Why Don't More People Love Audio?

Mrtennis: Coercion??? Who says we're trying to force people to love hifi? Are we jamming people's heads against a speaker and saying "this is what it's supposed to sound like now love it or else"?

Of course discussing it won't change anything. Listening will. If you have a hifi, invite friends, coworkers, family members, etc. to bring their favorite recordings over and have them listen to them on your system. Chances are most people won't take up the hobby, but some will. Word of mouth advertising doesn't work here, direct exposure does.

The title of this thread can be read two ways, but from his expanation, I get that Tucker is referring to the HOBBY of audio, as opposed to the SOUND quality of audio. OK, that's cool. However it's true (wouldn't everyone agree?) that it's always an encounter with the second that (sometimes) leads to the first.

Everyone (and I mean everyone of every age) has been thrilled on hearing my system. I think a person would have to be deaf, or in excruciating pain, NOT to be thrilled by the experience of hi end audio reproduction! In fact, the general public now thinks the name for it is: THX !

But whether or not someone would consider the actual acquisition of such equipment for themselves, has to do with their discretionary spending priorities which, besides the equipment cost, would have to include providing the space and setup personnel (if one is not articularly "hands on." Think Goldmund ;-) Nor is the hobby itself for those into instant gratification.

With all the stimulation/distraction available in today's consumer society, I'm amazed as many take an interest in this hobby as do!

Nsgarch,
I went thru a house today and saw lots af cassettes and mentioned to the owner must like music;;-
he said yes because there's nothing worth watching on tv.
I think your sound comment is right on as most people never, ever get to hear high end music repro-so-how can they be interested.l

Wow, have things changed since this thread was posted! Music downloads have exploded and earbuds are now the hi-fi system of choice for the vast majority of people.

I am taking One To One private classes at my local Apple Store. Not one trainer I've talked to (out of at least 7 different ones) has any idea about high resolution downloads, DACs being used with my MacBook Pro, etc. Every one of them stares at me blankly when I bring up the subject. I even read through a A'gon thread about using a Mac as source and how to get better sound quality. The two Apple people had no idea what anything in the thread was about.

Only one employee at the Apple Store knew that higher resolution downloads should result in better sounding tunes. Every other one of them said the only difference was the high res songs "just take up more storage space".

I've also noticed (at least ALL of my nieces and nephews) that most young people don't "listen" to music. They listen to MTV sized sound bites from songs, and if the only thing they are doing is listening to an iPod they are constantly scrolling through one song after another. A nephew once asked me if I "just sit and listen to music". I said yes, he stared at me like I was from Atlantis

I had exposure to high-end audio at an early age and it has stayed with me all these years. I believe if you are not exposed to it when you are young more than likely you will never get into it. Most of the hobbies I grew up with as a kid are still my hobbies today. I still collect coins and race my slots cars on occasion. The kids growing up today really have no interest in high-end audio. It's unfortunate but when my generation enters retirement age you can kiss high-end audio bye-bye.