I recall in the late '80s, decent money in my pocket for 30-something, standing at a magazine rack in a bookstore, a copy in hand of Absolute Sound in its original small format with minimal advertising, browsing a review of ARC's latest $10K VT monoblocks, William Z. Johnson remarking in that review that although he could build a better amplifier there was no market for a more expensive amplifier, a stranger approaching who recognized the magazine and striking up a conversation about our systems...
All gone. Now it's a queue at the Apple store and when the buds come off, CarPlay and podcasts.