Why Don't More People Love Audio?

Couple of quick comments:

As has already been mentioned once (and probably more, I didn't check) better systems don't come as a straightforward plug and play; instead there are myriads of if's and but's that (the salesman claims) are necessary to make it work just right. The luxury car market, for example, got this sort of thing sorted out a long time ago.

And, if a system works really, really well, it will take over the house in an auditory sense; I mean, if you really had the Stones live cranking it up in the end room would you really be able to push it into the background, and get on with the mundane things of life. At least, that's what the better half says (and I mean that in a positive, not negative sense) ... :-)

Frank

Better systems do come in a plug in and play formats. Single brand systems from Decware, Krell, Quad, Meridian, McIntosh, MBL and others are readily available. Or you could even let dealer select and setup a system for you. It's not that difficult to get high quality sound. I think many people on Audiogon make it complicated. They don't want to pay too much money and they want it personalized. It's more fun that way.

"It's not that difficult to get high quality sound."

I agree.

But there are many flavors of high quality sound.

I think what people struggle with more is getting the right flavor for them.

Some flavors are more popular than others.

Some are more esoteric.

But they are all pretty "high quality" .

Mapman, I agree. Your flavor comment is what I meant by personalizing.

Well then, it's settled - the reason why more people don't love audio is simply due to their not having found their flavor.

It couldn't have anything to do with their immunity to this particular obsession or their inability to spend this sort of money (or any at all) on audio toys. It isn't because they spend all of their disposable income on hunting, fishing, skiing, flying, sailing, racing, stamp collecting, college, bicycles, dog shows, rodeos, computer gaming, travel, each other or their church. It isn't because they are fighting foreclosure or have already fallen under that axe. And above all, with god as my witness, under no circumstances could it conceivably be because everything sounds the same to them and they could care less.

Oh, one more thing, 20,000,000 Americans are hard of hearing. That figure includes stone deaf, deaf in one ear, and needing a hearing aid to converse. Even if some of these people can hear music, they cannot appreciate qualitative differences in playback.

If you enjoy high end audio, lay back and bask in it. If you are concerned that other people don't value it as much as you do, then it would seem that you are seeking reinforcement and should re-evaluate your own commitment.

Music is nice but so are many other things. My wife likes to grow things in her garden and knit sweaters. She has a phenomenal sound system at her disposal and doesn't seem to mind that fact, but it can't replace those other things she values and enjoys. I think she is more "normal" than we are.