Why Don't More People Love Audio?

I find this thread and the contributions so far fascinating. If someone where to call the audiophilic preoccupation with music and equipment IMPOVERISHING and NERVE-WRACKING, an average audiophile would probably resist. But I would like to insist that music lovers should be more cautious of high-end audio. The ability to enjoy the faithful reproduction (or is it, making present) of musical creations is anything but ann innocent pleasure, since it can gradually undermine and destroy the talent for being a fundamentally strong and profound musician and composer--that is to say, a musical person´s natural genius. As for myself, whenever I purchase another high-end component, I hear a voice inside myself cry out to me: "you don´t have to buy such an expensive, luxury product any longer; others can do that just as well!" What voice is this? This voice also tells me at times exactly how much or how little this new, intricate, advanced testament of the modern electronics industry is worth. Others can put these components just as well! And many could do it better! And those who could do it best--more talented, richer minds than myself--perhaps would not even be able to compose a worthwhile song for themselves given the amount of time and energy that they have invested in the reproduction of the music of others. Musicians and composers beware!

I'm not sure I understand your point, but I think I'm in the clear to buy whatever high-end gear I want since I have no talent for composing or performing music myself, so the purchase of an expensive luxury product of this ilk will not undermine any natural talent of mine, nor rob the world of any inherent musical genius. This is quite a relief, actually, as I've been eyeing the new Sony DVP-S9000ES pretty closely.......

Maybe (I hope) I am wrong. But here is the idea stripped down to its basics (for classical literature students, at least): High-end reproduction is the modern "song of the sirens." Every audiophile is Odysseus. Good sailing with your DVP-S9000ES...

I have to agree with Jsbail. Alot of people do think Bose makes the best. Hell when I started to build on my system my friends wife who is a assistant manager at the Bose outlet told me to come in and she'd hook me up. But I know the truth about Bose and it doesn't come close to what I have. Also many people are into HT, which I do both, it is expensive but I enjoy it. Many are not willing to spend the money on both or one.

As a long-time audiophile, music lover, and teacher of a class in jazz appreciation, I despair of the musical taste of much of today's younger generation of listeners. At the risk of offending some of you, too many younger adults (read: under 35) have been raised on a steady diet of music that is often mediocre at best. To make matters worse, the quality of the reproduced sound is sometimes execrable, and the popularity of MP3 suggests it is not going to get any better. Top all of this off with the decline in liberal arts education -- specifically music -- in the schools, and you are left with what Steve Allen calls a "dumbed down" American society. When you get used to crap, it shouldn't surprise anyone that high end audio is shrinking as a hobby.