Are audiophiles obsessive....

steveinaz

...with everything? Do you find you're pretty anal with all your other hobbies? I know I'm guilty as charged. I'm very organized, clean, and have to know everything about each of my hobbies; even stuff I wouldn't call a "hobby" such as my swimming pool chemistry. I am commonly referred to as a "neat freak." What about you? Are you as uncomprimising with your other hobbies?

PreCd

Yep. I shot high-power rifle competition for 10 years before getting into audio recently. Everything had to be perfect. Reloaded my own ammo which was a uber-anal procedure.

I think we are folders which means when we wipe we fold our paper neatly and do not wad it into a little ball. Folders!

txcoastal1

Drives my wife nuts, have a couple other hobbies including this one where I get on tangents where I am very obsessive meticulous as I change directions until the project is done....plan, conquer, enjoy is my philosophy

heiney9

Yes, I spend the same amount of effort for other things in my life as I do with audio, to a point. I certainly don't put the amount of effort into buying toilet paper, but a new washer/dryer, lawn mower, etc, etc gets the same obsessive treatment as audio does in my life. I like to be well informed and know what I'm buying and what the differences are and how those will impact my purchase.

H9

steveinaz

I can relate, my guns must be cleaned as soon as I get back from the range. My ATV has to be washed after a ride. It goes on and on....

steveinaz

heiney9 wrote: »

but a new washer/dryer, lawn mower, etc, etc gets the same obsessive treatment as audio does in my life.
H9

Me too Brock....I have a need to totally research everything before buying, from electric toothbrushes to toasters. WTH is wrong with us? Anytime Bev wants to buy something---she puts me on the "research mission" because she knows I will dog it down. We need a new kitchen sink? I'm researching what gauge of stainless is best for that role. I'm researching crap I don't even care about..LOL

shack

No. I'm not obsessive about audio or any other hobby.

PreCd

Me too.

steveinaz wrote: »

Me too Brock....I have a need to totally research everything before buying, from electric toothbrushes to toasters. WTH is wrong with us? Anytime Bev wants to buy something---she puts me on the "research mission" because she knows I will dog it down. We need a new kitchen sink? I'm researching what gauge of stainless is best for that role. I'm researching crap I don't even care about..LOL

steveinaz

I think it's the internet. It's such a cool medium for finding information, and being the research geek I am, it's like having your own personal library.

heiney9

steveinaz wrote: »

Me too Brock....I have a need to totally research everything before buying, from electric toothbrushes to toasters. WTH is wrong with us? Anytime Bev wants to buy something---she puts me on the "research mission" because she knows I will dog it down. We need a new kitchen sink? I'm researching what gauge of stainless is best for that role. I'm researching crap I don't even care about..LOL

I will say the internet has made it much easier to do research if that's what people want to do. It's just part of my nature to know alot about what I'm buying, etc. If I'm spending my hard earned $$$, I am going to be informed enough to make a solid decision. I don't 100% rely on the store sales person, etc. I bought my Weber gas grill last year. Through lots of research I found out on the lower models (Spirit line) that if you bought it at Home Depot they come standard (no extra cost) with cast iron grates from the Genesis line. Had I not done a lot of research I would likely bought it somewhere else and had the flimsier aluminium grates. Only Home Depot offers that. Research pays off sometimes.

H9

sda2mike

i'm pretty laid back about everything...as far as audio, i make changes slowly...the ears adapt..unless it sounds like arse..then some changes are afoot.

BlueFox

I am in a work perspective, writing software, but not so much with anything else. While I have gone to lengths to tweak the most sound out of my two-channel, and to a lesser degree the HT/surround system, I don't think I have gone over the obsessive edge yet.

steveinaz

When I say obsessive, it's not in a "need to upgrade all the time" sorta way, but just a desire to know all the nuances of it; whatever "it" may be...

steveinaz

Anybody else a "neat freak" like me?

polkatese

I am Steve, but I am in therapy though, to keep my family's sanity intact.

steveinaz

I'm a neat freak in an "organizational" way---not like a cleanliness fanatic or anything. Although crooked pictures and anything not plumb or level drives me nuts.

polkfarmboy

I have became very tidy ever since I bought audio equipment. Appart from that I have always dived into everything I do and just obsessed over every faucet of my life. Helicopters..... I got into the rabbit hole there ...sword fencing ... I got right into that and competed a few times... I have a video of me drunk at a fair where I beat the resident champion after 6 beers lol. I got right into hillwalking at one time and done some charity work involving local sponsorship for cancer

Electronics are everywhere ...I even had to buy electronic soap dispencers and the wife wont let me put up electric rail blinds. Fashion used to be my passion and I spent all the money I had when I was young buying prada ,hugo boss and armani etc

I think if you are an audiophile then your pretty much going to dive into everything you do with unflagging enthusiasm and a passion for wanting to know more

George Grand

steveinaz wrote: »

.... drives me nuts.

Not going to be a long drive.

steveinaz

hehe, yeah I think i could walk it.

DMara

polkfarmboy wrote: »

I have became very tidy ever since I bought audio equipment. Appart from that I have always dived into everything I do and just obsessed over every faucet of my life. Helicopters..... I got into the rabbit hole there ...sword fencing ... I got right into that and competed a few times... I have a video of me drunk at a fair where I beat the resident champion after 6 beers lol. I got right into hillwalking at one time and done some charity work involving local sponsorship for cancer

Electronics are everywhere ...I even had to buy electronic soap dispencers and the wife wont let me put up electric rail blinds. Fashion used to be my passion and I spent all the money I had when I was young buying prada ,hugo boss and armani etc

I think if you are an audiophile then your pretty much going to dive into everything you do with unflagging enthusiasm and a passion for wanting to know more

Buying audio equipment doesn't automatically qualify you as an audiophile :razz:
Now your faucet obsession is interesting Maybe you can call yourself a faucet-phile

gwg_97

Oh yeah! I spent like a year researching pressure washers. Got to love those CAT pumps!

Drenis

*raises hand*

dkg999

heiney9 wrote: »

I certainly don't put the amount of effort into buying toilet paper H9

Note to self ............ bring my own TP to Brock's house until he starts putting some research into this!

polkfarmboy

DMara wrote: »

Buying audio equipment doesn't automatically qualify you as an audiophile :razz:
Now your faucet obsession is interesting Maybe you can call yourself a faucet-phile

Oops lol I meant to say facet of my life

I think being an audiophile is slightly more than loving music. Buying equipment to improve playback of music you like does make you an audiophile other wise you would be happy with what you own and never seek improvement

gdb

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Nope. No anal action for me, I'm a loosely organized victim of adult ADD and will immediately drop whatever I'm doing if something "shiny" catches my attention. My woodshop looks like someone tossed a hand grenade in there. ( Then ran for their life !)

Dennis Gardner

I'm far from a neat freak, but as far as my hobbies go, I am very diligent about researching each purchase regardless if its an audio, auto, home improvement, musical instrument, etc. The internet helps make this easier, but I was an early subscriber to magazines in all the above categories so this isn't new to me. I know what I want and nothing else will do.

The up side to this type of behavior is that I rarely make a rush purchase that I am unhappy about. The down side is that I am almost impossible to buy for as I am too particular about the specific items. My wife has been wonderful about this quirky side of me and realizes that surprise gifts for someone like me aren't always welcome and going with me to get the exact item can be half the fun.

BTW I am a folder......

rromeo923

Not a neat freak at all. I do get obsessive about certain things though.

tonyb

dkg999 wrote: »

Note to self ............ bring my own TP to Brock's house until he starts putting some research into this!

LOL...I can see it now, sandpaper on a roll. Not just any roll mind you, one that turns automatically to disperse 2 sheets per use, powered with tubes and upgraded caps for smooth operation.

Sorry Brock pal, don't know why your the target of getting the butt end of jokes lately, but I will admit there's a sense of good entertainment to it all. All in good fun.

As far as being Obsessive, I guess we all are in our own little word in one fashion or another. It's when that obsession takes over your life you've gone off the deep end.

gudnoyez

I have two old Remington 870 Wingmasters 12 guage and a 20 Guage. I clean them all the time and if you seen them you would not know that they are 36 years old, Im very Anal with them but not my Express I dont care if that one gets beat up. I also am that way with a couple Of Mountain Bikes, I got a trek and a specialized I tend to be easy on and clean them after I get them dirty even though they are meant to get dirty, I crashed and burned on the Specialized last week and put a good ding on the top tube, I was so pissed with myself, I lost sleep over that one even though its a battle scar it pissed me off for a couple of days. I,m anal with Cd's hate getting them scratched and my Audio Gear is all in good shape except for pulling stuff out of racks and minor scratches on some stuff occurs but still pisses me off.

I wont even start with my 1993 Toyata 4 wheel drive Truck 76,000 original miles and I keep that baby spotless and wont drive it in the snow or salt covered streets so it dont Rust. I need help for sure.

pdxfj

gdb wrote: »

Nope. No anal action for me, I'm a loosely organized victim of adult ADD and will immediately drop whatever I'm doing if something "shiny" catches my attention. My woodshop looks like someone tossed a hand grenade in there. ( Then ran for their life !)

Yup.. you described me to a "T". I keep most things tidy, but my work areas are just as you describe your wood shop. My garage looks like someone dropped a bomb in it.. and I am running out of time to prep the motorcycle for a 3 week ride.. better get off my butt and dig it out, find all my tools and get to work..

VR3

I am an extremely clean, OCD type person - bar none.

Thankfully my only hobby other than remodeling my house is audio! haha