Friday, June 15, 2012

Photographs and Memories

Most normal people carry photographs of their loved ones in their wallets.  I've seen several grandmothers proudly flip through the folds of purses admiring memories and oogling over young faces passing the time until their shopping cart could be emptied.  Other normal folks carry pictures of their spouses, pets, and friends for similar reasons.

Someone once asked me what my wife looked like and the only recent picture of her was in my phone.  Scrolling through the recent pictures, she noticed several images of my turntable, shots of speaker modifications, amplifiers torn down, and images of wall treatments, all more recent than the photo of my wife.  After digging around a few (over 10) seconds, she finally saw the photo of her goofing off at the beach.

"So I know you are really into stereos..." she began with a perplexed look on her face like I thought more of my rig than my wife. Then she asked the kicker question, "Do all audiophiles carry pictures of their stereos in their wallets?"

Good question.  So I pose it to you: do you have at least one picture of your stereo or piece of equipment in your wallet? Or how about your cell phone? Or even an image brought up by your screen saver?

Com on, be honest. No one but me will know and I'm not telling.  I understand the emotional and even sometimes spiritual attachment you have for your gear and I can relate whole heartily.  I think of it as a sign or a right of passage.  To truly love the hobby you are involved with demands more than passive participation; it also requires emotion bordering on love - yes LOVE!

I admit it, I love my rig and I love what it does right.  I love how dynamic it is and how effortlessly it takes you into the recording booth or mixing studio.  It's almost orgasmic when I hear a special passage and I take pride in knowing that my long search for the Audio Grail is well on its way.

I guess I am weird, but I'm not dysfunctional.  I can say NO MORE LISTENING when it's time to go to bed.  I don't belong to AA (Audiophiles Anonymous) because of my addiction and I don't have to tuck it in or buy things for it on its birthday (well, maybe in Mozart's birthday when I...what was the number for AA?).

So unless you have a picture of your gear in your wallet, you're not a true Audiophile.  Unless you can show me while we talk about what you plan to buy next from your cell phone, get a real life!  You're faking being an audiophile and you need to work on your reputation. Here's something I drool over...


So in conclusion, as the Olympics get closer and closer, think of the BEST piece of gear you could add to your system and in the spirit of AA, take pictures and carry around data sheets in your pocket.  Put an extra piece of tape on your geek glasses and step out into the world proudly viewing that coveted preamp while waiting in line at the grocery store.  Who knows, maybe the person behind you is doing the same?

Greatest pickup line: Wanna see my stereo?

Yours for higher fidelity,
Philip Rastocny
I do not use ads in this blog to help support my efforts. If you like what you are reading, please remember to reciprocate, My newest title is called Where, oh Where did the Star of Bethlehem Go? It’s an astronomer’s look at what this celestial object may have been, who the "Wise Men" were, and where they came from. Written in an investigative journalism style, it targets one star that has never been considered before and builds a solid case for its candidacy.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QFIAC3G

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