20 year prognostication

phantomrebel said:
No knobs. I already use Alexa to play what I want, when I want, how I want and find there is simply no reason (other than sensual or sentimental) to physically interact with equipment (or search for a G-dam remote!). So in 10 years, I see 100% adoption of voice recognition on equipment (including whole-house and automotive). All wireless and cloud-enabled (yes, zero interconnects!). Portable devices like cell phones will lead the way in terms of formats, unfortunately, but I think all there will be is some form of hi-def digital accessed from some form of cloud.
Click to expand...
You gotta be careful with that Alexa stuff.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/48731...ice-held-a-party-on-its-own-while-he-was-out/

Aren't phones becoming more and more about streaming rather than "formats"?
 
Most people that I know listen to music on THEIR PHONES!!!! I don't think that there is a very bright future for real Hi Fi. At least for the masses. However, there will always be people like us that are not satisfied with inferior sound quality. Every now and again, I "open" someone's ears to what music really can (with my modest systems) sound like. Amazed is the only way to describe their reactions. But, I will stick with my old vintage stuff. I am too old, now, to be chasing the "perfect" sound. I am happy with what I have. Unless, of course, I win the lottery! ;)
 
Increasing cost of kwh will favor Class D amplification as we seek to lower power usage. Refrigerators, HVAC systems, lighting - more efficient solutions continue in all these. Devices trend to the smaller and lighter. Digital prevails. Multiple formats vie for the music consumer dollar. Some audio nut somewhere with my No. 585 and Klipschorns grins stupidly, as his wife says, "That's too big!"
 
Neither do I MFrench, and I also know that I am not connected. In 20 years newborns will be fitted with a SD slot. Even today our children hardly know what classical music even is. I am very glad that I grew up when I did, and have a wide appreciation of ALL kinds of music. At this point in time I think less than 10% of the world population cares about the faithful reproduction of musical creations of any kind. We just aren't producing the type of individual who will sit down with a pen and piece of paper, and compose, such works of art. The world is just moving too fast. We are all lucky to revere all of the many wonderful creations here.
 
DaveVoorhis said:
No more spinning plastic -- except as curios and antiques -- only streaming.

Superb room-filling sound from your wristwatch, or other jewelry-like status-bangle bling, by connecting to wireless speakers. When you want to listen in private, it will broadcast to your wireless earbuds or top-quality headphones.

But only wirelessly. Never wired.

Eventually, direct neural interfaces feed your preferred content -- and advertisements -- directly to your brain wherever you go. No longer limited by transducers, the quality will be uncanny. Some of you, still alive when it becomes popular, are overcome by the staggering beauty and weep uncontrollably when you first hear it. There's a scandal -- and a subsequent lengthy ethics debate -- when it's revealed that the vendors of the technique implemented mechanisms that artificially trigger the pleasure centres of the brain. Reports that the technique is also used make users artificially want to buy sponsored products are quickly hushed up.
Click to expand...
Wow...we even got into ethics on this one....lol...The day that music becomes the new drug, and it will be sold by Marlboro.
 
Twitter will be 1120 characters, audio will be a divided market between high end ear-implants and sound projector bars for HT setups
The split tendancy of the market between tending toward very high end, overly expensive units and speakers, and on the other hand to disposable bluetooth speakers will separate further and leave enthusiasts with no choice than buying used components from the more fortunate or DIY. Scary future, and I predict we wont even have flying cars by 2037
 
Last edited:
Freddymac2 said:
Neither do I MFrench, and I also know that I am not connected. In 20 years newborns will be fitted with a SD slot. Even today our children hardly know what classical music even is. I am very glad that I grew up when I did, and have a wide appreciation of ALL kinds of music. At this point in time I think less than 10% of the world population cares about the faithful reproduction of musical creations of any kind. We just aren't producing the type of individual who will sit down with a pen and piece of paper, and compose, such works of art. The world is just moving too fast. We are all lucky to revere all of the many wonderful creations here.
Click to expand...

If your not connected how are you able to access AK?
 
Freddymac2 said:
Neither do I MFrench, and I also know that I am not connected. In 20 years newborns will be fitted with a SD slot. Even today our children hardly know what classical music even is. I am very glad that I grew up when I did, and have a wide appreciation of ALL kinds of music. At this point in time I think less than 10% of the world population cares about the faithful reproduction of musical creations of any kind. We just aren't producing the type of individual who will sit down with a pen and piece of paper, and compose, such works of art. The world is just moving too fast. We are all lucky to revere all of the many wonderful creations here.
Click to expand...
Really? I have seen more new art and creative music in recent years than I have ever witnessed, much of it driven by technology. I guess it is all perspective? My feeling is that young Mozarts are amongst us now, we just don't notice them as much as they number in the thousands.
 
Last edited:
Hi fi system aren't very expensive. In the 60's and 70's a very Nice system composed of 2 Klipsch Cornwalls, a Mcintosh C-22, a MR 71 tuner, MC 275, and a big Thorens, with a SME arm and ortofon Cartridge might cost $ 2800 dollars. How much is that system today. Two Cornwall III, a Mc275 VI, C-22 III, MR-88, SME 15A, and a Ortofon MC coil cartridge., give me a minute while I add this up. Unlike the old days the price is the price of Mcintosh no longer holds true today. But by selecting a Winfield Ortofon and not the reissue of the Ortofon SPU which couldn't be used on the SME turntable we save a couple of thousand, and by not choosing the top of the line MK V tone arm we save some more. The list price comes as an appox guess to $35000 dollars before discounts. Thats not what I call a affordable sound system. Not when college grads are carrying heavy college loans. I was going to college paying tuition, transportation, books, had a part time job at a radio station with a second class license and had a similar system except I had Bozak Symphonies, two MC 240's, and in addition to the Thorens an Ampex f-4460 tape deck. Which could be replaced by a MCD 550 today. Kids can't do that today! Nor would they wan't too. I switched to SS in the 70's and made money selling my system back then. I wish I had my Original Pair of 275's back. I could really clean up today, not trade for a pair of new 2100's. If I had bought 2105's I might have kept them longer.
 
Last edited:
People are going to run out of room for body art.
stupid_face_tattoos_09.jpg
 
twiiii said:
Hi fi system aren't very expensive. In the 60's and 70's a very Nice system composed of 2 Klipsch Cornwalls, a Mcintosh C-22, a MR 71 tuner, MC 275, and a big Thorens, with a SME arm and ortofon Cartridge might cost $ 2800 dollars. How much is that system today. Two Cornwall III, a Mc275 VI, C-22 III, MR-88, SME 15A, and a Ortofon MC coil cartridge., give me a minute while I add this up. Unlike the old days the price is the price of Mcintosh no longer holds true today. But by selecting a Winfield Ortofon and not the reissue of the Ortofon SPU which couldn't be used on the SME turntable we save a couple of thousand, and by not choosing the top of the line MK V tone arm we save some more. The list price comes as an appox guess to $35000 dollars before discounts. Thats not what I call a affordable sound system. Not when college grads are carrying heavy college loans. I was going to college paying tuition, transportation, books, had a part time job at a radio station with a second class license and had a similar system except I had Bozak Symphonies, two MC 240's, and in addition to the Thorens an Ampex f-4460 tape deck. Which could be replaced by a MCD 550 today. Kids can't do that today! Nor would they wan't too. I switched to SS in the 70's and made money selling my system back then. I wish I had my Original Pair of 275's back. I could really clean up today, not trade for a pair of new 2100's. If I had bought 2105's I might have kept them longer.
Click to expand...

$2800 in 1967 is $20547 today.. I think it's hard to say that was affordable to the average student back then! You'd either have to be rich, or sacrifice other areas of life to get a killer sound system.
https://www.dollartimes.com/calculators/inflation.htm
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

mikey3117
What does the future hold for vintage audio?
2 3
Replies
40
Views
3K
OldSkool
OldSkool
retrokeeper
I wonder about the future...and my audio gear
2 3
Replies
46
Views
2K
Supercool!
Supercool!
bailebc
What current gear will we be scouring thrifts for in 20 years?
2
Replies
33
Views
2K
mfhale
mfhale
MarmotDavid
What to drive new Magnepan 3.7i's
2 3 4
Replies
60
Views
7K
Blue Shadow
Blue Shadow
C
20 years later my NAD died, now what??
2
Replies
36
Views
2K
markshan
markshan
Back
Top Bottom