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

@simao I would agree with you that convenience is more valued than fidelity, but there is nothing really different about the current generation, as @roadcykler pointed out.

Yet for today’s young music consumers, even three minutes is too long to sit still and focus on just one thing. And since songs can’t get any shorter (without becoming ridiculous), multitasking is the only solution. Thus we have entered the “Multitask Generation,” whose membership feels the need to also be doing something else while listening to music.

That something else could be watching a related video, doing homework, playing an on-line game, or being on the go. Music alone no longer suffices. The rise of the Multitask Era also explains why so much music today is consumed on YouTube, which conveniently provides a choice of accompanying videos. Similarly, music award shows are no longer about the music but rather are about unique, attention-grabbing performances….

Now imagine a member of the current Multitask Generation buying a high-quality (not necessarily expensive) stereo system for the purpose of sitting in one spot and doing one thing for a relatively lengthy (by today’s standards) block of time. Not gonna happen. I don’t care how exposed this person has been to better-quality sound, this scenario simply does not fit the current short-attention-span, multitasking lifestyle.

So what is the high-end industry to do? First, it must understand that exposure to good sound is a necessary but not sufficient precursor to creating a new customer for traditional sound systems. High-end designers must pursue avenues that somehow address the attention-span issue.

https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/the-attention-span-gap/

30 years old here. Just started getting into this in January. Already on my 3rd system thousands of dollars later lol. Just bought my fourth turntable yesterday. Rega rp8. 

When I first got into the hobby in 2001 there was always the statement speakers costing 50k, cables costing 30k e.t.c.

But what has changed is a large increase in boutique electronic manufacturers, catering purely to cashed up retiring boomers.

When I was a kid, one of the necessities was a high-end stereo. Almost all the young men I knew had nice stereos. Some had super nice ones. I was one of those. Today, I know of no one, zilch, that has a stereo of any kind. All my kids and grandkids listen on their phones. And even watch all their movies there also... Yea, it going to be a dead-end road shortly as us older folk retire earth. 

@jl35 +1