After fifty years… amazing. What high end audio can be.

Perhaps I'm just in a mood but I wonder if we are the last of a generation that grew up with hi-fi and made it an important part of our lives-- upgrading to the point where many of us have very fine systems, built after years in this pursuit. There is no doubt a younger, monied class, and there's the uber gear (which I don't necessarily see as a sign of health of the business but whatever- I appreciate the "blue sky" aspect).

It just doesn't seem to be a priority to some of the younger generation who face a whole set of challenges. Maybe that's true of every generation. I'm not lamenting the loss of the good old days, but I see the changes.

I'm in Austin now, after decades in NYC, and there is very little "on the ground" here, hi-fi wise.It is a "young" city with the university and all the tech.  Record shops are doing ok, but I suspect the clientele isn't largely audiophiles-- maybe a few budding ones. I do try to help out the 30 somethings here in different ways, whether it is flattening a record or gifting a few and many of them can't afford a house, let alone spending money extravagantly. (Maybe spending on other things, like high end phones and ear buds, I dunno)>

 Sorry if I'm being a buzzkill, not really my intention. I'm also a geezer and I'm struck by how our world has changed and will continue to change. Enjoy it while you can! (I figure by the time they haul me off to the home or worse, it won't much matter but carpe something!). 

@whart I agree with you regarding the younger generation and their music, gear, etc. Us older folks had to 'shop' for music back in the day and we had more access to hifi shops (at least here in VA). It took effort to go out and hunt down import vinyl (or CDs) and we had fun doing it. Gear was less expensive and easier to obtain back then. Today---easy streaming, and no access to affordable gear has left the younger folks with Beats headphones and desk top speakers. 

I have a couple of friends in their 20s (from another hobby) and they love my system and one has started working on building a system. He loves vinyl too---I got him a Kraftwerk album for Christmas! It's a shame that the current record stores don't showcase or offer mid-priced, quality gear for blooming audiophiles. 

whart

I wonder if we are the last of a generation that grew up with hi-fi and made it an important part of our lives ... It just doesn't seem to be a priority to some of the younger generation ... I'm not lamenting the loss of the good old days, but I see the changes ... I'm also a geezer and I'm struck by how our world has changed and will continue to change.

Music and media were completely different when we were young, @whart, and were much less fragmented. As a result, a generation could largely define itself through its music which, at the time, often had powerful social messages. That made music a central element of many people's lives and the stereo system was obviously part of that.

Consider this: As late as into the mid-70s, consumer research (in the US) showed the second major purchase contemplated by newlyweds was a stereo system. The Number One primary purchase was a bed.

Yup, "our world has changed." But for many of us, we will always cherish our stereo systems.

Thanks for the responses-

@cleeds - nice catch on the old data.

@whart

To add some evidence to support your hypothesis… ham radio. Back in the 50’s and 60’s there were the adult nerds with huge antennas sticking up from their houses (modest homes). The talked to people all over the world… other ham operators via short wave. It was at the forefront of hobbies… and was really important communications durin WW2. They are gone… come on, any left would have been killed with the internet.

On the other hand, high end audio is about music. Music is about as fundamentally human thing that is non-essential to survival and continuation of the species. This has never been a “popular” pursuit… it probably never will… but I don’t think it will be going away in the next generation or two.