audio zen

isn't hi-fi about sharing with like-minded people?

are you a genuine audiophile? don't you share your hobby with only like-minded people?

for whatever reasons, i always argue with my friend chee kee. not the kind of fierce arguments that involves temper-flaring but gentlemanly and educated arguments. maybe we are born with the opposite star signs, we always argue.

both of us are passionately into this very subjective hobby called hi-fi. hi-fi is very subjective because human being's hearing ability differs from individual to individual. i am blessed because my hearing ability (hence listening skills) are better than average. i can tell whether a voice sounds like a voice, a cymbal sounds like a cymbal or put in another way, i am sensitive to tonal accuracy. most people aren't.

besides being highly subjective, hi-fi is also a very political hobby in malaysia. political in the sense that there are camps and cult groups supporting different brands/makes and often they accuse each other of being poor listeners (e.g. "this guy has cotton ears!". "this chap is blur like sotong"), cheapskates and other unpleasant terms. i used to be guilty of both the giving and receiving end.

to cut a long story short, nowadays i have distanced myself away from all these politics simply because i feel that i belong to the different echelon of hi-fi and i need not waste my time mingling or arguing with people who don't share my views. chee kee, however, feels that, hi-fi can only flourish if there is a diverse group of people sharing and exchanging views and learn from each other as they progress. and learned people like me should lead in the education of hi-fi to the masses. he is just being idealistic. what he has in mind is a hi-fi utopia that i too dream of. i told him that's not possible in malaysia because the malaysian hi-fi enthusiasts in general are poor listeners, highly bigoted and a bunch of sour-grapes. chee kee then argued that i should not just befriend like-minded people - i should broaden my scope and share with people with opposing views. I was exasperated! Isn't a hobby about sharing with like-minded people? This is not dewan rakyat where I need to have a verbal battle with the opposition all the time! If you think spending only RM2,000 can get better sound than spending RM200,000 then let it be (and congratulations) but we are not like-minded, that's all. and i doubt i will have time to educate you.

i have acquired a zen-like belief in my hobby. yes, it is lonely when you are up there. but it is also so peaceful and tranquil. if you are like-minded, do join me in the club, no matter how small it is. you will find many joys and treasures in sharing with people of the same interest, zest and intellect.