Any Young Audiophiles Out There?

Hens, Hanaleimike,

I had no idea about high end audio until my dad brought me to Quintessence Audio in Morton Grove IL. I was 15 at the time and as soon as I saw the amazing tubes and wonderful speakers I was hooked for life. 10 years later my wife Ania and I started Nawrocka Distribution. Yes I am 26 and my wife is 25. We represent some of the finest Audio products in North American and I can honestly say I would have never started my own business in audio if it wasn't for my dad bring me to a high end audio store. My wife and I relax most weekends and through in our favorite CD and just listen for hours with the lights out. I think the key is not having a TV in our front room. All you have is the stereo.

Cole & Ania Hatfield
Nawrocka Distribution

first audiophile system by 16, (magnepans to a jolida tube amp), 26 now.... two audiophile systems, enough in the closet for at least 1-2 more systems, enough cables for 5 more systems....

hmm... I need to clean out the closet!

I delivered newspapers and mowed lawns in elementary and junior high school to buy my first Technics receiver and Infinity Qa speakers, which I upgraded to an SME tonearm, Grado Signature cartridge, Hafler amps and Magneplanars by the time I was 15.

30 years later, I still treasure every spare minute I can find to read, study or experiment with the 4 systems and spare components now in my house, and still love to discover some new music or revisit favourite old music.

I may be wrong, but my sense is if I grew up listening mostly to hip hop and/or the Jonas Brothers none of this would have ever happened.

No, I think the hobby is thriving. As you stated, most of the guys in their late teens or early twenties are not as financially established. But they are into it alright. You just need to find the right crowd. :-)

Most of them are over at Head-Fi.org. And people get together often where they live. I participated in a few gatherings a few years back. They get pretty serious too. The crowd ranges from teenagers to old folky. And they enjoy comparing headphones, amps, different sources and cables. So it's encouraging. For the money, you can't beat what you can get out of a pair of good headphones. (But I still prefer listening to speakers)

I started with my first system when I was 22.

FrankC

FrankC makes a really important observation regarding headphone listening. I honestly believe that this is where the younger generation can really get an opportunity to sample better sound. A relatively inexpensive upgrade to a half-decent pair of Senns, Grados or in-ear monitors and a person will quickly understand just how bad the stock ear buds have made their music sound. This is the first step and it is not a huge step from this to wanting their music to sound as good at home as it does through their 'phones and looking to upgrade from treble screeching computer speakers.

I'm encouraged by how many younger kids I see with decent headphones on their iPods and equally I'm amazed by how many of the older generations (40+) I see wondering around with the stock ear buds - I can't help shaking my head and wondering about these people having no idea what they are missing.