Why Don't More People Love Audio?

Except there are millions of people who enjoy music. Does someone have to understand tubes or driver technology to be qualified to listen to a hi end system? Why would someone have to wear the badge of Audiophile before they are allowed to hear a high end stereo? This isn't about catering to the audiophile. Enough of that already.

As many people have said here, they got into the hobby because they got the chance to listen to true high quality sound. My Canadian friend says American settle. But how can you be interested in something good if you've never been one of the Choosen Few who have been allowed behind those hallowed doors?

Self limiting snobbery sure will explain why more people don't love *hi end* audio, or won't get into it.

Exposure is not the issue. Just because you make something possible does not mean you make it happen. Providing tax breaks to the wealthy will provide jobs we have been told. Thirty years later we have far fewer jobs than when this theory was sold to us. Making it possible (one more time) DOES NOT MAKE IT HAPPEN.

I provided a clear explanation above which made it possible for you to understand that some people just don't get the audio bug no matter how much exposure they"enjoy". These people represent the vast majority of humanity. Many, if not most, of us make sacrifices of time and money to participate in this hobby. Most of us, it could be said, are obsessive about it. Regular old folks like you see walking around and driving their cars and shopping for Reynolds Wrap or a toaster don't give a rosy damn how great a sound system performs. They'l hear it and say it sounds nice or it sounds great or Holy Sh*t, man, that's killer, and they'll still go home and forget about it. They do not have an urge to own and don't care if they never have that experience again.

So --------- repeat after me ----- making something possible does not make it so.

I have tried cigars because I worked with a bunch of guys who loved them and wanted me to love them as well. I was given some expensive smuggled Cuban thing to try and I followed their advice. I went home, sat on the swing in the back yard after dinner, lit it up by myself and puffed away. All the circumstances were ideal and I gave it every chance I could. Yecchhh. I not only didn't love it --- I didn't even like it. Opera went the same way. Golf too. Even though millions of people are as passionate about those things as you are about audio, I didn't care to invest my time, my money, or myself in any of them.
Please pull out of your pompous fantasy and just accept the fact that you are the weirdo -- not the guy on the street.

If you get pleasure from your system, that alone should be enough. There is no need to proselytize. To each his own.

Another thought - when I started selling retail audio in 1975, everyone was a prospect. Owning a stereo was de rigueur at the time and families poured through the door constantly in pursuit of a sound system. They were all exposed equally. Some bought upscale but most went entry level and stayed there until twenty years later when they looked into home theater. Only a small percentage got the bug and began the crusade. Many were called but few were chosen. All were exposed.

To Macrojack:

Well said and absolutely true!!

Thanks for sharing your contrary opinion. I have no interest in changing your mind, but please allow me the opportunity to present something contrary to what you think. Thanks.
How is allowing the everyday man exposure to hi end audio a "pompous fantasy"? You, sir are so full of your own words that you cannot read what was written. Nothing was said about forcing people to be blown away by a stereo. Nothing was said about forcing someone to buy something because *I* like it. And "zealots who simply cannot imagine that anyone could experience the holy ghost or holy grail or holy sound as you experience it and remain unmoved."---- where was this ever written, or implied?
The original point was simply to allow people *who have never heard a hi-end stereo* the opportunity to do so. It is an attempt, however, small and ill conceived, allow more people to love audio. Instead of the negative attitude which seems to almost want people to stay out of the hobby.
Actually with hi-end audio getting smaller and smaller, IMHO, there IS a need to proselytize.
I agree with what you said:
"Only a small percentage got the bug and began the crusade. Many were called but few were chosen. All were exposed."

Except the part about "all were exposed". IMO, the vast majority of people have not. You cannot tell if you like something or not unless you try it.
If you open your mind and eyes to what people has written over and over again on this site, you will read that many here have gotten into the hobby because they had the chance to listen to the hi end stereo. They have said if they did not have this opportunity, they would still be living with their boombox.

Doing anything really well is not easy.

That reality excludes all but the most motivated from doing anything really well.

Still, many are motivated enough to do some things well, whatever it may be, for better or for worse.

Audio is merely a hobby, a trivial pursuit in the big picture of things for most. Doing audio alone well is not enough for most to subsist. There are other things that may provide greater return on investment if done well. Those are the things most will put their energy into. Only a few will need or want to put a lot of though or energy into audio when music can be heard fairly easily and for low cost otherwise.