Has the internet been good for audio?

Early in my audiophile journey, I realized the gear that truly impressed me was simply too expensive. That combined with the(sometimes) elitist attitude of dealers left me cold.
I abandoned the hobby for about ten years, returning once I disovered the great deals and invaluable forums of sites like this.
Incidently, the internet has also allowed me to find more respectable dealers out of my area.

For me the answer is YES, YES, YES!
Were it not for the internet, Audiogon in particular, I'd still be listening to the Sansui/Kenwood/Sony and yes, Bose system I purchased back in the 80s when I was stationed in Europe. Seriously, take a look at my system. Everything purchased through Agon or ebay. And don't even get me started on cable purchases.
Another aspect is the ability to communicate with the niche manufacturers. I've been able to communicate, through email and phone, with the owners of quite a few companies.
How can I forget the amount of new music I've discovered through various sites.

i prefer direct contact with designers over opinions and perceptions of listeners. i learn more from talking to manufacturers and designers than i do from the often conflicting statements of hobbyists.

the one benefit of the internet is finding phone numbers of small companies with products of interest who don't advertise in stereophile. i rarely buy used gear so used audio marketplaces are only occasionally of interest when i sell, which is not that frequent. audiomart was a frequent source of selling and occasionally buying.

In Central Ohio there are just a handful of shops to hear high end gear. The variety is decent but limited. The internet allows for websites of dealers out of state, and the creation of Audiogon, as well as plenty of high end information. Audio in general, in my opinion has benefited because we all can link up in a way like never before. (Manufacturers, Dealers, high end consumers) The odd man out is the local dealer. They suffer because of the proliferation of used gear that was never available before. But the downside for me is that without the internet I never would have spent 5 figures on gear.

of course yes, BUT- once upon a time there were mid-fi stores all over my city; some would sell components at huge discounts. my 1st thorens tc-160 cost $185 at such a store (new). i had to buy and mount my own cartridge, but (so what?). then there was a unique store that had hafler and some better-sounding brands, including some tube equipment. plus they REPAIRED just about anything you could bring in to them.
there was a few different radio-shack-like stores too, with new and used (traded) components. and of course the high-end stores as well. i frequented them all, saved alot, and learned a lot. even the department stores had a huge variety of sound equipment. one store sold pianos and had a special room set aside for console stereos by fisher and scott.
for about $2000, at the time alot of $$, you could buy a gorgeous piece of furniture with a dual turntable (double-suspended), a sony tape deck, and an am/fm 120w/ch receiver with humongous 12in.4way speakers on the end panels. even my parents took a long look, before buying a stereo compact for $350. oh well...