What’s really hurting the audio hobby?


Maybe it’s the audio dealer experience? Where else can newbies go to get started in this hobby. Isn't that where most of you got hooked?  Let me describe my latest visit to an audio store nearby. I won’t use the store name here, as that’s not the point.  Where I live there is really only one audio store left. That’s strange because I live in a very wealthy community. The Friday after Independence day, me and a friend went to this local audio store.  First time back there in years. We are both looking to upgrade. They have 3 audio rooms and two home theater rooms. The hi-end audio room (the store’s term) was an impressive room with extensive acoustic treatments. Mostly McIntosh gear. Sitting in the listening chair, you are looking at 600 watt Mac monoblocks running some nice tower speakers. A massive JL Audio Gotham subwoofer unit sat front and center facing the only listening chair. The McIntosh turntable was spun first. Sloooowww. It took my friend less than five seconds to point out the TT was running slow. The salesman had started to play Pink Floyd-Wish You Were Here, and it was noticeably slow. So the salesman flipped the switch to 45 rpm. Yes, that happened. He figured out it was too fast all on his own. Fiddle and poke at the TT for a bit and then the salesman said- "I’ll let them know it’s broke". Then he said he would just stream some music from a server. Bass! All you could hear was bass, and NOT good bass. He turned the subs down a little when asked, but all you could hear was tubby, muddy bass. The big tower speakers were overpowered by the sub.  I really wanted to hear what the main speakers alone sounded like, but could not get the salesman to shut off the subs.  On to the mid-fi room (the store’s term). The salesman tried to play us two different turntables. Neither turntable worked. One would not power up, and one was not hooked up to a system at all. Let me point out we didn’t care what source they used. I did say we both run analog and digital sources. Nothing interesting in the mid-fi room the first time through. Next room (no name) was a wall of bookshelf and small towers run by a wide selection of integrated amps. Not bad sound from some. Again, we were told this is “streaming quality audio”. This was the third time he mentioned we were listening to streaming quality audio. I took a guess at what that meant and asked if we could hear higher quality audio. So he took us back to the mid-fi room. He popped in a CD.I could not tell what CD equipment was being used. I think a Rotel integrated was selected. Everything in the cabinet was black faced behind dark glass. Not sure what CD it was either, but since he only had one, I let it go.

Big change! The Paradigm towers were now making good sounds. A big difference from his “streaming quality” demo. Next we switched to a pair of GE Triton 1s. I seriously might get a pair! They make nice sounds. By far the best thing we heard. There was more that happened that contributed to a poor experience, but I will move on.

Here is my point- What would anyone new to the hobby think of that experience? It took two seasoned audio guys pushing the salesman for over an hour before he played anything worth listening to. Would you buy anything from this place. Would you send a newbie in there? Let me know if I'm off base in thinking these audio stores are killing themselves off by the way they do business. Or is it just my misfortune that I have not been in a good dealer showroom in years?

vinylfan62
It's "my friend and I".   I have a fairly good dealership near my home in the Phila suburbs. Luckily I found the right salesman and he helped me. I'm happy with my purchases. I think the bad experience the writer had is not that rare today.  Actually, I'm finding the marketing strategy of "volume selling" to be almost everywhere now; buying a car, a cell phone, or a knee replacement. Try to get someone to repair a clock these days. Oh well, all and all, audio life is still pretty good.  
Several comments in this thread seem to lament a supposed decline in high end audio but nothing could be further from the truth. The irony here is that in spite of a declining dealer base the luxury stereo business is booming. There are new brands being introduced into the US market almost monthly. Established brands are growing. Audio shows like AXPONA are getting bigger every year and more prolific (i.e. Tampa). The selection of new affordable gear has never been better. And to top it off, this is the golden age of attractively priced used equipment.

As young people settle down and want to listen to music at home they are putting down their iPods and buying modest stereos, including turntables. It's important to note that the boom in vinyl has mostly been from younger consumers. I think they mostly get into this through the example of their friends and word of mouth. In my youth I frequented a few audio stores that were patient and well run and I built a nice system over a couple decades. It looks like today's young people follow a different route but rumors of the death of high end audio have been greatly exaggerated.
Here in my town we had only one dealer left following the collapse of the Sony franchise here in the Midlands. That was until a couple of weeks ago, when all of a sudden they too were gone -without much of a fanfare or even a closing down sale.

Sure they were more of a fast food type of audio dealer, but now they’re gone.. nothing. Nothing except online stores and sites like this one. eBay and Amazon conquer all before them.

So, as they say if you can’t beat them, join them. Dealers may need more than ever to make sure their online trade remains competitive.

But how do you make the numbers work?


Simple logistics has hurt both the music industry and the HiFi retail landscape. The primary bankroll for both of these used to be plentiful.

What changed?

The methods of consumption and the mindset by this demographic that they shouldn’t have to pay for what they listen to. That mentality nearly bankrupted the major record labels, but there seems to be a move toward “pay for what you use” instead of the former assumed entitlements. 

The content also changed. This crucial demographic has moved to a completely different genre. With this, the requirements of sound system gear to reproduce this completely different genre have changed for the worse. Sound quality is not a concern of this crucial demographic. They are simply looking for the loudest bass and certain brand names. 

HiFi does not fit into the world of the demographic that used to demand sound quality. Because of this, our hobby has lost the unbridled ed enthusiasm it once was afforded. 
I agree with 8th-note in that there has never been a better time to be interested in this hobby. More choices as to sources, avenues of amplification, and speaker designs at all price levels. The avenues for acquiring the knowledge required have expanded. 

As to the change in percentage of the population that is interested in audio as a hobby, I am not sure.