Has the cost of HiFi gotten a bit too much?

Hi-fi products have not really risen more in price, there has simply been a general collapse in the normal midrange segment of high end audio. Now all new hifi companies are either doing direct sales cheaper products like DAC’s and headphones, USB e.t.c or they are doing 20-30k SOTA amps and speakers. There is less and less in between.

The high priced SOTA stuff has always been there, and always been priced like that. It just seems that’s where the focus is. This is a striver class Baby Boomer hobby and the industry is now catering to retiring boomers spending their pension funds. A similar thing is occurring in other Baby Boomer hobbies like classic cars from the 60-70’s.

 i think you are right...

Hi-fi products have not really risen more in price, there has simply been a general collapse in the normal midrange segment of high end audio. Now all new hifi companies are either doing direct sales cheaper products like DAC’s and headphones, USB e.t.c or they are doing 20-30k SOTA amps and speakers. There is less and less in between.

The high priced SOTA stuff has always been there, and always been priced like that. It just seems that’s where the focus is. This is a striver class Baby Boomer hobby and the industry is now catering to retiring boomers spending their pension funds. A similar thing is occurring in other Baby Boomer hobbies like classic cars from the 60-70’s.

@agisthos

You may be right about new hifi brands-- I'm most certainly no expert. You neglect to  define what you mean by "normal" but it is still possible to buy gear from established companies (Marantz, Creek, Rega, Cambridge, for example) that is better than "consumer audio" but is not ultra expensive like Boulder, Gryphon, etc. 

My eight year old Marantz integrated cost me $2500.
My three year old Kinki integrated cost me $2000
My brand new Technics integrated cost me $2700, and it's lightyears ahead in tech
and features and bests both by more than a margin. 

Manufacturers are always aware of demographics and keep gear priced accordingly so I'd say that the price has not gotten out of hand, unless one is envious of and covets what others have and just can't afford it, for reasons they should discard. Be the fox with the sour grapes and enjoy what you have. 👍

All the best,
Nonoise

@mahgister 

First: i know someone of my age that never owned a computer and trust only official TV news...

He is so lost about anything that it is impossible to discuss with him about what occur in the world... He cannot BELIEVE anything because the reality is so much incredible, that the sanitized version of event and the superficial one ONLY appear rational and not too frigthening for him... I understand that myself because what i learned is so disturbing even for me...

I know couple of people like this too.

One of them seems to be stuck in the 1980s, albeit an informed 1980s, but in the face of all this bewildering change his main response has been a deep longing for nostalgia.

The problem is, and I guess it always has been, is that once you get left behind by change and technology, it can be difficult to catch up again.

The sheer speed of recent change has been disorientating for many, to say the least, and comfortable certainty (community, employment, and finances etc) seems to be thing of the past.

Perhaps we all got just a little too complacent somewhere down the line?

Thankfully, many, many people, thanks largely to the internet, have to take control over their own health, finances and employment choices.

Reliance and trust in government, MSM and big pharma does seem to be gradually eroding.

Amen to that.