Tom Martin’s blog post is off base.
Warning: this is a rant.
This article captures much of what is so obnoxious to me about the audiophile community.
Tom Martin applies reductionist thinking to readers asking a legitimate question. Is he a psychologist now? Or, like too many audiophiles, is he viewing the world through the narrow, overly confident perspective of an engineer?
It is the same type of reductionism that makes so much of the audiophile media unappealing. Audio is a potentially wonderful enthusiast hobby, but too often it comes off as an exclusive club of consumer-level electrical engineering hobbyists.
Of course there should be a place for people to debate the oxygen level of $10k interconnects (or whatever), but there is SO MUCH to talk about that is more important, interesting, and relevant.
We live in an absolutely fascinating age in the history of audio technology. Never before has music been more available, affordable, or convenient. But it is also a time when public/consumer level appreciation for sound quality has sunk to incredible depths (a frog, slowly boiling after 30+ years of unconsciously trading sound quality for convenience).
There is such a fantastic opportunity for audio enthusiasts to apply their interest and insight to help elevate sound quality everywhere: the restaurant, the vehicle, the commute, the back patio, the kitchen, etc. There are so many simple, easy, affordable tools at our disposal. There is such a compelling case to be made that can improve quality of life for everyone. An example of a community member applying his expertise towards this noble end is Steve Guttenberg’s consistent series of YouTube videos about how to build affordable systems. I salute Chris Connaker for nurturing a tone on this site which is consistently accessible and inclusive. I love that “my dealer,” with whom I’ve spent more money than I should have, is quick to tell me some of the most transcendent moments he has had with music have been on cheap, crappy systems.
But these are exceptions. More often I see arbitrarily limiting comments from the audiophile community like “car systems are not HiFi.” From the audio media we say way too much fascination with engineering and technology, diving deeply into esoterica that seems almost willfully designed to be separate the enthusiast from the lowly public.
Why is HiFi gear so expensive? Because audiophiles fixate on the technology and lust after the gear. You know the old trope about how audiophiles listen to equipment, rather than music? Well, it’s an enduring trope for a reason. We spend more attention and focus on getting our lonely “listening rooms” from 96% to 98% than we do on helping the world around us get from 30% to 80%. Because we reward manufacturers who build use rare materials to build sculptural art objects that have more in common - psychologically - with art, luxury watches, and other finery than they do with professional tools designed to optimize performance. Because the major media outlets are really just advertising-driven product showcases.
So, NO, Mr. Martin, I do not think a legitimate answer to the question “Why is HiFi gear so expensive?” is to question the premise of the question or the motivation of the questioner. Frankly, I think it is rude and snobby as hell. And I think it is a prime example of how audiophiles are isolating themselves in crystal towers rather than engaging productively in a world that could benefit tremendously from their insight and advocacy.
A better answer to this very fair question?
“A lot of it is so pricey because it is jewelry, but great HiFi sound does NOT have to be so expensive. You’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise based on how the audiophile media covers the topic.”
