Are bad rooms keeping the hobby alive?

Absolutely correct! I've improved my system's sound greatly with proper speaker placement and room treatments, much greater improvement than many of the equipment changes I've made.

Chad, you delude yourself... it's just a matter of time, like all upgrade bugs.

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Hey Nate a little faith please :)

Chad,
I have always been a little less accepting that tweaking the room makesas big a differenceas people claim. I have heard acoustical architect designed rooms and the worst concievable type room with the exception of an empty corregated storage facility sound very good. That room is my audio wimp room. Get this the speakers are not in the Cardas triangle ratio, and impeded by a glass and maple coffee table and face a solid mirror wall (no joke) (it came with the house. Doesmy dedicated listening area set up with baffling soft furniture wall claerances seating position etc. do a better job. NO I have a 2'X 2' mirror on a small section of wall which relects sound but not consistenly a CD rack that does some musicianship itself. Beyond which if you call sound design "The" reason for the audiophile to stay interested I think that is ludicrous. Tweaks can make a difference but the desire to buy new or different equipment remains the reason for every classified, every auction, every other audio site, not dedicated to room treatments.
Yes it is an intense area of interest at the moment.
My theory is that while audio represents one of the larger niche hobbys. It is being kept alive by maybe one more generations that dislike IARs before it becomes as wildly popular as having carrier pidgeons. It is imploding at an alarming rate.

the best thing is the room is the biggest and also a free tweek and the most important