Why Don't More People Love Audio?

An increasingly small % of people have all the pre-requisites to love audio (as opposed to just loving music).

The pre-requisite that is the most increasingly restrictive is perhaps the desire to spend a lot of time just listening to music. Time is increasingly short these days for many in that more things than ever compete these days for peoples leisure time.

Here's an idea; and you don't have to listen to fish ;--)http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/19/garden/19aqua.html?src=me&ref=homepage
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let me clarify my position regarding audio equipment as a status symbol.

i think that some buy them to "keep up with the jones'"--their fellow wealthy friends and acquantainces.

many do not listen to their audio systems and have no interest in listening to them.

rather the equipment represents a sizable expenditure comparable to the expenditure of others who may buy boats , expensive cars, or , art.

such individuals are not audiophiles and music may not be of interest to them as well.

I certainly have known audiophiles who were into impressing people with their equipment and its makers. One such physician lived down the street. He and his wife dropped in one day. After listening she said, "Honey, this sounds like music." He said nothing and they left.

Later a package of mine was wrongly delivered to his address. I went down to get it. He invited me in to SEE his system. I did and took my package home without one peep of music being played.

On the other hand, I just heard a fairly expensive system in a million dollar room. All I can say is that it is the best reproduced music I have ever heard. The speakers were a known brand, but little else is widely known.

I really don't know what the issue is here. The original post asks why many want the best of everything save audio gear, but it has evolved to why anyone would want expensive and poor sounding gear.

I think the answer to the original question is the competition of other "things," such as golf clubs, cars, private schools and colleges, face lifts, etc., and computer games and other amusements.

I think one problem is that so many people just don't know how good music really can sound. Most people probably have never even heard a system set up to image properly.

Mark