Source quality, for the listener, has never been better. Streaming pretty much makes CD quality ubiquitous and many systems are capable of delivering more. Analog is there for those who have or are curious to try those media. Considering the source limitations of a generation ago, a worldwide streaming capability at CD quality was unthinkable at a consumer level. Even in analog, the equipment selection is an order of magnitude greater than when I bought my first (modest, college student) turntable. The web has delivered a range of gear no brick and mortar-based market ever could. Asia has become an innovative and increasingly prosperous market for every kind of gear which in turn has made many new products available for very reasonable prices everywhere. These are the best of times in audio.
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@rok2id You are right The high end is rather, uh, high-priced. The NYT noted a system at an audio show in 1975 that cost over 6 grand, and noted that the entry point for audiophile listening had crossed the Rubicon of 2 grand. In 2023 dollars, that would be nearly 35000 for high end and close to 12 grand for entry tier gear. That is pretty much the same as today. But in other electronic segments, from televisions to tablets, prices have dropped with innovation. I agree with some here that the ultra high end systems, costing 75-100K plus get outsized attention at shows, just like the Lamborghinis and Rolls Royces at car shows, but that is bling culture at work. Two forces are churning. Income inequality has produced a larger class of multimillion- and billionaires for whom price is no object. But, even though the more-money-than-sense crowd is bigger than ever, the thick end of that market, the nouveau riche, is interested in installing a movie theater in their house, not a concert hall. The vast majority of sales of the top spec'd equipment is to enthusiasts, who are stretching every dollar because they are obsessed with ultimate sound. No doubt, the internet has made it easier for ambitious engineers to connect with those serious audiophiles, and niche markets command premium prices. What amazes me is how many smart gear designers charge prices that are not low, but nowhere near premium priced, heavily advertised and reviewed brands. I recently auditioned an amplifier pair that is easily as good as any I have ever heard. In the designer's house, no less. The price is at the very top end of what I can save for, but a third of what it would cost from the top nameplates. Like a fine restaurant, they build to order. |
@simao I would agree with you that convenience is more valued than fidelity, but there is nothing really different about the current generation, as @roadcykler pointed out. I listened to FM (and AM) on lo fi car radios and table top sets and "transistors," and listened to records on my family's console hi fi when I was a teen. As I began to develop more appreciation for the music, and production became more sophisticated, I climbed the audiophile ladder. Nowadays, the kids enter music via MP3s, "curated" stations, wretched earbuds, and yes, the radio, which is still the dominant way that people get their music fix. It's no worse, in many ways better, than what I had. And a small but significant number will graduate to better sound. It reminds me, as a photographer, of when people complain the cell phone is killing cameras, even photography itself. Over my lifetime, and before, it was claimed that the Brownie, the Instamatic, the point and shoot, and even the original 35 mm film camera were going to overshadow serious photography. They are all gone or dwindling, and the stand alone dedicated camera chugs on. There have always been lots of snapshots, and a lot of very enjoyable listening of not the highest fidelity, and there is nothing wrong with either, but in the end, they have little effect on the serious enthusiast's experience. |
Very interesting subject. My kids, 23 and 26 yo, have zero interest in my system. Too bulky, too much of everything. This is despite probably a 50k investment over the years (system, LPs, and CDs). Neither want it. Too much work. We own a 2nd house that my daughter lives in while going to school. It is like pulling teeth to get her or her boyfriend to mow the yard. Just a different mentality now a days. I suspect this lack of enthusiasm rolls down hill. However, I suspect there will always be a niche. That niche can not just support high end users. The market would collapse. One can't say that all high end audio equipment is out of reach for the common man. Look at Schiit. Great product, great price point. I think there will always be options available but maybe not as many as previously. |
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