Why Don't More People Love Audio?


Can anyone explain why high end audio seems to be forever stuck as a cottage industry? Why do my rich friends who absolutely have to have the BEST of everything and wouldn't be caught dead without expensive clothes, watch, car, home, furniture etc. settle for cheap mass produced components stuck away in a closet somewhere? I can hardly afford to go out to dinner, but I wouldn't dream of spending any less on audio or music.
tuckermorleyfca6
i think there is a tendency to overcomplicate a simple situation.

people are unique in there chice of hobbbies or activities they prefer. music is just one activity. there are many others.

why single out music as if there is something special or different, from say, reading, going to the theter, or eating out.

certain activities are perhaps more popular than others. it may be economic, it may be a lack of appreciation--think schooling.

consider it like you would another hobby, like tennis or golf.

it really is no more productive to analyze the interest in music as it would be to analyze the interest in golf.

just accept it and move on.
I agree with many of the fellow members and their various opinions. For the most part is more like the amount of investment you spend on any given component. when I mentioned one of my loudspeakers costing $5500 retail like my ohm walsh or any of my loudspeakers costing more then $2000 retail, they'd rather spend their money on something else. To them spending $1500 or more on a turntable is ridiculous or a cd player. Most people are happy with the mid fi mass market audio and video sold at your local stores or best buy, circuit city etc. Hardly anyone goes inside bestbuy's MAGNOLIA and buys anything. High end audio tends to drive people away because of the ultra high prices. What kind of people are going to spend $100k loudspeakers or more costing the price of a home? Even $30k, that's the price of japanese sports car. The price of high end audio especially ultra high end is beyond the reach of most people, that is why unless high end as a whole becomes affordable to the masses, don't expect any change of views. It's the same with anything else, how many people are going to shop for a lambhorgini?
Of all the musicians, music fanatics, and recording industry people I know, none of them are into high end audio. I'm involved in a couple music forums, and some of the people there will go to huge lengths to acquire hard to get recordings, insisting that they are in lossless format, but have very modest systems. Most of them use the stock audio card on their computer and run of the mill stereos or computer speakers. They are uninterested in my occasional hi-fi ramblings. Unconvinced at what a difference an outboard DAC (even a cheap one) will make. The same seems to be true of most of my musician friends.

This to me blows away the argument that if people really put a priority on music, they'd appreciate hi-fi. Although some audiophiles may be music fans, hi-fi often becomes a means unto itself. And the music fanatics probably understand what a good system will do, but are content in that they don't need one to enjoy their music.
Cause most people couldnt hear a difference between them unless the circumstances were extreme. I've been in the music industry for along time, and it never ceases to amaze me how many people can't hear music at all. Most wouldn't know clear from buzzy. Lossless from a low quality ripped mp3. And I won't even get into bright and warmth, and a smooth top to bottom speaker. This is from people who are in the recording/studio industry!!

If a person could tell the difference, they would spend the money. It's not a matter of rich vs poor IMO. Most people think Bose is still great, just because the marketing says so, and the fact there ears can't tell them otherwise.

Just my opinions
It is certainly puzzling, to say the least. I have a friend who I grew up with. We both love music in the recorded and live form. On a couple of occasions I have offered to do a demo at my house with a couple of speaker and amps types, but to no avail. He is fine plugging his iPod into his car stereo and listening to that. The same thing at home, Ipod into a tiny little planar speaker, and I mean tiny. We both started out on the same road in high school and college, with similar systems. Puzzling, especially as he is highly intelligent and makes exceptional money. I dunno, I just gave up. :)