Why Don't More People Love Audio?

Easy answer, have you read the cable threads lately?

Per Albert's July entry, I went back and read the "July" posts, and I must say, I think some folks are 'overthinking' this subject!

When folks in our Western (or Western-ized) culture have discretionary time-and-money (not already reserved for other things -- including savings and/or philanthropy) they usually spend it on some kind of EXPERIENCE which they find STIMULATING.

"Stimulation" is for humans what sunlight is for plants: it leads to experience(s) that make us grow. And as we all know, living things will grow (and CHANGE!) -- because things that don't grow and change are usually dead!

The reason I became enthralled with high fidelity audio reproduction (about 60 years ago,) was because I was just blown away (stimulated!) by the experience of hearing a (seemingly) live performance without any performers! I realized how the wealthy and privileged (before technology) lived when they alone could have music or other live entertainment literally "on demand"!

I realized that with the "right" equipment, I could have the entire world of performance right there in my home. I was totally consumed by that particular form of stimulation; and the amazing personal growth it provided me, almost as an afterthought!

The thing is, when I tried to share my enthusiasm with others (after the smoke-filled 60's that is!) I was not finding many kindred spirits. And I too wondered "Why Don't more People Love Audio?" When I "forced the question" on certain friends, artists and others whose perception I trusted, I was basically told that although they were charmed and excited by MY enthusiasm, that they didn't find it STIMULATING enough to THEM, and would never put that much time/money/effort into creating an audio system like mine -- although they were VERY grateful for being able to bring a record or CD over to my house to listen to on my system from time to time!!

And I think if you will take a minute and reflect on your closest, most interesting or exciting friends who DON'T have even a modest playback system -- maybe a Bose? -- you will probably realize (if they REALLY are interesting and exciting!) that they are crazy/passionate about something else that they find endlessly stimulating! Maybe something you never even noticed, because you were trying so desperately to get them interested in your audio system!

Yes, music is a "universal language." But high fidelity music REPRODUCTION is NOT a universal language, and only a small percentage of the population finds it particularly stimulating -- which is why more people don't love audio ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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Insight from a retired Musician/Teacher/Audio restorer?  Most people (over the age of 40 or so now, more than ever) have never been TAUGHT to listen critically.  Don't believe me?  Here's a non "My Brand's awesome and yours is pathetic" analogy:  Old analog lines were hum prone, and (depending on moisture and changing ground potential issues/atmospheric conditions) could have static or some low level buzz.  But you heard EVERY WORD in spite of it.  (Similar cases have been made about vinyl surface noise or tape hiss as well.)  Now think about the massively "detail" destroying compression algorithms and noise gates on Cell Phones.  (I won't even go into texting......it turns out we've gone backwards there as well.....)  I get the first and last words of sentences obliterated (both directions) constantly.  We've been trained to NOT listen.  We've been conditioned to accept what we're given, and we think it's AWESOME.  (It ain't.  Drop all the games and tomfoolery and give me a frikkin' phone that doesn't sound like a party line from the Pleiades, please.)  Off soapbox.  If I sound old, I am.  But I remember seeing Soylent Green when I was about thirteen.  I ain't going that quietly, lol....

In Music programs (Public, Private, Parochial, it doesn't really matter, but if you're interested, the Parochial fared the best, and I take no pleasure in saying it, because those gigs are the ones that pay the most execrably) kids can't be bothered with learning how to listen (both to themselves and to the group) critically anymore.  I have a small number who TRY and who GET IT.  They get annoyed by the "too bored to care" crowd and retention levels drop.  I tried to pitch towards the one's who "got it" but the other environmental "chaos generators" made it increasingly impossible.  Anything past that gets seriously OT.  But things (with respect to High Fidelity) are like they are for a reason.  Frederick Fennell taught two or three generations of Youth what was what.  And now, very few (if any) have any idea who he was or why they should care.  The guy whom Reagan quoted about gamers being the fighter pilots of tomorrow came out and said "oops, I was wrong".  It's contained in a Frontline series (regarding Education) and that subsection was called "Distracted By Everything".  Multitasking is a post modern myth.  One is great, two is doable and more than that are varying levels of "unremarkable".  Studying (reading/performing/interpreting) Music is one of the VERY few things that swings that needle back in the direction we'd all like to see it go.  (Kinesthetic learning is one area of research that bears this out....)  Off soapbox.  Sorry.....

Wow, this is a great thread and an astonishing read.
Everything in here is factual. To add my pennies worth 18 years after the inception of this thread I may be a little late in the game. FWIW here are my experiences. I started my audiophile journey in my early 20s with the best I could afford. Akai, Sony, Pioneer, Yamaha, Adcom, B&K, Krell, and culminating with Lexicon. Along with the electronics speaker upgrades were a natural companion such as RS, Fisher, Boss 901, Polk etc finishing with B&W. My early stereo days lost their way and ended up in HT. I was satisfied. I remember distinctly before HT going to friends and LISTENING to albums and enjoying it. After HT, we were all tuned in, it was a concert feast at concert levels. Social interaction declined to just kicking back together since any kind of comment could not be heard. It was fun but missing something. As I was the oldest I retired and had more time to just relax and listen. And I did just that. And as I did just that on my satisfactory HT I exponentially felt that what I thought was great sounding was no longer satisfying. HT was missing someting. Never having experienced the Tube sound I saved and purchased a integrated tube. Wow what a incredible ear opener that was. I again LISTEN to the music. With time on my hands I sit alone, just me and my system and I hear and feel all the nuance, inflection and mood of the artist (s), instruments and band interaction. I regained my audiophile concience lost to HT. My friends come over and proclaim the tube sound superior but soon are tired of just LISTENING and up come the concert DVD with all the sensory input and volume levels at the expense of audio quality and it’s purity. HT on the best equipment made cannot equal the joy of musical reproduction in a properly set up HE stereo system and environment. Visits for just LISTENING as before HT are non existent. Such is the lot of the audiophile. Alone with the music......... and it’s all good.