Why Don't More People Love Audio?

The equation between high-end audio equipment and loving music is absurd. No more, no less. Many people love music, a good number even make music for a living, and don't give a fiddler's fart about high-end audio equipment. Many people with a mega bucks system wouldn't know a flatted fifth from a whole in the wall. Try again. Good day.

Because for one its a geek oriented hobby. To see grown men fretting over whether something is 99.99998% or 99.9999999% pure copper or imaging or room tuning or the thousands of tweaky overpriced doo-dads we get shoved down our throat is disturbing at worse and silly at the least. The average person wants to put on music enjoy it and get on with his life. I think we glom to much on the messenger and not enough on the message. Plus the prices in high end and even upper mid fi audio border on ridiculous. To have someone say that a $8,000 cable is a bargain must have our non audiophile friends going " hey not only is he audio geeky he's dumb if he believes that stuff." I know we all have been to a friends house where he or she spent so much time making sure the system was performing to its optimum for the listening session that by the time they were done it was time to go. Nothing wrong with making a bourbon and coke, kicking back, turning the music on and just emjoying the it. I really love audio and love good equipment. What I dont like is overblown prices and elitist audio geeks. In fact the tone of the original letter kinda harkens to that. "why arent there more non audio low lifes who have seen the light an become sacrosant and sanctamonious like us audiophiles" I think what it is there are a lot of more people that love music and could care less whether it was played on a $100,000 system or a car radio. Just think of the number of concerts you could go to for $100,000. The enjoyment should be the music not the equipment.

All hobbies which take on the characteristics you describe can seem ridiculous. What I can't take is the guy who asks "Who would pay $125,000 on speakers", inferring that it is crazy, while in the same breath asking you, "By the way how do you like my new $25K Rolex?"
The audio obsession like most others is simply an outlet for people to act out their fantasy. Some people dream of being like Ansel Adams, spending their hard earned money on camera equipment. So what. Life is short. Enjoy whatever it is that makes you happy. If it doesn't harm anyone else why bother to critique it?
I have sold $200K systems, and the people who buy them have the two ingredients necessary for any expensive hobby: Money and motivation. It seems that it takes someone really jealous finds the time to be so critical.
I don't want a Ferrari now, but give me several million dollars and my reference points of material desires would probably shift dramatically.
lrsky

Charker, where have you been all these years? I get pounced on, trampled, kicked, bashed, etc (only in writing I am pleased to say, although I have had threaths of physical harm) for uttering pronouncements like yours, albeit I sometimes get carried away. Stick around long enough and you may get carried away too! Another case of audio sanity breaking out on the 'Gon! Wonderful! Good day.

In thedoctor's camp, the brick & mortar dealers are brutally intimidating to those who want to learn the hobby before shelling out 5 figures for a system. I decided to start a relationship with my closest local dealer and they wanted to charge me a 50% markup on a YBA Integre, now they are giving me a hard time about fixing a Creek a friend passed down to me (I am out of work at the moment). Little wonder women don't flock to the high end. Maybe the predator phenomenon exists because I am in affluent WashDC, but now I have more respect, admiration & confidence in the Audiogon community than ever. The dealers just don't get it, that lifelong customers will spend more money in the long run than 1-time victims. Audio's worst enemy is among us.