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
Great question, and I'm not sure why either. I have observed people at my house as they look at and/or listen to my system. I think that most people simply don't care or don't think there is an audible difference between high end and mass market. There are some that can tell the difference, but are intimidated by the complexity or cost. Some (often women) don't want to deal with the integrating something like this into their decor. In the 20 years I've been into the hobby, there's only been one person out of so many that came to my house and was impressed enough by my sound to buy an audiophile grade system of their own.
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Elizabeth, good point. I wonder now whether the MP-3 player is a good thing -- at least it gets people back to music.
It takes some type of mentoring for the uninitiated on the benefits of spending a little more to get something unimaginable, and the cottage industry continues to fill that growing void left by the larger high end companies.

Service to the customer is the key but without the newbie hearing a top-flight system playing their familiar tunes, is it any wonder most people find this hobby a turn off?

Another phenomenon I take note of is what happens when someone new to all this listens to great sound. It puts them to sleep. It must be mentally fatiguing to process all the additional information one hears. Interesting. So, there is some mentoring needed on why one feels that way. It takes time to get beyond that and just allow the music to take over. That requires a real commitment.
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