Had I not found this forum, I would have said that DIY sound systems are a thing of the past. I found that this is not true. I am wondering how many of you are old timers or millennials? Just curious.
Wayne Parham Messages: 18793 Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)
I would have said the same thing about hotrod cars in the 1990s. Building motors and modifying cars to increase performance was really popular in the 1950s and 1960s. But by the 1980s it wasn't so popular and the hobby seemed nearly dead in the 1990s. But I've seen a huge resurgence in the 2000s and 2010s.
Same with hifi. It even tracks the same years. Seems like the "golden years" were the 1950s and 1960s but by the 1980s, high-end audio seemed dead. Some blamed the rush to digital and the convenience of portable devices. But looking around me, I see vinyl coming back in a big way. I see lots of people interested in quality sound for hifi and home theater.
And they come in all age groups too. I've been to dozens of trade shows and I can tell you for sure the millennials are highly represented. It's not just baby-boomers and gen-Xers in the market for good sound. It's everyone that can afford it.
I think that's really the limiting factor: Cost. It isn't so much an age thing as it is a money thing. And here again, it's just like hotrod cars. Kids love fast cars, but they can't afford to build 'em the way a 30-something with a good job can. An affluent 40-year-old or 50-year-old can afford a Porsche and a high-end sound system for their nice home. A twenty-something straight out of college really can't. But wait a few years until they land that good job and they're able to enjoy some of these things.
I have to agree that it's usually a matter of not having the money to do the things we want to do when it comes to audio, so it looks like millennials aren't very interested in great sound when they are.
Everyone who loves music obviously wants to experience it from the best system possible, but most have to make do with whatever they can afford.
gofar99 Messages: 1955 Registered: May 2010 Location: Southern Arizona
Illuminati (5th Degree)
Hi, Yes cost for sure, but also the incentives seem to be gone. You can now get pretty good gear for a fraction of what similar sound quality stuff was back in the DIY heydays. Worse, the sources for components are far fewer now. Even about 3 years ago there were three Radio Shack stores in our small town. At one time even a get this...Lafayette Radio store. Now there are none and the nearest parts place is 75 miles away and it is marginal for stock. All the delivery folks know the way to my door now as ordering from remote sources is the only way to get components. To be sure if there was a market there would be more suppliers, so I guess we go back to cost and incentive as the drivers.
Perfect Storm Messages: 31 Registered: December 2017
Baron
I agree cost is probably the largest factor. But gofar99 makes another excellent point as well, there just isn't as much incentive for it these days. However, there will always be enthusiasts who will keep it alive.
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