Why do all audio forums on the internet seem "dead" ?

geoffkait, I do like your state in preamps. Wish I could get a listen to the DartZeel.

Audiophile forums and our hobby have not been the same since the market crash and soft economic recovery. It hardly takes Janet Yellen to predict sluggish high-end audio sales or a lack of exuberance in participation, because we don’t fit neatly into a standard luxury product model.

Audio rags have pretty much served their purpose and seen their lime light and now the scattered intellect of the web has our members more divided than ever. More/better informed? That could be debatable.

Exasperated locally by the subsequent sale and restructuring of A’gon also imo left a lot of folks less enthusiastic about sharing in the experience. And yes, on the whole, the dominant segment of audiophiles with deep pockets are growing older fast, and more cautious as well.

It takes a confluence of favorable conditions to create the robust specialized market we once enjoyed. The shear volume of high-end gear that was once available from day to day offered us a "kids in the candy store" situation which was rare and used sales fueled new sales and the overall enthusiasm. One might have thought it would never end...

geoffkait, you could again, be on to something here. Doing a very quick, very non-scientific study of my local audio group, the most stalwart, hardcore of the 300+ mailing list would probably fit neatly between JA's and your #, yet closer to yours. And I would agree that the market hit (2008) and continuing hangover, have left this hobby to waste for too many very logical reasons. Sad, but true. And we may well be the last remanent. 

doing the garden, digging the weeds
who could ask for more?

tomcy6, wouldn't do without 545+ pg. dissections of the latest pressings AND still like it here!

Happy Listening!

geoffkait, 3k is one man's preamp, another's total mid-fi budget, and yet another's mere upgrade, wouldn't you say?

Jayant, extremely, in my case! Extremely Hi-Fi.

Happy Listening!

Shandorne, you have painted a pretty bleak picture of a self inflicted wound which I don’t find so true. There is some of that but always, I hardly see it as the driving reason for a dwindling market. Rather I believe the economy not recovering for most since the crash has both the new and used product markets soft and reluctant when it comes to luxury goods. I don’t see anything like the quantity or variety of high quality, sought after, gear being listed here, like the days of past crash. And there is a whole lot of low balling or nothing going on with what is listed here. Many people apparently just don’t have the discretionary funds, and those who do are putting it on the market or, sitting pat IMHO. The boomers post crash, now have to look at their nest egg and market recuperation timing more closely. The boom days are gone.

I meant your "taste" in preamps geoffkait