Where are the young audiophiles?

I'm 51 and didn't really start with this stuff until my early 30s. I remember very clearly thinking to myself now that you have some extra cash what is it you really like to do? The answer was listening to music, so I found a dearly nearby and grabbed a nice little starter system. About a year later I found Audiogon the rest is history.


I do think the "next generation" is out there as said above there aren't a lot of them but there aren't a lot of us either.

As a relatively young (mid 30s) audiophile, I can tell you guys the snobbery (“my first $50K system...”) doesn’t help to encourage young folk to enter the hobby.

I have about $20K worth of gear in my current chain (and about $10K of other gear in a closet that I can swap out when the urge strikes) that was assembled over years of trial and error and extensive in-home auditions. The funny thing is, my system comes within a stone’s throw of some six-figure systems I’ve experienced (and bettering them in some areas). The reality is that many of you old guards are not getting the performance you think you’re buying. I’ve seen a lot of expensive gear crammed up against walls in untreated rooms. Many buying “high-end” five and six-figure components would benefit from trading some of their money for greater knowledge/experience.

+1 helomech. Smart beats expensive every time.

That's for sure. Also a lot of the people in stores are extremely elitist snobs who assiduously cultivate an air of superiority. Yet when you talk to one- if indeed you can get one to deign to talk to you, a lowly serf not even with an appointment to spend one hundred large in the next ten minutes - you will quickly come to realize they know zip about audio. Products, yes. Sales, definitely. But audio? As if! 

The truth is one of the best most impressive systems I ever heard was one I built for $1200 for my father in law. The bookshelf speakers intended for his entertainment center were put on makeshift stands a foot or so out from the side wall in my listening room to burn in. Went 2 whole weeks never even turning my system on, this little one was so much fun!  

Another time, a friend had me over for dinner. When he heard I was into audio he was proud to show off his great Sansui system. Had me sit down, played me some music. Good music, always enjoy that no matter what. Truly enjoyable experience. You know it is fun to visit, but it is also a bit of effort all the paying attention, coming up with witty rejoinders, being careful not to faux the pas. Was so nice to sit and truly relax with some tunes. 

Later when he comes over, goes to see mine, eyes wide as saucers just walking in the room. WTF? Tubes?!? Looks behind- WTF those cables? Not lamp cord?! On and on. Month later this guy is at the same dealer buying all the same stuff I have only separates not integrated, everything has to be a step up.  

So I think the snob angle is less to do with being an audiophile and more to just your natural personality. He was like that with his Porsche too. 

Not all of us are, I hasten to add. 

I'm not worried about the future of high end audio. This is a golden age of audio for me, far more choices of equipment , music, and accessibility to that music;  what a time to be a young, budding audiophile! Back when I was building my first systems you were limited to purchasing mostly new equipment through audio dealers. Used equipment difficult to locate, knowledge difficult to come by, so much great music living in obscurity. I don't miss the days of having to drive around to dealers doing ridiculous A/B demonstrations and paying too much for mediocre equipment. So much great music living in obscurity as FM radio and their lame format liabilities controlling what you could listen to. I don't let nostalgia delude my perceptions of the past, it really wasn't as good as some lead you to believe.


Many younger listeners are starting with headphones, as their wealth accumulates many will move to loudspeakers and more complex and expensive components. Today's budding audiophile has a plethora of equipment choices; new and used  equipment can be purchased with a few clicks on computer or smartphone. Steaming music sound quality continually improving, many forums from which to gain knowledge.

The young audiophiles I know are extremely happy with all their choices, and looking forward to continually upgrading their equipment. Nope the most golden of audio golden ages is yet to come, high quality sound will be available to the masses, it will no longer only belong to a fortunate few. If this is true, I wonder if we can even have an exclusive club of people calling themselves audiophiles? Is there some point in the evolution of sound quality when no more gains are to be had?