How could High End audio be improved?


I have read alot here about many of the complaints about where High-End audio is going, and maybe it's dying, and stuff like that. Are the prices getting too high, or is the hype out of control, or is there too much confusion, or are there too many products, or obsolescence happening too fast, or new formats confusing things, or Home Theater taking over, or what?

What do you think are the main problems in the High End, and what would solve them? What will it take to get some vitality back in this industry?
twl

Showing 2 responses by onhwy61

Some excellent points by all above. For me it's a lack of perspective. We spend so much time debating esoteric issues that we lose sight of what is really important to the average music enthusiast. All over the world people love music, yet only a very small minority of listeners become audiophiles. Most people don't want to spend tens of thousands of dollars on equipment, nor really deal with all the "synergy" type problems of system matching. As an industry audio manufacturers need to focus in on bettering the quality of sub $2,500 systems that are truly plug in and play. I've always argued that for $7,500 MRSP, that someone could put together a system that that reaches 85% of the state of the art. There's no reason why for $2,500 someone shouldn't be able to attain 70% of the same.
A quote from an above post, "being drawn to the hiend is synonomous with being drawn to feel more beauty in music". Does this mean those not involved in high end audio are not drawn to feel more beauty in music? Asa, I guess I'm questioning your use of the word synonomous.