The Future of HiFI?

More options than ever these days for delivering decent sounding music. No reason to ban consoles if that’s what one needs or wants.

If we do ban consoles lets also ban designer fuses. Consoles look better and are way better values!

Were one to solely rely on Audiogon these days as their only source of information on "hifi", I’d venture to say that person is missing out on a lot.

Of course now who would be foolish enough to do that?

Elizabeth,
They were certainly a poor compromise, but at least they got many of us interested in better music reproduction. These are pretty expensive though...

I'm sure they will pass the wife-acceptance-test for those who are married.

I could see consoles having appeal to minimalists and those that have small living spaces. 

It will not be long and Audiogon will have a category just for them

It has to be said- nice furniture will never go out of style.  The main question is how to configure a well designed set of components in and around it.  The speakers would HAVE to be separate, but they "could be wireless" with the right technology.  But servers are already console ready, as are amplifiers/preamplifiers. Maybe a quiet fan just in case. Back in ancient times, my folks bought the (empty) furniture and we got a Fisher "stereo compact" (AM/FM receiver with a turntable inserted in the top). When we played music I (insisted!) took the Fisher speakers (10in. 2-ways) out and placed them on the carpet in front
of the cabinet. The turntable was awful (a BSR) but the "system" sounded really good on everything (thank you, vinyl).  I had wanted a Harman Kardon compact because it had a Dual 1229 but it was $250 more so the old man said "no"... But it kept me very happy throughout high school, and we started filling up the house with records. My dad brought home a Brubeck album early on and I must have played it a hundred times (My Favorite Things- I still have it of course).  BTW, my mom loved to polish the cabinet with Pledge so she was happy, too.