Co-worker Made Fun of Audiophilia

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by nbakid2000, Mar 29, 2015.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. nbakid2000

    nbakid2000 On Indie's Cutting Edge Thread Starter

    Location:
    Springfield, MO
    So I bring a laptop to work to listen to my stuff, since we're not supposed to stream music through the company system because it's a tax on the bandwidth, etc. We can stream through the public wi-fi though, so that's what I get my laptop on and of course I can use Spotify/my own files, etc.

    Anyway, so it's kind of a process to get everything set up and taken down (set up laptop, plug it in, get out the dedicated mouse, plug in the outboard DAC, plug in headphones, get the software running, etc.). No big deal, but it apparently amuses/annoys everyone there. (my boss expressed annoyance that I wasn't listening to my phone like everyone else and had all this equipment on the desk) [they all know I'm into audio and have made comments about my headphones/equipment before]

    So anyway, I'm doing my thing, and taking everything down (again, a process) and my co-worker goes, "I feel like you have a 20 minute ordeal every day [both ways] just so you can listen to music on a stupid laptop."

    So I'm like, "Yeah, I get really good sound quality though."

    He scoffs at me, "When I listen to music, I'm not listening because of sound quality, I listen because of the MUSIC....and to drown out the sound of silence."

    Which, y'know, theoretically I can appreciate...I can do either or...music comes first, regardless of format or what I'm playing it on....when I have no choice. But if I can control my environment, I want the best I can get out of any situation if I can help it. Hence why I bring all my equipment to work to listen to highest quality streaming/lossless files/headphone DAC/etc.

    Anyway, this guy listens to music on the crappiest of headphones you can possibly imagine...they're not even made for music, it's a Plantronics headset he plugs into his computer...
    [​IMG]

    I don't even know why he uses them, because he has a pair of earbuds that would be better (probably made by Skull Candy or something). I'm no audio snob, but I've listened to this type of headset and it is essentially un-listenable for any sort of music. They work OK for voices and that's about it. That's what they're built for too.

    Anyway, basically this guy = the general public. We're a very small breed of people. And any time you see Beats on someone's head, just know there are people who embrace even WORSE gear.

    Any similar stories of scoffing?
     
  2. JohnnyQuest

    JohnnyQuest Forum Resident

    Location:
    Paradise
    I never paid much attention sound quality until I joined this board. That guy (co-worker) was me last year. :shh:
     
  3. GodBlessTinyTim

    GodBlessTinyTim Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    I've scoffed at my fair share of audiophiles.
     
    troggy, Malina, BIG ED and 7 others like this.
  4. Gary

    Gary Nauga Gort! Staff

    Location:
    Toronto
    I've scoffed at my share of non audiophiles who claim to "just like the music". I tell them quality has come a long way from transistor radios and AM. And if they like to listen to music in the car it's like turning off the bass. How can you enjoy that?
     
    Grant, sassi, Heart of Gold and 6 others like this.
  5. Sax-son

    Sax-son Forum Resident

    Location:
    Three Rivers, CA
    No offense, but I have never worked anywhere that they allowed headphones while working. I thought that you were there to do a job and not be distracted by music, sound quality, or whatever beside the task at hand. Perhaps I am old school about that stuff, but I never let that get in the way of what I am doing. Maybe they do things different these days? I don't know.
     
  6. seaisletim

    seaisletim Forum Resident

    Location:
    Philadelphia PA
    Smokers get 15 minutes every 2 hours or so, you should just light up while setting up your listening station
     
    Murph, cc--, Old Rusty and 9 others like this.
  7. nbakid2000

    nbakid2000 On Indie's Cutting Edge Thread Starter

    Location:
    Springfield, MO
    No different than an office radio going on in the background or conversation with co-workers going on in the background or actually partaking in conversations with co-workers, or getting up and going to the bathroom or smoking all the time, or whatever.

    I'm unclear how listening to music would affect a desk job vs any other form of noise distraction.

    But yes, we all listen to headphones. My bosses actually encourage it, as they think talking is too distracting a lot of the times. (which it is) Many times I've been complimented on how I just tune out/into my headphones and do my work instead of chit-chatting and being distracted. (many of my co-workers have a talking problem sometimes) Not that I'm complaining about talkers at all. But you compare the amount of work/quality they do vs someone like me who listens to music and focuses exclusively on the work....there's no contest.

    Aside from the fact I perform better when I'm listening to music. The music is the road and my mind is the wheel system. Without the road, the wheels go nowhere....
     
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2015
    ParloFax, Starwanderer, Ash76 and 5 others like this.
  8. gregr

    gregr Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    This co-worker is a stupid silence hater-head. Inky black background! :wiggle:
     
    Mark E. Moon. and nbakid2000 like this.
  9. Archtop

    Archtop Soft Dead Crimson Cow

    Location:
    Greater Boston, MA
    Look, everyone has a right to do what they want as long as it isn't hurting anyone, but I categorize this person as a culturally-deprived listener. I am the exact opposite of this (subject to your interpretation, of course). It doesn't make me right, it just makes me think that someone who uses music to drown out the sounds of silence to be a culturally-deprived listener. I refuse to listen to music unless I can give it my full attention. It doesn't make me any better than anyone else, but it means that I elevate music to the highest form of art. We have museums for paintings. Does this guy go to art museums when he doesn't want to look at his family?
     
    timind likes this.
  10. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    I have a Plantronics too - it's connected to the phone.
     
  11. gregr

    gregr Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    Is there a forum-approved name for non-audiophiles? Maybe one that doesn't describe them by what they're lacking? I've noticed over time that 'the masses' sounds a little, well, ridiculous.

    Maybe we can call them the 'Plantronics'?
     
  12. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member

    No, but if you want I'll come by and wait for him out in the parking lot and after work I'll have a talk with him. Could bring a few of the crew if you like.
     
    timind, FVDnz and Tensilversaxes like this.
  13. nbakid2000

    nbakid2000 On Indie's Cutting Edge Thread Starter

    Location:
    Springfield, MO
    I mean, this guy can listen to whatever he wants. He generally has pretty good taste in music and I don't care what he listens to it on. It doesn't affect/bother me either way. I just thought it was interesting that he said what he said. (not that this was anything new that audiophiles don't already know)

    AND another thing about him - he refuses to "steal music" by downloading (unless he pays for it). Even if there's something completely out of print, he won't download it because he considers it unfair to the artist. Although, he won't actually subscribe to music services either...he prefers the free options. :shrug:He also claims to not use pop-up/ad blockers on his computer for YouTube because "if the ads don't get watched, the companies providing him free content will go out of business." Again...:shrug: The guy has ethics at least.
     
    dynamicalories likes this.
  14. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member

    No, gotta be more derogatory. Ear-plug? Wax-hole? Deaf-bud?
     
    Grant likes this.
  15. gregr

    gregr Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    I don't know. I'm really loving the robotic-vegetable vibe of 'Plantronics'. :angel:
     
    starduster likes this.
  16. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member

    Hmm. Good concept...but it just doesn't hammer the way I'd want...let's work on it.
     
  17. Mr Bass

    Mr Bass Chevelle Ma Belle

    Location:
    Mid Atlantic
    There are socially approved ways of spending money. To buy a bunch of extra stuff on a car for $10k elicits admiration while spending $10k on audio elicits derision. The most scoffing I got was in the 90s and early oughts when I was caught with a record or mentioned that I listened to vinyl. The odd thing is that almost everyone can immediately hear the difference of good and bad audio when presented with it. However, the social norms take over and they say "well it sounds good but I wouldn't spend the money for that."
     
    Gumboo, davidb1, Slick Willie and 2 others like this.
  18. Archtop

    Archtop Soft Dead Crimson Cow

    Location:
    Greater Boston, MA
    I do think that's it's important to make a distinction between audiophile and music lover. Not all music lovers are audiophiles, and I would wager that most audiophiles are music lovers, but there are degrees of what constitutes a music lover, as there are also degrees of what constitutes an audiophile. I'm a music lover, but not necessarily an audiophile, but I do appreciate sound quality and hold the music I like in high regard.
     
    impalaboy, sassi, RexKramer and 7 others like this.
  19. Schoolmaster Bones

    Schoolmaster Bones Poe's Lawyer

    Location:
    ‎The Midwest
    When I'm at work, I try to concentrate on doing my job.
     
    mooseman, mattdm11, The Bish and 16 others like this.
  20. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Yeah, they all say that.
     
  21. moops

    moops Senior Member

    Location:
    Geebung, Australia
    Did you try explaining how fatigued your poor ears get though ?
    Man the nerve of that guy, actually enjoying music and not obsessing over sound quality.
    Let me guess ..... he puts his bike inner-tubes actually on his bike and not under his hi-fi ?
    He is clueless !
     
    Dudley Morris, timind, Ash76 and 4 others like this.
  22. nbakid2000

    nbakid2000 On Indie's Cutting Edge Thread Starter

    Location:
    Springfield, MO
    [​IMG]
     
    Moonbeam Skies, longaway and moops like this.
  23. moops

    moops Senior Member

    Location:
    Geebung, Australia
    Sorry ........ didn't mean to be too harsh, just having a laugh.
     
  24. nbakid2000

    nbakid2000 On Indie's Cutting Edge Thread Starter

    Location:
    Springfield, MO
    doesn't exist. :p
     
  25. vinyldreams

    vinyldreams Forum Resident

    Location:
    Main St.
    OT: is the SQ on the laptop much better than an ipod?
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine