Is the idea of audiophile listening a dying concept as boomers die off?

Earning Power has nothing whatsoever to do with listening to music via electronic devices.

My experiences to date are there is very very little snobbery to be found in music replays as a Hobby, there is not agenda to keep the Riff Raff out, no exclusivity for the membership. That is not saying there is not individuals who share their interest similar in this Hobby who are not snobs, some of these individuals most likely are members within a forum, and some may even be frequent posters on their chosen forum/forums. 

A Hobby and the attention it can generate through the usage of surrounding supporting networks, takes all sorts to assist with the cultivating the growth. I am not prejudiced towards any sharing their interest. 

It is well noted on this forum and many others, exceptional listening experiences are able to be produced using electronic devices that are not stupid expensive.

As mentioned in a previous post, there are today in use numerous sources, the individual is more defined today by their choice of Source and Medium used, than their chosen music genre.

Years ago when in discussion you were Wed to a Vinyl or CD Source / Vinyl CD Source, with a specific liking for a Genre/ Multiple Genre's.

Today an individual is a Data Streamer, Digital Recorded File user, Phone user , Hard Drive user , CD user , Analogue Tape user , Vinyl user or any combination.

Even a typical found in the home Desktop PC or Laptop are considered today a replay Source worthwhile using for Stored Digital Recordings or Streamed Data Recordings.

Any will be considered Audiophile in relation to the end sound that can be produced, to achieve an End Sound that is deemed attractive does not require silly monies to achieve. 

@tom2015 +++ you are spot on with your post “People under 50 that can afford the pricier items have demanding jobs and families.”

I am a perfect example of that. Influenced by my older brothers I started going to concerts and buying records at 10. Reading audio magazines, buying the best components I could afford doing odd jobs through high school and college. Then demanding work (TV/Audio Buyer and Sales manager), getting married, 3 kids, house demands, tight budget living in CA - music was not a priority. Then 3-4 years ago being retired, kids in college, free time the hobby was reborn. This time without the financial restraints and guilt but focused on value and not going too crazy. (although my wife thinks otherwise)  Hopefully this trend will continue into the upcoming generations for the minority that really cherish hearing music in a room rather than earbuds. Time will tell but there should be some screaming deals on used gear we leave behind.

• Nope. Every generation has enough people who care about the finer things in life and can afford them, be they cars, watches, hi-fi gear or any other 'luxury' items to keep the industry going strong. And those people will continue to have ears and brains long past the 'boomer' generation. 

@hilde45 Indeed, as you know better than most due to your profession of interpreting data accurately and objectively for a living, the data can convince either side of a topic that they reading the tea leaves appropriately.

I posit that there has never been a time in our hobby where competent music systems and specifically, access to music, has been more readily available. Now, that access is different and the definition of "what is hifi" is different to different groups. When many on Audiogon were getting interested, there was a local hifi ship and it served equals parts retail/service shop and audio hangout. We ALL remember those days and there were more than a few who hung out and never bought.

The pandemic shined a bright light on every segment of the industry. You discovered quickly which companies had an accidental business model and supply chain relationship, different abilities to act/react to the changing landscape and wildly different demand curves depending on the product and the manufacturer's ability to deliver. We experienced 20 years of change in three years.

Everything is going to be ok...hifi will live on and shift just fine with or without us. If objectively analyzing generations of data tells us anything, it is dominated by the fact that (A) the law of large numbers is actually a reasonable predictor and (B) every generation believes they are exceptional and most generations are incorrect. LOL.

Who cares? Enjoy the music via whatever format you have. The kid (me) going to sleep with an AM radio under his pillow liked what he was hearing just as much as the adult (still me) does hearing it via a pretty good system.