Why Don't More People Love Audio?


Can anyone explain why high end audio seems to be forever stuck as a cottage industry? Why do my rich friends who absolutely have to have the BEST of everything and wouldn't be caught dead without expensive clothes, watch, car, home, furniture etc. settle for cheap mass produced components stuck away in a closet somewhere? I can hardly afford to go out to dinner, but I wouldn't dream of spending any less on audio or music.
tuckermorleyfca6
Because what they hear/see for free sucks (radio and/or tv), in presentation and content.
There must be a thousand ways to approach this topic but I think you all would be best served to leave well enough alone. I remember the insurgence of yuppie money and ignorance in the Reagan years and I think that the ravages have yet to leave us. When I was in the Oriental rug business back then an elderly Afghani trader told me of a saying in his country: "Those who can afford it can't appreciate it and those who can appreciate it can't afford it". So it is with most things and twas always thus. Audio people are like most religious zealots in that they are quite disturbed by the fact that most people seem unwilling to adopt their beliefs. We pity them for what they are missing and dismiss their choice not to embrace our values as one of ignorance. They aren't interested and you should be glad.
During the years I sold audio in retail stores I maintained the same beliefs that many of you espouse here but the simple fact is many people just don't care. Some can make a distinction and some can't but no amount of education is going to be enough. Their focus is elsewhere. And that is good. Audio is populated by far to many buffoons at present,
as is well documented by the insipid, irrational, misspelled and unpunctuated reponses I inadvertently invite by posting any ad. A small community made strong by unity of vision and co-operation in purpose is a better goal. Suppose we do some weeding rather than blanket seeding. It's the money issue that seems most corruptive. Why don't we all relax and focus on what we have rather than what we might be missing?
Hm, sounds like some of the stuff I wrote at various times. My credo: set a budget, buy the best sounding equipment you can within that budget and then sit down to some tunes. May I add another point: hope you win the lotto or come into an inheritance from an unlikely source. Good day.
Most of my friends that come over think my system sounds great. But they can't or won't justify spending the 5k msrp i did. Even though i could make them very happy spending much less. Maybe someday one of my friends will catch on to this. But until then i'll just have to keep trying new stuff and reading about your setups. Also on my age 35 and under being dumded up. I agree, i used to listen to crap. Now i find myself buying more jazz. But i also listen to the system more than the music sometimes. Just a thought.
Tommy, you are not alone. There has been a lot of discussion here about critical listening vs. pure enjoyment of the music (btw, they are not necessarily separable). There's nothing wrong with appreciating the quality of your system and enjoying the music even more because it is well reproduced. Enjoy.