moto_man,
From what I can see, kids ten years younger of his generation are not willing to spend anything on some audio equipment. Not even when given to them and installed in their room. No real interest there. They will not think twice about spending $1000 on a phone, though. This idea of "listening" to music is probably just some little short notch in the history. How long did it even last? Fifty years, maybe a little more? One generation or, at most, two. I am not talking all reproduction of music, but this idea of "finer" reproduction, whatever we decide to call it (hi-fi, HEA, anything else). As you said, it is dying with us.
If I may ask, how did you pick your moto_man name?