I went to a private MBL event and the actual owners/buyers there were in my age bracket and slightly older, which is 40s/50s. Axpona, on the other hand, was likely more of a demo in their ~60/70s.
In my case, I had to plan months in advance to attend Axpona and blocked out a weekend. Despite this, I still was only able to attend Friday. It'd be very difficult to go to regular meetups or events, which I'd imagine is true for many working-age audiophiles. |
Those audiophiles who can visit Axpona and similar shows seem both highly dedicated to the hobby and have money and time to burn. That's a hallmark of an older generation. Plus, music development, production, and consumption is changing - vinyl resurgence notwithstanding. The ease of streaming trumps fidelity for many. And since most younger don't ever have the chance to listen through a high end system, that remains a barrier. Plus (again), with Sonos and soundbars now delivering such (relatively) decent sound at affordable pricing, I would venture that many don't see the necessity for fidelity - especially as the video/visual component of domestic entertainment is much more engaging than it ever has been. |
@rok2id There is plenty of midrange gear around, and a huge home theater/distributed audio market that targets that segment. Just check out Best Buy or Target or Wally World or Crutchfield. Sony, Denon, Marantz, Onkyo, etc. still pump out lots of under a grand units, and not just Marantz, but other nameplates in the higher end do the same. Parasound may make megabucks gear, but they also make a lot of entry level gear. Plus there are companies like Emotiva and Schitt and Topping and others who market directly for the mid level consumer. I remember my first encounter with the audiophile market in the 70s. Pretentious salespeople tried to upsell customers and were downright rude when rebuffed. (Little has changed, alas.) I researched speakers for my cousin, all of 15 at the time, but interested in good sound. We found a well regarded speaker that he could buy with what he had saved from his summer job. We drove the 50 miles to Raleigh to buy a pair, having found two dealers that stocked them. The first dealer did not want to honor the price he gave on the phone, and when we told him that was the budget, he sneered "so you really are in THAT price range?" We just turned and left, going to the other dealer. Their quote was more, but they honored it, and treated us to an audition of the next level, AFTER the transaction. They understood the concept of priming the pump. The first dealer did not get a bigger sale, nor even the extra forty bucks. The second dealer earned a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. I estimate my referrals added 30-50 grand to his sales, all gained from not humiliating a teenager over a 300 dollar purchase. That first dealer is the one that makes people, as the younger generations say, cringe. Wine tasting groups and stores can have the same vibe. People are still buying and enjoying wine and spirits at all prices and with all levels of sophistication and appreciation. How we buy and share our interests has changed, but fundamentally, much remains the same. We all seek people who share our interests and respect our tastes and circumstances. |
Of course you are correct. I am just letting off steam over the current prices. When I think of some of the inexpensive stuff I have purchased in the past, like Harman Kardon HK3490 ($299) and Marantz PM7200 ($500) and Polk Lsim705 ($1500pr), and then consider what it will cost to replace them with similar items. Nearest Marantz would be $3000! But in some sense, audio has never been cheaper. Maybe I just like the wrong brands. Thanks Cheers |
