During this 45-minute conversation with the Audio Insider's Lenny Florentine, AudioQuest founder and CEO William E. Low shares his distinctly informed perspective on music, sound, and the pleasures, pains, and various quirks of being a lifelong audiophile.
He begins by noting his relationship with music and its role as "the world's most popular recreational drug" and lands firmly on the importance of immersion: "Everything about hi-fi is only relevant to the extent that it facilitates immersion."
From there, Bill contemplates his own specific tendencies and audiophiles' general tendencies toward hedonism: "[Audiophilia] is hugely fun," he states simply. "It's not a higher moral ground."
And, while examining the audiophile life, Bill tackles common myths about the pursuit and appreciation of better sound, strongly disagreeing with the idea that one must have studied classical music or be intimately familiar with the sound of acoustic instruments in a live setting to truly enjoy a good hi-fi system: "You hear live sound all the time," he reminds us. "You are seduced by some type of sound all the time."
Noting the importance of emotional vulnerability, Bill weighs the various ways in which listeners can relate to their hi-fis: Is the hi-fi's job to bring the musicians into our home, to transport the listener to the performance or recording venue, or to ensure that the music itself is delivered and communicated in such a way that the listener can be moved by the music?
He summarizes: "Do I care or do I not care? Am I involved or am I not involved?" And then continues: "Maturity is significantly learning to suppress our ability to be vulnerable, to live in the moment. And, yet, if you're not vulnerable, then music doesn't matter."
Bill then extends that thought from the listening room to the dealer showroom: "If a store doesn't have an environment that's emotionally comfortable enough, and there's a salesperson who stands up while doing their demo... then all these things just suppress emotional vulnerability" and music and the system's ability to impact the music becomes less significant because the listener is not emotionally involved.
"It's all about emotional vulnerability and immersion," Bill explains. "And then there are many, many aspects to contribute to that being a successful process, most of which are not the hi-fi itself..."
Finally, Bill offers some advice for anyone looking to build their first system: "Find a retailer who you believe you're establishing empathy with who will make themselves responsible for your happiness... It is not the product that matters. It is the relationship and the experience and whether the dealer will make you happy."
It's a great conversation. As the Audio Insider puts it, "From the golden age of radio to today’s streaming culture, Bill reflects on how generations fall in love with music, why audiophiles chase the frontier of better sound, and how meaningful listening begins with empathy and intent — not specs or status. This one is part philosophy, part hi-fi wisdom, and fully human."
Watch the complete interview below.
