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YouTube Indicates What the Future is For Audiophiles - Interesting Demographics.

Howdy,

I just wanted to share some data from YouTube as I found it quite eye-opening and thought some of you might too.

I've posted a couple vids on YouTube recently and, as some will know, YouTube provides analytics data with every video, which is available to the channel owner.

The first video featured a Krell KSA 80 amp and at the time of writing this there have been 9,500 views:

Female - 0%
Male - 100%

13–17 years 0%
18–24 years 0%
25–34 years 0%
35–44 years 0.9%
45–54 years 13.5% 
55–64 years 44.4%
65+ years 41.3%

So, 100% male, and pretty much all of the traffic is from guys 45 years old and above, with 40%+ from guys over 65!!

The second video was a spoof (song) on Audiophiles that was shared a lot and watched by a lot of audiophile spouse, so the stats were slightly different, but not much. At the time of writing, 18,150 views:

Female 2.4%
Male 97.6%

13–17 years 0%
18–24 years 0%
25–34 years 0%
35–44 years 5.9%
45–54 years 18.6%
55–64 years 35.5%
65+ years 40.1%

The video was watched by a few females because it was shared and hit with a slightly younger audience but not by much. For all intents and purposes, the stats are the same for both vids.

Caveat - YouTube tends to attract an older audience and it's tipped up towards males. TikTok would show different results, but I think YouTube is really the platform of choice for most of us, so the data is more pertinent. 

Conclusion - we're a dying breed. 40% of us will be dead in a few years and there's not many 'yoots' coming through to replace us.

No real surprise here but we're all blokes - old, fat, sweaty, bearded, and about to kick the proverbial bucket. (Yes, I'm speaking entirely for myself).

Do you think there's more that manufacturers, dealers, reviewers etc. should be doing, or is it just the inevitable playing out?

Thoughts?

Here's the link to the two vids for reference: 
Krell KSA80
The Audiophile Song

128x128rooze
grislybutter
2,973 posts
 

@devinplombier I was into audio when I was 16. Up until 18. Then life happened. 30 years went by before I was (really) into audio again. Audiophiles are not dying out, just waiting to get old(er) to have time again.

asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
4,590 posts
 

How one or we adapt to our shared situation of a dying breed.....'

*tsk*  Oh, c'mon....

One thing any could ask of me is what a SOTA aids does for my enjoyment of our magnificent endeavors.....

Think a new Mac you wear; costs 'bout the same but is real time all the time. ;)

Ask for your audiometry charts...you may want an adult beverage afterwards.

Could us a new cell, but would and will happily grind my existing into bits in a vengeance venture....see what's running the better audio apps or could...

Remember:

What you own now may become tomorrows' Vintage

....and appreciated as such.... *S* ;)

 

alexatpos
1,206 posts
 

I would say that being (or not) an 'audiophile' (or just having a decent gear) has more to do with habit of  listening music than anything else. Cost of equipment may be a problem, as well as lack of living space, but when I look at younger folks I do not see that they spare on cars, bikes, clothes or night outs. Its just that they do not listen to music that makes them want to hear it on a decent 2ch sound system...or, even if they do, ist not so important to them in comparation to other things above mentioned. Truth to be told, would you care to listen many of todays popular music on your stereo? When I was growing up, I considered Beatles to be 'very old band' from the past (aprox 12 years after their last album). Now its almost 55 years afther. Who listens that  music or music from those times,anymore (among young folks) ? Jazz? Are you kidding me? Classical music is only enjoyed by the ones who had some education about it (again among younger folks) So, no wonder that less and less people care about gear...they have nothing to listen on it, even if they would get it for free...imho

rooze's avatar
rooze OP
632 posts
 

@alexatpos 

Who listens that  music or music from those times,anymore (among young folks) ? Jazz? Are you kidding me? Classical music is only enjoyed by the ones who had some education about it (again among younger folks) So, no wonder that less and less people care about gear...they have nothing to listen on it, even if they would get it for free...imho

That's a sad indictment of the younger generation. I don't disagree with you but isn't it another sign that WE have failed the youth of today? We've allowed this to happen under our watch...maybe? I remember music being played all the time in my home growing up. The TV would get turned off (because there were only 3 channels back then and it was cr*p!!), and a record would be played on the big tube console. It was a family affair... of course the first world war slowed us down a bit..lol

chenry's avatar
chenry
179 posts
 

Audiophilia will probably not be much like the present going forward. It is fairly obvious that the retail model will be reduced to small, relatively rare specialists and a few larger entities like Magnolia relying on a presence within a larger entity carrying video and computer/wireless/network products. Even the market for conventional network products will be displaced by virtual 5G secure private "networks." Vinyl is enjoying a resurgence, but I doubt that it will grow much larger.Its requirements in equipment, space and cost will work against it as a medium. It won’t disappear, but it will be constrained. There were reasons why vinyl LP was displaced by CD. The future for magnetic tape is even more dim. It exists as a legacy product and has little capacity for growth: expensive, reliant on scarce repair services for costly and increasingly out-of-production recorders. Even tube gear in its revival has probably reached its zenith, mainly because the technology is vintage, the production of necessary replacement tubes is tenuous and limited to relatively few countries/manufacturers and long supply lines. The fact that there is such a high-priced market for specific vintage tubes suggests that new production is not surpassing the quality of the old. I am sure tubes won’t go away tomorrow, but twenty years from now, who can say? Much of the tube interest is by older consumers who will stop consuming in one way or another in 20 years.

 

Lifestyle products have a bright future, however, and at every price level. Bose and others are regularly disparaged on Audiogon, as are the more modern iterations in Sonos and Bluesound and others, but that is where the growth is. Higher end makers from Europe: Linn, B&O, Electrocompaniet and others have got the memo, as have makers of traditional speakers now expanding their lines to active products that offer performance and compatability with modern living spaces. Clunky, bulky and expensive multi-box hobbyist products that require their own dedicated "listening rooms" will find fewer buyers.

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