Why Don't More People Love Audio?

The original question was why don't people who buy expensive things also buy expensive audio gear, not why are those people not audiophiles. I think the fact that they're not audiophiles or music lovers (or both) is adequately explained by the amount of time these pursuits take. Just like any hobby well done, it's time consuming and most people with a fair amount of money don't have time for too many well done hobbies.

I think the reason these people don't buy high-end / expensive audio systems is that the main impetus for owning other high-end things without being avidly into the hobby is status, and there isn't much status to be had by owning a high-end audio system. How many non-audiophiles have you ever really impressed with your system? Not just, "Wow, that sounds great" but a reaction that shows you really got their interest for even, say, 15 minutes. I think this is one of the reasons HT is so much more popular - it is easy to truly grab somebody's attention with even a halfway decent HT setup, even if they're not into it themselves. Super Bowl at my house on the new big screen and surround sound! A HT setup does have a fair amount of status associated with it, a high-end audio system just doesn't.

Great topic! This article contrasts a previous article that I wrote "Do audiophiles ever listen to the music". Some people just don't seem to care about the quality of sound, my friends included. If a cd is playing and it can be heard, it is good enough for most people. I honestly think that the people who have money are ignorant to high end stereo. They simply do not know that it exists. They go to sears and stroll by the audio dept and they ask the salesman "whats the best stereo you sell?" This is what keeps Dr. Bose in business. They can buy their new mercedes or BMW, because they know about them through advertisements. You don't find any adds on t.v for Wilson audio, Conrad Johnson or Quicksilver. If high end audio was advertised, I think these people would be interested, or at least curious about the high end hype that we seem to have a passion for. I do agree that it does take a lot of time and effort to put together a great system. If they don't have it and don't care about assembling a good system,then I guess I just lost time and money responding to this thread.

Is it that 2 channel is perceived as yesterday's news?? I know a couple of people who are doing well and they all have dedicated home theaters. Is it that you can finance a great deal of HT equipment into a home loan with out a problem?? I have never heard of anyone financing 2 CH audio into a 1st home mortgage, where builders have lists of people to do custom HT design and install at $120/hr and up in new construction. Some people just do not care about spending alot of $$ on a stereo.... Some of these people have the ears that can hear the differences... One of my good friends is a "gear-head", has a 7 car garage with heat and AC for his toys, a Snap-on tool set to kill for... and exotic cars to fill the garage (he knows how to drive (white knuckles and all) and repair them all). He comes over to evaluate the frequent changes I make to my Hi-End gear, and can explain the changes as well as anyone, but has a HT budget of 5K including the Big Screen.... Not every one cares about the best sound... I think 2CH is like art... I love art, but I care about my stereo more... I would spend 20K on a pair of speakers before I would on art to decorate... Others I know have spent 20K on art, and have the wave radio for sound. You don't see art advertised on TV, nor the High End 2CH audio.

There's sort of two questions here: (1) why isn't high end audio a status symbol and (2) why don't more people love high end audio. With regards to (1), a lot has to do with the perceived technical nature of the audiophile hobby, which implicit means work, not recreation, making it inconsistent with the notion of conspicuous consumption of luxury items. Lack of lifestyle advertising promoting audiphile equipment as status also contributes to this. Note that Bose is successful in part because it does advertise in non audio-oriented magazines, appealing to the luxury of tiny speakers and simple one-box systems. Relative to (2), I don't have a well formed idea. When I first heard a true high end system, the music moved me so that I immediately HAD to have one also, and two weeks later purchased my first set of audiophile grade speakers and the rest is history. My wife and I now enjoy a system that sends shivers up my spine and can move her to tears. Recently I demoed the system to someone who is a wine connoisseur. Being passionate about the nuances of wine, surely he would appreciate refinement in audio, I thought... instead after listening for 30 seconds, he shrugged and said, "gee, I guess one of my speakers at home isn't working", and that was the end of that.