To your question, no, the freedom to engage in commerce is not killing the hobby of home audio.
No worries, the law of supply and demand and the need for manufacturers to make a profit will keep it sorted out.
??? Are Manufacturers Killing Our Hobby ???
I had struck me recently that there is a GLUTTONY of equipment manufacturers these days & that,if not careful,the unchecked saturation of every corner of our hobby could bring about the demise of the entire industry..
There are only so many consumers of audio reproduction equipment to go around.The younger generations,as a whole,seem uninterested in the pursuit of music reproduction in the home..Live music events are less & less about the music & more & more about the "show"being put on..
Vendors at the last hi fi show I attended recently commented on how small the crowds were compared to previous years.
Too much of anything is never a good thing in the long run...Is it possible that the unbridled ability of manufacturers to saturate the market with too many choices could be a DEATH knell to our hobby in the not to distant future?
Showing 3 responses by mitch2
This is another one of those threads that begin with a false premise as an attempt to stir the pot. "Gluttony" is probably the wrong word since it mostly applies to the consumption side, not the supply side. The premise then advances into fear-mongering, i.e., "the unchecked saturation...bring about the demise of the entire industry." It sounds like what we hear from the news these days, "some are predicting...the sky is falling." |
@larsman - Big box was the first chink in the armor affecting local audio shops and then the internet came along with direct sales, which was a double whammy by providing the same stuff at lower prices (no middle man) and also by introducing customers to a much wider range of offerings than was possible for local dealers to carry due to inventory overhead and dealer agreements. This resulted in a perfect storm that many dealers did not weather, although there seems to be a few that remain successful selling higher end gear, in larger cities, to customers who enjoy the benefits of personal service. Hats off to them because it can’t be easy. |