Do you think this hobby is dying ??

[DVjorge]

Hi everyone,

Every single day, I see less and less Hi-Fi stores and equipment. At least, in Miami, where I live, most of the dedicated stores are closing. Hi-Fi equipment manufacturers are presenting less lines, less models, and many of them are switching to commercial electronic or other branches. I don't see young guys interested in Hi-Fi. I see them completely toward to Ipads, Iphones, Wireless Headphones, and storage chips.

For me, someone who has been enjoying Hi-Fi gear for more than 40 years, it is a sad thing.

What we love is about playing music using the best possible way, according to our possibilities. But, most of us can not negate we are equipment lovers, probably more than music lovers. I can not think of myself enjoying a record using a computer speaker set ,or listening to MP3 music, or from a memory stick.

What do you think about the future of this hobby ?? What are your predictions ??

Thanks

 

[Cadillac Kid]

I predict when I die the hobby will be dead.

 

[Mamrak1]

The way you perceive the audio world has been dying for sometime. If listening to music isn't mobile, cheap or free, the younger generations aren't interested. Enjoy what you have and don't worry about what will happen in the future.

 

[Tom Brennan]

Dying means a complete end to the hobby, that won’t happen. The hobby is evidently attracting fewer people but keep in mind that many people who had conventional hi-fis, especially hi-fis with receivers and “normal” speakers, were users not hobbyists. And then we have high fidelity hobbyists who embrace digital technology, headphones and headphone amps and such.


In any event I see nothing sad about this, it’s no skin off my nose how others amuse themselves, nor does that affect how I amuse myself.

 

[mhardy6647]

Yes (in the US) but fairly slowly; dying with the boomers (and their/our parents).
Going fairly strong in Asia.

 

[HunterMcD]

My only worry is what will happen to the cost of good equipment that’s actually worth buying. It’s hard enough now on a tight budget. Half my stuff is DIY for that very reason.

 

[Mamrak1]

My only worry is what will happen to the cost of good equipment that’s actually worth buying. It’s hard enough now on a tight budget. Half my stuff is DIY for that very reason.

There is plenty of high quality equipment on the used market. You just need to search for it.

 

[Ohighway]

Do you think this hobby is dying ??

Not quite yet......but it will......

 

[bigx5murf]

I don't think it's dying, and if used equipment prices are any indication, I say it's growing. The problem is local businesses can't compete with the online retailers, thus the disappearing physical presence.

The other issue I believe is the increasing cost of living, while average income hasn't kept pace. In particular the cost of vehicle ownership has grown tremendously in recent times (gotta pay back that bailout, and dieselgate money somehow). For example, my credit score has been increasing, but the interest rate on my recent vehicle purchase is 2.99%, when I bought a similar vehicle back in 2013 from the same dealership I got 1.99%. In a place like Tokyo, where most residents don't, and won't own vehicles. The HiFi physical presence there is alive and thriving.

 

[darkblue94]

Dying means a complete end to the hobby, that won’t happen. The hobby is evidently attracting fewer people but keep in mind that many people who had conventional hi-fis, especially hi-fis with receivers and “normal” speakers, were users not hobbyists. And then we have high fidelity hobbyists who embrace digital technology, headphones and headphone amps and such.


In any event I see nothing sad about this, it’s no skin off my nose how others amuse themselves, nor does that affect how I amuse myself.

We all are aware of the manner in which you amuse yourself.

 

[FileFixer]

Hmmmm... Maybe our hobbies dissapear but from my experience with young people, many of them dont know better then now and many times when I conversate with young people about music and experience with my hobbies that young people become interested. Why is that?! I think because that mass media and their school dont educate people to listen music, it only have to produce more money and to be more productive in their life. For that reason young people dont have time to listen and enjoy in music. Theirs fast life is directly connected with audio buiseness. Live fast listen fast. Audio corporation only follow trends, nothing more then this. These trends make money and this is one big circle to nowhere. My country is very specific about this. Most young people think then if you have the money, you're worth it, anything else is irrelevant. So music does not consider it important in life. May not believe but in my town which is capital city in Croatia you dont have place to buy simple protractor or inner sleeve but you can to bet at all places and drink alcohol where you want, almost at any second step. One ridiculous thing closer from Caffe bar when I drink coffe every morning is that in circle, bettere to say door to door, is kindergarten, school and betting place!!! Is that normal?! How that kids in future want to listen beauty of music and interesting for any piece of music hardware? No way, this is mission impossible. We must start from beginning.

 

[Dr. Morbius]

Not dying. Just changing.

 

[djwhy60]

I find that most of the generation now doesn't even know or understand our "old" audio. My stepson is just now getting to understand the difference in sound. He is 28. I have a small Realistic with Min 7's in the garage. We were talking about it one day, said he wanted something to hook his phone into when he was home. I took out a cable and hooked him up to it. It will be going to his home after the holidays! He loves it. His daughter is 5. She love spending time in my "mancave" listening to my big black DVDs! She will run through my whole album collection in no time. So I guess my point is, if we don't teach the newer generation about our obsession they will never care about it.

 

[Audiofreak71]

Theres plenty of us showing our kids and some other family members about the hobby and some are picking it up and enjoying it, therefore the hobby won't die as long as it keeps getting passed on like alot of us are doing now.

Audiofreak71

 

[awillia6]

The lights went on in my 21-year-old daughter's eyes just the other day. I had her throw one of her favorite Spotify-sourced songs ("When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zeppelin) stored on her phone to an AppleTV, thence to my mid-fi receiver and out to the floorstanders. Meh. Then, I pointed the AppleTV to the same song on my music server (ripped from CD and stored in Apple Lossless) and hit the "Play" button. She was blown away!

 

[jcamero]

Their will always be music, someone to play it, and someone to hear it.

 

[quaddriver]

the stuff in my house is top shape, sounds good, I live in nirvana. and I did and do my best to keep it going - I held up my end. every machine I restore is one more life preserver.....

 

[mars_volta]

Its dead already.

 

[rufleruf]

You just have to give'm a reason to love it.

 

[plugto]

I think the ipod made a big dent. Then you have the giant wharehouses that sell much less than brick and mortar stores. The younger people go for price and didn't grow up going into the old stereo stores to play with the gear and listen to true hi fi. Used to go to Harvard Square on the weekend after getting stoned, and would play with all the gear I couldn't afford. The super groups pushed the equipment too. Always had to have the latest album as soon as it came out. Another thing was the vinyl didn't last forever like a cd. The album cover art work was awesome to gaze at as well. The radio played its part too. Internet has changed alot of businesses and the way people shop. Hard to compete with the internet.
I first got into the hobby when the Beatles were on the radio. We listned to AM back in the begining. My family had a monophonic console with a radio and a record player. One big ass speaker in the front, no tweeter or midrange. One control was called vibrosonic, and must have been some kind of a coil circuit and gave a false sense of ambience or echo, but sounded so springy. Then FM got much better and it was in stereo.
The first taste of good hi fi was my sisters boyfriend bought her a sony reciever and a pair of large Advents. A Bang and Olufsen turntable was with it.
I loved that sound and got hooked. I fried the tweeters from playing Zeppelin way to loud and clipping the small reciever.
My first system consisted of a Marantz reciever with a Thorens turntable and a pair of large Advents.
Eventually got into equalizers and cassette decks.
Of course got into video when the Hi Fi VHS deck came out, and got my first surround system with the Yamaha DSP1.
I think the hobby has morphed into video and music systems that do both music and movies.
My present system is all seperates, I have a 5 channel Anthem P5 Statement to drive 5 ADS L1290/2s and 2 stereo amps to drive my height speakers, Nikko Alpha 440s both reconditioned. I am using an Anthem AVM60 for my preamp. I can set different speaker presets like Atmos all 9 speakers, or 5.1 or even just the two front for stereo with or without the sub. My ceiling speakers are ADS L300s, I have to build 4 smaller cabinets like the center channel so all 9 speakers are the same drivers and crossovers. Just recently found out the height speakers are full bandwith, so little ones just don't cut it.
I began streaming movies off of Netflix back in 2010, and started using VUDU in 2011. VUDU has a much better surround sound.
I haven't gotten into streaming music just yet but have done some reading about hi res files.
I have a lot of media on vinyl, cassette, CD a few surround CDs and binaural. Laser Disc VHS and DVD and Blu Ray. Haven't gone into 4k yet cause the manufacturers are still using 3 different methods to broadcast and playback. I know I will go into it when it is just one standard.
I believe the future will be Video, Audio, Music and Movies all coming down the pipeline on the internet tied into the computer and at an astronomical bandwith.
I always read the Science Daily website, and they are developing new materials and ways to transmit data at humungous rates.
Hard copies will become obsolete and we will be keeping our collections in some damn cloud.
I disagree with the statement Hi Fi manufacturers are making less lines and models. I have seen the equipment get more sophisticated and computerized.
Signal to noise levels are super quiet now and more and more people are learning about the room interaction and how to deal with it. Some of the better equipment now have room correction software built in and come with a calibrated microphone. And they make a huge difference when used.
The sound is getting better and better but the way the equpment is getting from maufacturer to consumer is a mess. Some manufacturers are selling direct, while others only use exclusive dealers. I believe the equipment needs to be properly displayed by professionals who can set it up right.
The big wharehouses that are automated with robots and can sell gear much less on the internet are the threat to the industry in my opinion.
But really 30$ for vinyl? 2 years ago I saw this price in Newbury Comics and almost wanted to slap the manager. WAY tooo much for that limited medium.