how many do you have?  I'm asking that question because I kind of know the answer, but I think the answer will bolster my position.

[Samuel T Cogley]

Just now, The Computer Audiophile said:

Total number of DACs is probably around 5.

 

You're not sure how many DACs you have?  🙂

[Samuel T Cogley]

3 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I’m at the Subaru dealer getting a recall on my Impreza fixed. 
 

My situation is a bit different in that I have much more gear here than a normal person, due to my job. 

 

Fair enough.  But perhaps we agree that you're even more of a consumer than most?

[Samuel T Cogley]

32 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

You may have more "systems" than me, based on your previous quote about how often and where you listen. 

 

I'm really not sure what you're getting at with this consumer / consumerism discussion. I'd love to be educated a bit about what you're getting at. 

 

I don't know if you count DAPs as "systems", but I think that's pedantic minutia.

 

I was simply pointing out that there is a belief or at least a desire with some to elevate audiophilia to something more virtuous than consumerism.  And I think that desire/belief is at the heart of some of the animus around the subjective/objective schism.

 

As you have rather famously said in the past, "no one's changing anyone's minds here" and I agree with that to some extent.  But I see what the forum calls "subjectivism" through the lens of that belief that audiophilia is more virtuous than consumerism.

 

Put another way, I have the same emotional attachment to my toaster than I have to my best DAC;  i.e., none.  But that lack of emotional attachment to gear doesn't make me enjoy the music any less than anyone else.

 

I hope that puts it in perspective for you.

[Samuel T Cogley]

3 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I hate to sound like a pusher of products and more buying, but a headphone based system could be perfect for your lifestyle. 

 

I'm primary a headphone/IEM user.  Gives me much more flexibility to set up the living room in my 900 square foot house in L.A.

[Samuel T Cogley]

3 minutes ago, Summit said:

 

By "saving the planet" we do not only mean humans, as there are many other organisms on earth that is much less adoptable to environmental changes.

 

Sure, but typically, "save the planet" for most people means "save the humans" was my point.

[Samuel T Cogley]

3 hours ago, daverich4 said:

I think a preference for or against headphones is more than that. I have HD800’s, Audeze LCD-3’s and Focal Clears. I much prefer listening to my stereo over any of them. 

 

How much do you want for the LCD-3s?

[Samuel T Cogley]

When Tidal was brimming with UMG audibly watermarked files (seems some/many have been replaced with MQA), people listening with headphones seemed much more likely to notice than those listening with speakers.  To me, that's a ringing endorsement of headphone listening.

[Samuel T Cogley]

25 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

That’s an interesting take but one I’m not sure I agree with. Yes, headphones can reveal this kind of stuff, but I don’t believe this equates to a real performance as the artist intended. Being able to pick out abnormalities like this certainly means they are more audible via headphones, but I’m just not sold that it also means headphones provide a more realistic representation of the recorded event. 
 

As always I’m willing to be persuaded and love to listen. 

 

Since almost all my listening is with headphones/IEMs, I'm not missing what you would miss with headphones.  And no, I don't use DSP crossfeed as I prefer my playback to be pristine. 😎