It’s been almost two years since I began writing this column for The STAR, and the experience has been awesome, to say the least. I have gained new friends and got re-acquainted with old ones. But what I found most rewarding was becoming a part of, and being embraced by, a global audio community whose members represent a wide cross-section of society, with varying professional, political and religious beliefs, who are nonetheless drawn together by the sheer magic of music.
One usual question that I have answered many times over is: What really is an audiophile? Wikipedia defines an audiophile (from the Latin audire “to hear” and Greek philos “loving”) as “a person dedicated to achieving high fidelity in the recording and playback of music.” There are those who disparage audiophiles as “a snooty-elitist bunch.” An audiophile-basher describes them as “persevering, misguided nerds who qualify for those silly hats with little propellers on top.”
I am an audiophile and proud of it, not because I am a more savvy music listener, or because my system is better than everyone else’s. I became an audiophile for the love of music. Let me give way to blue-blooded audiophile and Rizal Congressman Michael John Duavit (Jack to his audio brothers) who puts forth in an e-mail his own definition:
“Audiophiles are often misunderstood. Oftentimes we are looked upon as eccentrics who never seem to be satisfied with what we have; people who always seem to be on some upgrade path or relentless pursuit of vinyl records and silver discs. At the extreme, audiophiles may indeed seem utterly warped and obsessive of details an ordinary person would probably not detect. It would be arrogant to say that audiophiles have better acuity or that “true initiates” have a deeper connection to music in general. This would fail to justify the time and resources expended by audiophiles in their quest for better systems and more diverse libraries. It would be far more accurate to say that audiophiles simply give music more import.
“So what gets an audiophile’s juices flowing? Some say it’s the equipment; others say the music comes first. To me, it is something more universal. Most of us are born with five senses. For our basest of instincts, four of these senses — sight, touch, smell and taste — often combine for the most intense of pleasures: our first kiss, sipping fine wine, savoring a gourmet meal … But what about our sense of hearing? More likely, what we hear is filed away in our memory bank as no more than background music, thus relegating the sense of hearing to a lower tier in the hierarchy of senses. But wait! This is the soundtrack of our lives we’re talking about here. We must ask ourselves if this is really JUST background music or a treasure trove waiting to be unlocked.
“The sound around us never ceases, even while we sleep. We ABSORB it. It stimulates every part of our physical being. The effect of sound is primal. The effect of sound gets to the very core of our being, unfiltered and uncensored. As such, sound and music reach deeper into our humanity than any other art form through sheer sensual power that, for brief moments, even allows us to transcend temporal time and space. From the drums of tribesmen to the works of the great masters, music has always been central in celebrating the divine: the rhythms that can have thousands of people in one venue, on one dance floor, moving in unison. No other art form can affect us singularly or collectively as deeply as music does.
“For those who recognize this, sound and music take on a much higher significance. For those who appreciate their personal soundtracks, the music marks the waypoints while the equipment serves as the mode of transportation. Personally, I believe that one does not need to be an audiophile to experience any of this. In fact, it may be something that billions of people experience every day. I do recommend, however, listening to a really good system at least once in your lifetime. I have participated in three audio shows, and nothing excites me more than watching non-audiophiles’ eyes pop out of their heads when they realize the pleasure to be had through the sense of hearing. Therein lies true audiophile magic!
“So, think of your life as a movie, and ask yourself what you want your soundtrack to be. It is by no means complicated. Make it up as you go along. Share the music with your loved ones by playing something lively while everyone gets ready for work or school. Try dancing as well. It’s great for your circulation. When you get home, play something peaceful and mellow. Enjoy the sound and the silence. Go create your own soundtrack. Trust me; your life will be richer for it.”
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For comments or questions, please e-mail me at audioglow@yahoo.com or at vphl@hotmail.com. You can also visit www.wiredstate.com or http://bikini-bottom.proboards80.com/index.cgi for quick answers to your audio concerns