Whatever Happened To The Audiophile?

shack

Probably something we all already know...but still a good read...

http://www.npr.org/2011/03/05/134256592/whatever-happened-to-the-audiophile

treitz3

To answer the question? The introduction of the damned convenience crowd. The audiophiles are still here.

shack

Be sure and read some of the sidebar "Related NPR Stories" about various aspects of the music industry. They are pretty good as well.

Ricardo

treitz3 wrote: »

To answer the question? The introduction of the damned convenience crowd. The audiophiles are still here.

Nothing wrong with convenience. You can have great sound with convenience.

treitz3

I have yet to hear it. I have heard close but still, not quite up to par yet IMO and experience. I was just stating that to answer the thread question, "Whatever Happened To The Audiophile?"

txcoastal1

Although interesting topic, this subject may or not be Linton Weeks forte, he generally has a more politcal reference. None the less I do believe forums like this help the cause and interest by enlightning people to take interest no matter what your age.

I can speak for myself and probably others, that without the internet and forums many's interest would not be touched.

And as long as the elders and the industry professionals continue pass their interests, knowledge and passions down, the end of the audiophile will never die.

Easy question "How many people here on CP have purchased turntables because of the interest the forum has sparked"

Cayuga

I think with we will see more and more audiophiles, the 50 plus crowd will spend money to recreate the 60's and 70's. I don't think manufactures will target this group but prices for vintage gear (high end) will go up.

George Grand

I have enough stuff to last my lifetime. The antics of the public don't effect me.

steveinaz

It's good just to see it being talked about again.

Rivrrat

My 17 yr old daughter called me an audio snob. When the younger generations think like that, it can't be good for the equipment industry.

As I look at my family, I can see the downward spiral as they get younger


52 yr old me= decent mid-fi stuff that meets the waf.
40 yr old brother = nice Polk HT in a box and Dennon receiver
32 yr old stepson= crappy Sanyo HT in a box
17 yr old daughter= if it doesn't work on her Itouch she doesn't really care.

fishbones

Convenience is definitely a factor, so is economy.

schwarcw

Great story Steve!

A lot of audiophiles are still out here. I liked the reference to the "underground" community that talks about the various versions of source material and the active discussions on the forums. I think a lot of people our there have rediscovered some of the vintage gear that is available is much better than what can be bought at the big box store. Plus, how many people can afford all the Mark Levinson reference components and a set of Dane speakers. As we've always said here at Club Polk, you don't have to spend a lot of cash to have great sound. Plus there is such an active DIY community that are experimenting with their digital sources, analog preamps and power amps. I think the author made a good point that we may be on the verge of a second generation of the golden age of audiophiles.

danz1906

Rivrrat wrote: »

My 17 yr old daughter called me an audio snob. When the younger generations think like that, it can't be good for the equipment industry.

As I look at my family, I can see the downward spiral as they get younger


52 yr old me= decent mid-fi stuff that meets the waf.
40 yr old brother = nice Polk HT in a box and Dennon receiver
32 yr old stepson= crappy Sanyo HT in a box
17 yr old daughter= if it doesn't work on her Itouch she doesn't really care.

Very Interesting!

fishbones

Also,...18+ years ago, most audiophiles didn't have to decide between home theater, or dedicated 2 channel system. Many would-be audiophiles turned into videophiles (or some combination thereof) for the family friendliness (splitting the amount they would've spent on high quality 2 channel components), IMO.

madmax

A friend of mine who thought he might like to get into high end audio ($1K-$2K range) went to the last Rocky Mountain audio show and now has a $20K system. In one way its about exposure to really high end but in another way there is too much exposure to the typical mass marketing entry level audio and HT gear which just seems too confusing due to the bells and whistles.

BlueFox

treitz3 wrote: »

I have yet to hear it. I have heard close but still, not quite up to par yet IMO and experience. [/B]

Yes, I know live is best, and then comes vinyl, but you should try a good SACD player, or a Bluray music player, along with good gear. All the convenience in the world by using a remote to skip tracks, jump around, play randomly, etc. The major drawback to SACD/Bluray is they are limited to the number of files that can fit on its digital file storage device (the disk).

treitz3

Oh, I have those formats. I'm talking about the Squeezeboxes, lossless, MP3's, I-pods, computer downloaded stuff and the like. The convenience crowd, to me, started with 8-track and cassette tapes, ,then came CD's, then the walkman.......

....you know the rest of the story.

[Deleted User]

Quote from the article:

"When she sits on a comfortable sofa, in exactly the one spot where all the sound comes together, and she listens to Paul McCartney singing Blackbird, she can hear it so perfectly that she can discern McCartney slapping his thigh ? against blue jeans. It's a really distinctive slap sound, she says, and quite different than if Sir Paul wore wool pants. "

Is she referring to the tapping sound heard on the recording ? I've read and or heard several theories about this but this is a new one. :cool:

Tony M

Audiophiles are a dying breed but some with alot of $$ reserve will try to keep luring in new audiophiles (that also have alot of $$ )but it will get harder and harder.

I-phones ( Androids ) and ear-buds are all the younger ones want nowadays.
It's not hard to see this.

Cayuga

Guys everyone talks about what the young people want, the market is with older people. They have the money and there's way more of them. If the boomer's want high end gear the market will come full circle.

VR3

I can tell you that young people do like good sound.

Infact in the past month I have gotten two more folks into audio than there was the month before.

And since then - I have exposed several people to audio and everyone that comes over to my house experiences it and everyone that goes over to their house experiences...

Dont be so quick to throw stones but to try to show people what it is and why it is awesome...

cstmar01

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »

I can tell you that young people do like good sound.

Infact in the past month I have gotten two more folks into audio than there was the month before.

And since then - I have exposed several people to audio and everyone that comes over to my house experiences it and everyone that goes over to their house experiences...

Dont be so quick to throw stones but to try to show people what it is and why it is awesome...

There are young people that do like to hear the best that they can get and afford. A lot of my friends have no idea even what a system should be set up like and when they come over I had them sit down in my 2 channel and were shocked that it sounded like "someone was right there". Now its not that they are going to run out and buy something like what I have but at least they know and then want to try to get their stuff to sound better. Such as my friend who bought my old Monitor 70's set up. He didn't even know that his placement was off until after he heard my set up while listening to music and never knew about imaging or anything like that.

Also a lot of the people that I talk to do complain that MP3's sound like crap. Its also part of explaining not only how a better stored file will sound but the stuff that plays it all makes it better. Such as a better DAC then playing on their iphone with crappy ear buds. Its more about getting some of them educated to see whats out there.

The other big problem is blind leading the blind. Big box retailers really have no idea what they are talking about. So when someone goes into best buy and ask for the good SQ they are going to be lead by a kid who has no clue about anything and told to just get an HTIB because its cheaper, or a sound bar.

tonyb

Cayuga wrote: »

I think with we will see more and more audiophiles, the 50 plus crowd will spend money to recreate the 60's and 70's. I don't think manufactures will target this group but prices for vintage gear (high end) will go up.

So as the kids today get older, will they long for MP3's ?

megasat16

tonyb wrote: »

So as the kids today get older, will they long for MP3's ?

Quite possibly Sony Discman and Compact Cassettes Tapes Players (aka walkman). :biggrin:

I am saving up Vintage Gears! I am going to pass them down to my next Generations so they know what HiFi is about.

mantis

Ive been in the business for over a decade and have seen things change. I have worked for 3 different companies and experienced all kinds of people.

The break down for the home is home theater is most important along with big tv's. High quality video is what most people like. The next biggest thing is whole house music. Most people get really excited to have the ability to hear music everywhere in their homes. Home automation is more affordable today and people love it. Coming up dead last is high quality 2 channel music. Yes it is still alive and kicking but with older clients. I can't remember the last under 35yr old that looked for high end sound.

2 channel and high end is not dead yet but I watch it fade. My son is 15 and he had all of his friends over for his birthday. They all like music and listen all the time. They talk about the bands they love and whats going on in music today. One of them plays guitar. None of them even asked about the Mythos ST's or my system. What they did love is the fact that we had music playing all over the house including the garage and deck. Even in the basement music with playing. One of his friends came out of our hallway bathroom completely blown away that she was rockin to Alice In Chains while in the bathroom. She thought that was the coolest thing. Then my son was able to change the music , turn the volume up and down from his Iphone , they went crazy with that one.

They all know what I do for a living and have no care in the world about good speakers and amps. My son of all people has sat with me listening to my system of today and years ago and still has no desire to own high quality audio. He is more then happy with his iphone and Imac computer built in speakers.

I remember being 15 years old. I was into audio since 7 years old. I got my first record player and played "How much is the Doggie in the window" over and over. I have always had a deep passion for music. I started playing guitar when I was 9. My moms side of the family are all musicians , piano , drums , singers , organ players , etc. Both my Grand father and uncle enjoy 2 channel music and always had nice systems. it's where I was introduced to polk audio and yamaha stereo receivers. They Shopped at Byrn Mawr Stereo and video which carried better stuff. My Step Dad was into high quality music with owning panasonic Thrust speakers and big Panasonic receivers. Akai tape decks and Pioneer Phono's. Buying new needles was something that was important to my Step Dad. him and I would sit for hours listening to Neil Young and the Who. He would put on the Beetles and we would just sit there sipping Coke Soda. My Mom was a huge Barbra Striesand fan and we would listen to her Albums over and over. Music was a very big part of our family. I don't know how it got lost on my kids.

My wife likes music and could care less how she listened to it. The house speakers are more then fine , granted they are all polk in wall , in ceiling and outdoor speakers but she will not sit in front of the ST's and listen to anything unless I'm already doing so and she happens to come and sit down to read the paper or play with her iphone.

I wished my Son to take to high quality gear and music but the iphone and imac computer is much more important to him. He likes video games and his friends all play on xbox live. This is whats important to them.

bigaudiofanatic

Cayuga wrote: »

I think with we will see more and more audiophiles, the 50 plus crowd will spend money to recreate the 60's and 70's. I don't think manufactures will target this group but prices for vintage gear (high end) will go up.

I am 22 years old and I am still not at the top of what I want my system or collection of music to be. I have met very few in my age range that understand the quality music of the past.

I had a 25 year old in one of my classes try to tell me what good quality sound was. I asked for a demonstration. He quickly threw on some 50 dollar sony "bass cans" on top of my ears and cranked up some crappy compressed music. After listening for 30 seconds. I took them off and gave my opinion. "Way to bright with the highs no mid range and way to much bass." He quickly replied that I did not know what I was talking about and told me to come to his car after class to hear his two 12's pushing 1000 watts......I kindly passed. :rolleyes:

Even in my side job as a car audio installer I have to sometimes explain to people what they really what in a system. I have had people come to me saying they have a unlimited budget and want the best. I kindly ask them a few questions including how do they get there music and in what format is it. After that main question is answered I explain to them how bad that would sound on a high end system. Most understand after some talking and explaining others think I am crazy.

The sad or sometimes funny part is going to a audio store or in some cases best buy and walking into the listening room on a Friday afternoon where you see 16-20 year olds laughing at the high end speakers saying you call that bass. I almost want to tell them you have music all wrong.

cnh

mantis wrote: »

Ive been in the business for over a decade and have seen things change. I have worked for 3 different companies and experienced all kinds of people.

The break down for the home is home theater is most important along with big tv's. High quality video is what most people like. The next biggest thing is whole house music. Most people get really excited to have the ability to hear music everywhere in their homes. Home automation is more affordable today and people love it. Coming up dead last is high quality 2 channel music. Yes it is still alive and kicking but with older clients. I can't remember the last under 35yr old that looked for high end sound.

2 channel and high end is not dead yet but I watch it fade. My son is 15 and he had all of his friends over for his birthday. They all like music and listen all the time. They talk about the bands they love and whats going on in music today. One of them plays guitar. None of them even asked about the Mythos ST's or my system. What they did love is the fact that we had music playing all over the house including the garage and deck. Even in the basement music with playing. One of his friends came out of our hallway bathroom completely blown away that she was rockin to Alice In Chains while in the bathroom. She thought that was the coolest thing. Then my son was able to change the music , turn the volume up and down from his Iphone , they went crazy with that one.

They all know what I do for a living and have no care in the world about good speakers and amps. My son of all people has sat with me listening to my system of today and years ago and still has no desire to own high quality audio. He is more then happy with his iphone and Imac computer built in speakers.

I remember being 15 years old. I was into audio since 7 years old. I got my first record player and played "How much is the Doggie in the window" over and over. I have always had a deep passion for music. I started playing guitar when I was 9. My moms side of the family are all musicians , piano , drums , singers , organ players , etc. Both my Grand father and uncle enjoy 2 channel music and always had nice systems. it's where I was introduced to polk audio and yamaha stereo receivers. They Shopped at Byrn Mawr Stereo and video which carried better stuff. My Step Dad was into high quality music with owning panasonic Thrust speakers and big Panasonic receivers. Akai tape decks and Pioneer Phono's. Buying new needles was something that was important to my Step Dad. him and I would sit for hours listening to Neil Young and the Who. He would put on the Beetles and we would just sit there sipping Coke Soda. My Mom was a huge Barbra Striesand fan and we would listen to her Albums over and over. Music was a very big part of our family. I don't know how it got lost on my kids.

My wife likes music and could care less how she listened to it. The house speakers are more then fine , granted they are all polk in wall , in ceiling and outdoor speakers but she will not sit in front of the ST's and listen to anything unless I'm already doing so and she happens to come and sit down to read the paper or play with her iphone.

I wished my Son to take to high quality gear and music but the iphone and imac computer is much more important to him. He likes video games and his friends all play on xbox live. This is whats important to them.

Interesting history, Dan. I used to salivate at the very thought of an actual pilgrimage to Bryn Mawr Stereo when I was in college!

Today, I have my son running my old Sony surround AVR and a set of Yamaha surround speakers and his girlfriend keeps asking him, "Why do WE need so MANY speakers?" The two larger speakers (non-Yamaha I gave him for running L/R two channel sound--are NO LONGER in service--too BIG the GF says). Unfortunate choice there!

To his credit, he recently told me when I was complaining about LOW resolution digital sound that was inferior to a CD that 'some say 'vinyl' is even better'. He hadn't heard that from me, yet? I suspect he heard it from a friend whose father is a Doctor and may have a fine sound system? Would he buy a TT? I don't really know.

My daughter who is younger by almost a dozen years at 13, recently thanked 'me' for just putting a PC 2 channel/sub system in her room so she can play her ipod on it! I suppose I could upgrade her one step at a time?

My wife listens to video and music on her laptop speakers. And keeps telling me...why do 'we' need this or that--don't we have 'enough' now? It also took her a while to actually notice the difference between HD and SD TV?

I know that most of us have a kind of 'disease' according to many out there. Ah, but what a SUBLIME DISEASE it IS!

Enjoy your tunes...there is very little as satisfying as this experience!

cnh

BlueFox

bigaudiofanatic wrote: »

I am 22 years old and I am still not at the top of what I want my system or collection of music to be. I have met very few in my age range that understand the quality music of the past.

It has always been this way. There has never been a time when most, or even many people, cared about sound quality. There have always been individuals who do care, and they expose others to good sound. Every once in a while somebody hears it, and they decide they also want better sound.

bigaudiofanatic

BlueFox wrote: »

It has always been this way. There has never been a time when most, or even many people, cared about sound quality. There have always been individuals who do care, and they expose others to good sound. Every once in a while somebody hears it, and they decide they also want better sound.

Very true, my parents wonder what is my obsession and why I spend so much time and have so much music.

I have said this before but my father has a set of kef's, they get turned on every christmas but that is about is. There is about 6 other artists in his small 30 cd collection. Maybe that is why I got into audio.

TORI3

cstmar01 wrote: »

The other big problem is blind leading the blind. Big box retailers really have no idea what they are talking about. So when someone goes into best buy and ask for the good SQ they are going to be lead by a kid who has no clue about anything and told to just get an HTIB because its cheaper, or a sound bar.

Totally agree. It’s what the majority of the population has knowledge of, and accessibility to.

bigaudiofanatic wrote: »

The sad or sometimes funny part is going to a audio store or in some cases best buy and walking into the listening room on a Friday afternoon where you see 16-20 year olds laughing at the high end speakers saying you call that bass. I almost want to tell them you have music all wrong.

It kinda seems like the majority of mainstream music that young adults (usually male) listen to is driven by heavy bass. Them, including me (30 years old) didn’t grow up with vinyl. We grew up in a different age where 12” and 15” equated to a good sound system – whether in a car or in a bedroom.

Joe08867

The problem I see is kids don't mind or don't know any better about that digital artifact sound in there music. You know the compressed to far sound in 128kbps music. I hate that sound. It drives my ears crazy.

My nephew is 16 soon to be 17 and he only recently really listened to my two channel system. I played some music he likes that I have CD's or Vinyl's of. He was amazed at the difference. I let him listen to his ipod through my system and he could here the difference. I also let him try my Phones and his own to show him some of the subtleties between the two.

Needless to say, he doesn't like most of his recording anymore and is looking to go more lossless. I gave him some true copies of what he already has and showed him how to rip them lossless in I-tunes. He is much happier now. But I may have created a monster. Which is a good thing.

I liken audio to just about any other hobby or sport. If you don't introduce someone to it they may never know it exists.