Why Don't More People Love Audio?

Why don't more people build their own custom computers, slap gigantic heatsinks on the processors, and then tweak the bios settings to make the processor run 1000Mhz faster than it is rated for? You can you know!

Why don't more people enjoy fine wine, or jazz or classical music?

You've asked a question that is almost impossible to answer, but I would speculate as follows.

I. High-information costs

The costs of acquiring, processing, and using information related to component selection are high. It is easy to compare a Pioneer Elite Plasma display to a Sony LCD. It is not so easy to compare two preamps.

II. Lack of awareness

A lot of people don't know this stuff exists.

III. Price

Most people can't afford, or don't want to spend that much.

I think part of the problem with the hobby is that people spend too much time on the gear and not enough time on the actual listening experience and the music.

If you really want to impress someone with your system, put something on that they like and that you know sounds good. When I want to really show off I put Bob Marley's Legend on. I once had a party in a dorm room and I put that album on my B&W speakers and I got compliments on the sound by college girls, of all people. Make your own demo CD for when friends come over.

The problem is that there aren't many compact discs that can hold up under the scrutiny of a high end system without some very sophisticated filtering or upsampling. Not recordings, compact discs. I did not realize this until I heard some of the dCS upsampling gear, which upsamples to DSD and remedies a lot of bad CDs.

If you want to impress the uninitiated, you need a system that you can play really, really loud without becoming distorted or irritating. I think as audiophiles we take for granted the ability to reproduce music accurately at high volume levels, but this is one of the main areas where an audiophile grade system will just kill an off the shelf bose or iPod. Find some music that sounds good really loud and play it.

I don't think it is unreasonable to want share the audio hobby with others, or at least to have the time and effort you put into building a system acknowledged by friends.

In my experience, however, most people even after hearing an awesome system don't even inquire about it. On the other hand, I have had a delivery driver from a chinese restaurant practically force his way into my apartment because he caught a glimpse of my speakers and just had to find out more.

There are so many barriers to entry to this hobby that it is amazing there are as many audio products as there are.

here is a simple answer:

in order to enjoy the sound of your favorite music, you only need a rudimentary personal audio system.

there is no need to acquire components to enjoy one's music.

thus, if you can listen to music on a "boom box" and enjoy it, why consider the time, money and emotion to get involved with audio equipment ?

There are many passions that engage people. Why don't you collect old sewing machines or spend time on blogs?

I think we can break music lovers down into a number of groups. I don't know how many, but I'll figure that out as I type, hopefully it will make sense once I'm through. I feel there's a finite number of people that are predisposed to become audiophiles. Now whether or not that happens is based a couple of factors. Some may just have an innate desire to pursue possess music in its ultimate form, be it going to as many concerts as possible, or having the best audio gear (money permitting) at home, on the road etc. I believe some of these people need an external factor to prod, suggest, coax, entice, or in some cases enrapture them to go in the right direction. Therefore, they are dependent on their environment, and their audiophilia may rest dormant throughout their lives. Then there are those that i consider absolute audiophiles, who were destined to be. They probably can't remember themselves as ever not being. They always wanted their music to sound the best. They may probably think someone or something influenced them, but it was always the good music in its purest obtainable form in their lives.
Outside of this group, I feel there is another group within the audiophile realm who are audiophiles simply because they demand the finest and want the best experience in different realms in life. I feel I fall into that category, no one got me into this hobby/lifestyle/religion?/money pit, I just wanted a better pair of computer speakers, got klipsch promedias, wanted better headphones went from logitech xxxx to sennheiser hd 580's, found out they could run better, got headphone amp, Got B$W speakers, got Pioneer receiver, sold it got Rotel amp, got preamp, got cd player, will sell x, will get DAC, plan to sell amp,......As time went on and things sounded better I began to love music more than I thought I could, or was permissible...WOW.
Now there are people who probably love music more than I do (If that's possible, but only need to hear it to love it,...SIMPLE. They will love yours when they hear it, but they don't necessarily need to hear it that way all the time for it so sound complete thereafter.

What we should be worried about are those who have that innate audiophile locked up in them, who will eventually pass through this life without unlocking it, and finally expire. They need the external stimuli, which is becoming less and less available in this day and age, like many have pointed out here.

Another question is, are the numbers of those predisposed to turn into audiophiles, given the right stimuli or spark, dwindling? We can never test that. We cannot force others to be. What is blatantly obvious is that the lack of exposure of kids to more accomplished forms of music, be it in performance or reproduction, and the non-existence of a prominent culture of accepted audiophilia will only further serve to reduce our numbers

there is a disnction between music and sound. music is everywhere, varying in sound quality. enjoying music does not require an expensive stereo system. many forget that people enjoyed music via the most basic , i.e., low fidelity media, in the past and perhaps in the present.

you will not convince them that you enjoy your music because you have an expensive stereo. the same people may not enjoy their music more on your expesnive stereo system, although they may admit that your stereo system sounds better than their "personal stereo" purchased for say, 200 at best buy or circuit city.

in order to engender audiophilia, one must losee all elitist attitudes that one can't enjoy music on a poor sounding stereo system. do not be supercilious when relating to people who use i pods or walkman devices.

exposure is the best that one can do. lead the horse to water. if the horse wants to pursue the hobby, encourage the horse but don't criticize.

above all, realize the distinction between enjoying musical content and the "sound" of the music. they are separate issues for most people.