Our Responsibility


As my music system competes with fireworks in the background (4th of July, after 9 pm) I’ve been reflecting on John Darko’s recent post (linked below). Specifically this section:

"Being a hi-fi enthusiast isn’t about the gear we own, the music we listen to or in which format. It’s about how we listen: attentively and mindfully, to the music AND to others."

Perhaps the significance and import of this very special day in our national history has opened up a window within me, to explore this further.

I’m asking our community: What is it that we can do to share and expand our interest and hobby, and this special love of music, with others?

From Darko.Audio: https://darko.audio/2019/07/the-know-it-all-audiophile-threatens-community-expansion/
david_ten

Showing 2 responses by snapsc

Every hobby becomes YOUR hobby because something about it speaks to you in a way that gives you happiness and satisfaction.  The implication here is that if you never had the chance to hear a good system....or you did but someone did it in a way that was condescending, then it may not become YOUR hobby.

Usually, it up to an "industry trade association" to be supporting the manufacturers and stores in promoting that industry.  The closest the audio industry seems to come to is the various major shows around the country.

Darko suggested that "they/we/someone" needs to come up with a great system for less than $500 to help interest young people.  KEF, Audioengine, Klipsch and a few others are doing the best they can to make great sounding products at affordable prices available....but that doesn't answer the fundamental question....how to get people interested in the first place.

As a hobbyist, I think the best we can do is to gently encourage friends, relatives, associates to listen to our systems and if they seem mildly interested...point them in the direction of good sounding budget systems....and if they actually buy one and get the bug...then upgrades down the road will probably happen to them as has happened to most of us.

And....if you live in an area where one of the major audio shows occurs, bring a non audio friend and they might be really surprised by what they hear and decide that they should get their own system...and you can help them with guidance so that can get something that sound reasonably good with the budget they want to start with.
@bigkidz

+1

I have two boys....both grew up with music, good gear and great sound.  At this point, one has more money invested in guitars and guitar amps than I have in my home system.  The other plays acoustic but not electric.

Both....love music, have much larger music collections than I do, and could care less about gear, sound quality, or devoting time to "just listening".  BUT...they listen to tons of music...while they are doing other things and almost always by ear buds.


Some things in life are "push"....others are "pull".

If audio enthusiast also means music enthusiast...then the hobby is alive and well...but if it actually means gear and sound quality enthusiast...then most young people are not into that (which could change after they themselves retire in 30-40 years)....so getting people of any age interested sooner rather than later will be a "pull" event....in other words, exposing those around you to good sound in a casual (not push) way and if they end up interested...guiding them as to how to get started easily and inexpensively.