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Average age of audiophiles

Hi everyone,
I'm curious about the average age of audiophiles. One of the owner of an audio store told me that he has a lot of customers in their mid 20s that buy really high end gear. Personnally, I would think the average age is above 40. I really can't confirm since I'm the I don't know anyody else crazy enough (or passionnate) to get a sound system as expensive as a car...

Also, how old were you when you started this hobby.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm 26 years old. I got interested in this hobby when I was around 17...

Thanks everyone...
lgregoir
nanderson
291 posts
 
I discovered the hi-end in 1964 when I was in grade school. My older brothers' friends' father was an electrical engineer and built his high-school son a radio station and equipped it with Logen & Thorens Turntables, Mac Reference tuners etc. The dad had all Mac and Marantz tube equipment that he kept in perfect condition. What a time to get introduced to the wonderful world of hi-end listening when everything was handwired by passionate folks in New York and California. Hi-end audio consumers were really more like conservationists that really REALLY took pride in their electronics. I have several 1960's McIntosh Tube Tuners that look almost like they came off the factory floor. The original owner kept everything right down to warranty cards sealed in plastic.

All this is quite a change to today's Home Theatre Processors worth next to rotten dog food a few years after they are introduced. Now that is what you can really call consuming.

By the way, that kid (mentioned above) has been a professional radio announcer since 1969.

cornfedboy
1,645 posts
 
i've been tryin' to lower my average age every year. so far, it hasn't worked. the beginnings of my audio days were in 1957, when i was precocious 13 year-old high schooler. if you've done the math, you know i am a fellow travelling geezer with sdcampbell and garfish, among others. where is albert? and detlof? yep, in my 45th year of "serious listening," i count myself as a happy and lucky man of 58 years, still upgrading, still having fun and still trying to teach youngsters like tireguy that you needn't worry about the price of your rig in comparison to your car. just keep buyin' more expensive cars. 'course, as tireguy knows, you do hafta keep 'em wheel-sides down. :o) -cfb

ps- nanderson taught me this neat trick with colored text.
jdh9
41 posts
 
I am retired and was hooked in 1965 upon hearing a Fisher receiver over speakers on the market at the time, probably AR or KLH. Those were the days of low to mid-fi, but it was still a startling difference from other choices. My progression started a few years later with a Sony 6065 receiver (I always wondered why I would get tired of having it turned on :)) and AR 5 speakers; not bad for the time. Though I can now afford a variety of choices, some of them and the price/value calculations seem irrational to me - but I certainly understand "giving them a try>." To answer your question directly, I am past age 65.
subaruguru
1,375 posts
 
"As far as I am concerned, I'm 26..." Monsieur Gregoir, I love it!
Likewise, as far as I'm concerned, I'm 18. But most people say I look pretty close to my 49 1/2 years....
I got bitten by the audio bug after a few preteen years as a SWL. Started fixing old 5-tubers...installing tone controls, then built a coaxial speaker out of Jensen and Utah drivers mounted in 90 lb 3 ft clay sewer pipe sections covered with water-buffalo Naugahyde slip-covers.
A coincident stint as a roving church organist coexisted with my covering the Bands' tunes on my parlor Hammond.
Regained interest in the 70s when I bought a truckload of Kirksaeter gear. Then a LONG hiatus until I revisited speaker design in the mid-90s, followed by the inevitable pull of the high-end in the past few years.
Now my musiclife is shared among the Steinway B and Parsifal Encores that grace my livingroom, and FM in the various Subies during their massaging. Tsokay!
rhyno's avatar
rhyno
649 posts
 
young pup here..only 28. been in on the hobby @ 3yrs now, all started when i wanted to start making CD to CD copies w/ a stand alone (non PC) based cd burner...upgraded my cdplayer to one that had a digital output, which sounded better than my old cd player...hmm, all cdplayers don't sound alike???

what REALLY did me in was hearing watt puppy 6s w/ some AR tube gear up front...not good by my standards these days, but i'll never forget that feeling.

rhyno
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