Is high-end audio dying, if not dead already???

I don't know if conditions have ever been more favorable for those
interested in High End audio. Choices are plentiful at all the various price
points. In terms of components there's simply a smorgasbord.
Amps, lower, medium, high, or ultra high power. Tube(SET, OTL, PP),
transistor(class A, AB, class D etc.).
Format, Vinyl, R2R, Redbook, Hi resolution digital, DSD.
Cables and accessories, it'd take two lifetimes to try them all.
There's just an abundance of choices and pathways to follow.

The best part of all of this is we as consumers get to pick and choose, yep,
it's totally up to us to fulfill our preferences. Small cottage buiders or large
established brands (and all stops between these two). It's our call.
If someone can't appreciate this opportunity and be overjoyed with the
ability to select and match til your heart's content, well you'll likely never be
happy and satisfied. I had an absolute ball developing my audio system
and I enjoy it immensely.
Charles,

Don't know what your talking about!!!!

(1) High end audio is neither dying nor sick nor stagnating .

(2) The irrefutable tenet in this hobby still reigns true: you get what you pay for.

(3) There is a limited cross-section in this hobby arena who are very happy in their low-fi or (at best) mid-fi strata. They have never or rarely experienced the zen produced by a high-end system, but that is no measure that it remains strong and true.

As for the music industry, like many industries, they are still digesting the changes the internet has introduced. There is more superb music available than ever before and it's easier to find then ever before. It's not the stuff selling in amazons top 100 though. The internet has made it possible for talented people to bypass the major label marketing machines. Go to bandcamp.com and see what people are doing all by themselves. Awesome stuff.

As for the high end manufacturers and retailers. They are in major up heaval due to the internet also. They do not know how to deal with it. The manufacturers and distributors want to support the remaining brick and mortar dealers but a huge segment of the market no longer buys from them anymore. So their are all these dealers that have almost no physical B&M business and deal mostly with internet orders. And they mark the products down 20 to 40%. But they have to hide that this occurs from the distributors. But the distributors actually know it's going on, they just can't publicly endorse it so they don't piss off the remaining legit B&M dealers. It's a mess. The internet buyers don't want to pay full retail and they should not have to since they get nothing for the markup from the dealer. So,we have all these clandestine back room deals between dealers and customers that nobody can talk about. And all the distributors will say "yeah, but not my product, we don't do that", but they do. You name a product and if it's sold in a normal B&M store, it can be had for at least 20% off and usually 35% off. Their are so many dealers doing this now that it's not even a challenge to find anymore. It's ridiculous. The only products that cannot be had at a major discount are the ones sold only via internet because those are all ready free from middle man markup.

But does this mean the end of high end audio? No it's just the end of the old model. Personally I don't care if every B&M dealer goes under tomorrow. It's inevitable anyway. I don't use B&M dealers. Can't afford the mark up. The new model will be internet direct sales with 30 day home trials. If you want to hear a piece before buying then you will attend audio shows. That's why we've seen audio shows grow, not shrink. It is the only good way for distributors and manufacturers to get public exposure for their gear. That's the future.

Really it is more of a point in time rather than 1 album. I just wanted to use a year prior to 1990...LOL the early 90's (seattle grung rock) If thats what your into then ..keep it. I have almost 1,000 albums mostly from the 60's 70's and 80's so its a fair statement for me to make ..I only listen to vinyl when I want to really listen. Its my opinion your intitled to yours.