I have to disagree with your disagree.
Hearing it and caring about it are two different animals. Everyone will hear it, it takes no skill to hear. All you need is ears. But only a very small percentage of the snootiest audiophiles will care.It also takes no skill to see, all you need is eyes, yet many with super zoom point and shoots can't readily "see" the superiority and advantages of high end cameras and lenses. They are perfectly satisfied with what they have. They don't "see" the softness at the edges, they don't "see" the barrel distortion, they don't "see" the CA. They don't "see" the effects of DOF or contrast changes. They don't see sharpness or subtle exposure issues. The don't see composition issues. They don't see these things until they become interested in taking the next step, and gain experience and learn what they're looking at. Audio is no different.
Since you use the word snootiest with regard to audio, I' have to assume you have never experienced multiple and extensive listening sessions with true high end systems, set up properly in an appropriately configured space with a properly set up listening position and top notch source material. Or perhaps, like point and shoot owners, you don't really care that much. But like photography its about experiencing and appreciating the subtle and not so subtle differences. I've heard owners of point and shoots use similar pejoratives describing those that own high end dSLR equipment.
In any discipline, true appreciation comes from passionate interest and education. One must learn to hear to really appreciate high end audio in the same way that one must learn to see to appreciate the advantages of top notch camera gear. Non aficionados generally do not appreciate the subtleties that make high end cameras equipment, high end wines, high end watches, or high end audio equipment, special. It is not snooty or elitist, I am very far from wealthy and my $25K audio system (relatively modest in true high end terms) was chosen over time and set up carefully based on 40 years of listening experience, not on a whim. i spent a few thousand more and months of experimentation and research setting up and tuning my system and listening room optimally. It all comes down to learning about, recognizing, and appreciating the subtle refinements that separate the run of the mill from the truly exceptional.
Photography is a relatively new experience for me as my equipment below indicates. Its a new passion, a new journey into education and enlightenment.
