Do you think high end audio is no longer as appreciated as it used to be? Is the average audiophile older than in the past? Why do you think this might be?
gofar99 Messages: 1906 Registered: May 2010 Location: Southern Arizona
Illuminati (5th Degree)
Hi, Yes and no. Truly high end audio was probably only a small fraction of audio in the first place. It has always been costly and that automatically removes it from the main stream of audio. By high end audio I figure it relates to the to 5% or so of systems. Mid range audio is alive and well and meets the needs of a vast majority of individuals. I figure most home theater systems fit here. The bottom end is thriving as well. MP3 and similar formats on portable devices are common. I believe that there really was no bottom end in the early days as there was no media for it that was affordable. What do I personally figure is high end.... anything that puts superiority of function over cost. It does not necessarily have to be expensive, but because of the search for excellence it generally is. It is true that some exceptions exist and indeed many costly components are not really high end, just high cost. One perspective that makes it seem like high end is dwindling is that the number of retail venders is lower. I suspect this is a marketing problem. It would (does) cost a fortune to stock a store full of high end gear now. The way around it is direct marketing and retail stores having only a limited stock but requisitioning items as needed.
Last fall I went to the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest in Denver. The entire conference hotel was full of high end stuff. The exhibitors didn't think there was any decline in demand and most were indicating an increase. So all in all I figure it isn't going away, it is just not as conspicuous as it used to be.
Bruce is more in touch with this issue than I am, but I have also noticed that store stock is no longer as high end as it used to be. A friend of mine who is into high end audio says he has to order most things online now.
I have found this true myself. I find it very hard to go to any store, even in most bigger cities, and find the high end gear I am looking for. Most of my purchases are online.
I listen to a lot of classical and jazz - not so much pop/rock/etc. However, if you primarly listen to the latter types of music, the author makes some relevant points.
A link to the Dynamic Range Database to illustrate the Loudness War effects on most popular non-classical music:
Basic store stock is not going to be high end in my opinion. It's just like any other product out there in that the quantity of sales is more important than the quality of the product. If you want quality product, you need to seek out quality, mom and pop type operations.
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