Why are "low hours" a consideration?


I've noticed a lot of people selling items here that have "low hours", for both speakers and amplifiers. Does the sound gradually get worse over time? I haven't noticed with mine, but if it's gradual I guess I wouldn't. If I am going to spend a lot of money on a system, I would expect that if I take good care of it it should sound just as excellent years from now, and I certainly hope I shouldn't need to keep track of how many "hours" I've played it. Am I wrong in thinking this?
eerae
You guys are all wrong! "Low hours" means that the cartridge, amp, speakers, resonating bowls were only used when the the sun was at it's lowest point in the sky. The Anasazi started this practice.
As we all know, it gets hot in the southwest. The ancients NEVER played their stereos (CDs as well as LPs) in the hot sun. They only broke out the tunes when the sun went down- or at "low hours".
The ancients knew what they were doing.
And never, NEVER did they allow Lassie to change a record, clean a record, or use the yellow snow to clean a CD.
Study your history audiophiles!
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You very rarely see someone say "The cartridge has about 300 hours on it." What is so terrible about that??

That would be like 10% of the cartridge's life span??

Still seems like low hours to me...
'One careful owner', shouldn't all owners be careful?

My dogs likes music, but do not know how to change a cd (shame), they also do not smoke, well not that I have ever noticed.
Marty,
Reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw in organic, Eugene, Oygun.
Old, rusty, smoking, noisy, beat up Datsun stopped for me as I crossed the street. It was so dirty and smokey, I had to take a second look as it went down the street. Underneath the dirt, on what must have been a bumper, I could barely make out a bumper sticker: "My other car is a piece of shit, too!"

"Mint"
"Low hours"
"Barely used"

It's all good...