Is listening to music one of your favorite things to do in the world? Are you obsessed with no just the music itself, but the production quality of the music? Have you always been curious about audio? Well... you may just be an audiophile.
The word "audiophile" gets thrown around a lot in the headphone industry. Many companies will claim their headphones are "for audiophiles" but really have mediocre sound quality at best.
To be honest, most people aren't audiophiles.
Sure, people may love music and love getting their hands on the latest audio technology, but that doesn't make them an audiophile.
In this article, we're going to break down who an audiophile is, and give you some indicators to help determine if you are one. Let's get started!
You're Always Listening To Music
Someone who listens to music on a regular basis may not be an audiophile just because of that, but most audiophiles will listen to music constantly.
If you pay attention to the music's quality, and not just the composition itself, this is another clue that you may be an audiophile.
You Always Crave New Audio Gear
If you find yourself constantly shopping for the latest audio technology, this could be a telltale sign that you're an audiophile.
Sure, you may already have five pairs of over-ear noise-canceling headphones, but why not one more? If this sounds like the sort of mindset you're in, you may be an audiophile.
You want to have at least one of every type of headphone out there. Bluetooth, over-ear, on-ear, in-ear, you love them all! It's not about having any old pair of headphones either, you take care in researching the best out there, and never settle for mediocrity.
You Know The Audio Lingo
If you're deep enough into the audio culture to know words like lossless compression, original analog source, or DSD file, you're pretty obsessed with audio.
If you're an audiophile, these phrases are common to you, and you may use them in day to day conversations with your friends.
Not only do you know the jargon, but you're invested in the progression of the technology. Everything from record players to the creation of noise-canceling headphones and reliable Bluetooth technology, you know it all.
You've Aspired To Be An Audio Engineer
Most audiophiles are downright obsessed with audio, and likely aspire to be an audio professional. When most kids dream about being a rockstar, or an astronaut, you're dreaming of being behind the mixing board, making it all happen.
If you're an audiophile, you also probably follow popular music producers online and love learning about how they've influenced pop culture.
You Have The Best Equipment
You don't have to be an audiophile to buy expensive sound equipment. However, if you are one, this is likely a priority to you.
Even if you're on a budget, you can find some great budget audiophile headphones that don't cost a fortune, and if you're an audiophile, you'll do just that.
It's not just headphones, though. If you're an audiophile, you're likely interested in speakers, mixers, and other audio equipment just as much.
You Love Learning About Audio Technology
It's not enough to just love listening to a well-mixed album. If you're an audiophile, you need to know how that beautifully perfect mix was made.
You may be interested in the hardware and software used to create music, and you're likely also interested in the inner workings of the hardware components.
Have you ever taken apart a microphone or speaker to see how it works? Yeah, you might be an audiophile.
Closing Thoughts
It's not enough to just appreciate music for what it is. A true audiophile is obsessed with everything audio. They're curious about the technology that makes great audio and always try to get their hands on the latest gear.
An audiophile may also be very in tune with industry jargon, and follow some of their favorite producers online and dream of becoming one themselves.
Do you think you may be an audiophile? If you're obsessed with audio like we are, let us know in the comments below how you found out you're an audiophile!
