Where are the young audiophiles?

"...So it’s really only accessable to those upon whom God bestowed both outrageous wealth AND ears more sensitive than an oscilloscope. It’s a bit of a niche demographic, see?..."

The best part of this hobby is putting together affordable systems that sound great. I spent a lot of money learning this but you don't have to. 

Perhaps our job is to introduce the next generation to the magic, when normal times come back and the neighbors or relatives are visiting; ask some of the next generation if they've ever listened to vinyl?  If they look indifferent; just repeat "I mean really listened to music on vinyl."

Now its time to spin a record, most anything will do. The point is you're not introducing, lyrics, a beat or an artist.  You're introducing a dynamic, a new experience. 

The hobby will follow.  I have two nephews and one nice who are working on their first home 2 channel systems.  Of course my daughter loves vinyl; all that took was playing Adel's 19 (on vinyl).  The proof, she forgets to turn off my turntable and doesn't always put records away when she comes home.  I don't really mind.

95%?? Where did you get that percentage?  Inflated. When I was 16, I saved and with my fathers help got a nice beginner stereo. His Air Force career started as a radar engineer and he loved electronics. That helped. I had much more money in my first system than LP’s. The younger generation is more mobile. Hard to be footloose and fancy free with high end equipment. However what they lack in equipment they make up for in owning music. Many “senior” audiophiles care for their equipment over content. My daughter, is a lighting tech and  owns music from well over 400 artists, but she is content with a convenient Sonos system. Although not ‘high fidelity’, it is in constant use. Both for listening and background.  For the price the Sonos sound is very good. My daughter will  jump from Sibelius to Tom Waits to Miles Davis, and then will move to Garage Band to mix her own stuff. Perpetual change at work. If the definition of an audiophile is based on the equipment one owns, she is not an audiophile. However if the definition is based on a passion for music, she definitely is an audiophile! 

Back in the days of yore (1976-78) when I had my first good corporate job at 24 buying HiFi gear of quality was far more affordable than today. Here's what I bought from my local audio store: AGI 511 preamp ($450), Son of Ampzilla ($420), Mitsubishi DA-F10 tuner ($280), Ariston RDII TT ($270), SME 3009 arm ($150 - new!), GAS Sleeping Beauty E mc cartridge ($200), Verion SUT ($375), DCM Time Windows ($660/pr). Add some Verion Triaxial ICs ($30/pr) and Mogami 2477 coax speaker cable ($1/ft). So for about $2K+ this was a killer system then! Today one would have to spend $20K+ for similar quality! The bar has been raised too high for too many! 

By judicious shopping on eBay I have over the past 5 years been able to buy again secondhand most of the above gear - for comparable or less prices! It does still sound as good as it did 40+ years ago! So maybe today's used market is the key to acquiring quality gear for the younger crowd!