2. misc-audio
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What do the statistics say about the age of Audiophiles and the replacement rate?

I'm unable to verify this so I'd like some guidance.  I have a family member who is an authorized dealer of some really nice product lines (ARC, Magnepan, Sonus, Bryston).   

He won't confirm or deny my hunch, but at his shop I see mostly older white, affluent men. I see very few middle age men and no men in their 20s.  I don't keep all shop hours, but I do spend about 15 hrs./wk. there.  My relative won't show me his sales demographic but I can see with my own eyes.

So my question is this:  Is there an equivalent replacement stream of new blood entering the Audiophile world or not? Do you have statistical proof? 

If the universe of Audiophiles (supposedly 20,000 in the lower 48) is indeed shrinking where does that leave the manufacturers and dealers? 

yesiam_a_pirate

Showing 2 responses by kerrybh

kerrybh
237 posts
 

Not a lot of fun things about getting old but one of them is having much more time now to enjoy the music. 
on the other hand, I make it a point not to watch reruns of Soylent Green anymore

kerrybh
237 posts
 

my lady friend is about 12 years younger than me and when we got together a few years ago, she thought Bose was high end. Because of her age, her taste in music was 80s and early 90s, which is to say she had no taste at all. Well, that has improved and we have spent many hours listening to my system, and attend some shows.

So, for Christmas I set her up with a little system, some pretty nice T + A speakers and a bluesound powernode. She is really enjoying her system and it sounds really good in her space. She’s thinking about going to the southwest Audio Fest with me.

That will undoubtedly spark a case of upgraditis and I will have created a monster

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