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What are your thoughts on young people (teenagers/children) taking interest in vintage electronics?

Before retiring earlier this year, I worked with and supervised mainly late 20s to early 30s, plus I have two early 20s granddaughters. During conversations, since I’m a audio/video and physical media lover, I really don’t get the feeling that most of the younger crowd are really interested in vintage or even new audio equipment. Yes, I see young people, mainly guys, in my local record shops, BUT often, I see them with older people, who I assume are immediate family members.

What “I” see is if say a young person has a father/mother or an older brother/sister who have a nice vintage/new audio system, I can see that a younger person being interested more in this hobby.

Also, I feel that most of the younger crowd believes in a more “minimal” lifestyle. My two granddaughter’s lives are on computers, external hard drives, iPhones and iPads. Heck, I’d say between the two of them, they have maybe 15-20 books. I seriously don’t think they own CDs or DVDs. Heck, I even offered give my own 39 y/o daughter my 2 year old silver faced Yamaha A-S801 amp and matching silver CD-S700 CD player and T-S500 FM tuner, but she passed since they too up bulky and took up too much space…. And she likes the modern/mid century look too.

I have two other hobbies besides Audio/Video and one of them is building scaled plastic models, armored vehicles, and when I visit our last truly independent hobby shop, the only customers I’ve seen over the years are guys in their late 40s and up into their 60s. So I’m not shocked that there is a change in interests within the younger crowds. Even in our few remaining new/used audio shops, in the metro Seattle area, I’ll see a few mid 30s guys from time to time, but again, it’s the mid 40s to mid 60s are who you’re seeing the most.

I wish that the younger crowd would get into vintage gear or even audio/video gear at all since it’s a win-win for all. IMHO, the only reason why companies like Yamaha still produce truly high-end audio equipment is that the older crowd are now in their peak earning years and are willing to drop $3000-$5000 or far more on a amplifier set-up alone.

The bottom line is that there will always be an interest in vintage audio/video equipment and physical media, but not at the numbers as say in the 1970s and the 1980s.
 
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bergun said:
Before retiring earlier this year, I worked with and supervised mainly late 20s to early 30s, plus I have two early 20s granddaughters. During conversations, since I’m a audio/video and physical media lover, I really don’t get the feeling that most of the younger crowd are really interested in vintage or even new audio equipment. Yes, I see young people, mainly guys, in my local record shops, BUT often, I see them with older people, who I assume are immediate family members.

What “I” see is if say a young person has a father/mother or an older brother/sister who have a nice vintage/new audio system, I can see that a younger person being interested more in this hobby.

Also, I feel that most of the younger crowd believes in a more “minimal” lifestyle. My two granddaughter’s lives are on computers, external hard drives, iPhones and iPads. Heck, I’d say between the two of them, they have maybe 15-20 books. I seriously don’t think they own CDs or DVDs. Heck, I even offered give my own 39 y/o daughter my 2 year old silver faced Yamaha A-S801 amp and matching silver CD-S700 CD player and T-S500 FM tuner, but she passed since they too up bulky and took up too much space…. And she likes the modern/mid century look too.

I have two other hobbies besides Audio/Video and one of them is building scaled plastic models, armored vehicles, and when I visit our last truly independent hobby shop, the only customers I’ve seen over the years are guys in their late 40s and up into their 60s. So I’m not shocked that there is a change in interests within the younger crowds. Even in our few remaining new/used audio shops, in the metro Seattle area, I’ll see a few mid 30s guys from time to time, but again, it’s the mid 40s to mid 60s are who you’re seeing the most.

I wish that the younger crowd would get into vintage gear or even audio/video gear at all since it’s a win-win for all. IMHO, the only reason why companies like Yamaha still produce truly high-end audio equipment is that the older crowd are now in their peak earning years and are willing to drop $3000-$5000 or far more on a amplifier set-up alone.

The bottom line is that there will always be an interest in vintage audio/video equipment and physical media, but not at the numbers as say in the 1970s and the 1980s.
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Great comment, I so agree with you, but I have to admit my real understanding of analogue came in later years along with patience and an eye for beautiful things.
 
I think it’s great! I guess the more folks who are into vintage the higher they drive up prices. But imo it’s ridiculously cheap. Cheaper than when they were new adjusted for inflation. So it’s ok. I think we’re living in a sort of golden age for audio. While at the same time I worry that younger folks are listening to really crap SQ ear buds cell phone speakers etc. So good for anyone who wants to explore the world of higher SQ. It’s a much more enriching hobby than many others.
 
One of my sons is really into music and plays guitar also. He struggled with hand me down equipment for awhile, and once I saw he was serious about wanting better equipment I set him up with, and still do, some nice equipment. But as for sources it's mostly using a turntable, streaming and stored music files.
I can't give him a CD player, he just doesn't want one. He does prefer 70's silver faced equipment over newer equipment. The only physical media he cares for though is records. He has a nice collection of albums, but everything else is digital files stored or streamed. He will burn music to CD's for me when he finds something he thinks I'll like instead of sending me files since he knows I prefer physical media.
 
I sure hope that young people dive into vintage and two channel audio and make it a cult-like obsession!

The only stuff of mine that I've ever made money on has been selling off my stereo stuff! It actually appreciated!
Plus, it's nice to be able to mentor younger folk; we're confused a lot these days.
 
Even 40 or 50 years ago, there were plenty of young folks who weren't into good sound. For them, an all-in-one Panasonic or JVC system with a tuner, 8 track player and turntable was all they needed or wanted.

I still have friends my own age who really don't know good sound and that's OK. I don't rip on what they listen to music on and they don't seem too impressed by what I listen with. Different strokes I guess.

50 years ago you had TV and music for your main forms of entertainment. Turn the sound off on the TV and you were good. Now, young kids are glued to the computer they hold in their hands typing away with wireless ear buds in their ears. Good, thick, lush sound isn't an important entertainment criteria to them. You need a lot of free hard drive space in your brain to process it and fully enjoy it. That's very hard to do with a video game going or a chat/text conversation going on. There are bandwidth limitations in our brains. The modern world leaves little room for audio processing for many.
 
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I don't know about how things are for you down south, but I suspect it is similar to here. In the last two years, apartments have taken off costwise, and even more so, houses. I bought my house about 15 years ago for $240K. It is now worth close to a million! Insane! But the supply is limited and the demand is through the roof right now. If you have tried selling anything these days, you will have noticed large furniture not being sold, or else bought dirt cheap by people over 40.

The other factor to keep in mind, is that todays' youth know they will likely move many times in their lives. There is very little job stability, and that means moving with very little preparation. It sucks moving! Its a lot of work, and things can get damaged. Minimalism is in!
 
For what it’s worth I’m early-mid 20s, so not the youngest but younger than most. I found this site when I was trying to fix my dad’s old Sony receiver that I wanted to take to my new apartment. When I was a kid that receiver and my dad’s Bose model 141’s and acoustimass surround system would shake the floors in our house.

I never got the receiver fixed but I did find a new hobby. I’ve snagged all my gear at Salvation Army for a grand total of maybe $100. Brand new klipsch icon bookshelf speakers, a Design Acoustics speaker set (PS-9’s and a matching PS-SW sub), and a like new JVC R-X500 receiver. I also just picked up a Sony ES CD player for $9. My dad gave me all his CDs as he was frustrated with the format so I’ve put together a half decent system for really cheap.

My uncle is giving me a pair of massive JBL speakers that I’m going to pick up this weekend. I’ve got my heart set on something like the Sony GX9ES to power them.

I love old stuff though so maybe I’m an outlier. My other hobby is fixing up my 68 mustang (which come to think of it badly needs new speakers!).
 
BillyTheKid said:
I think it would be great if young people took an interest in this stuff. But, i haven't met any yet.
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Girl in her early 20's didn't know who Rod Stewart is while he was playing on the musak in the Coffee Shops she works in. College Student back home for the holidays picking up hours where she worked over the summer.

I never encounter any young people that know anything except their idealistic crusades.
 
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Lavane said:
One of my sons is really into music and plays guitar also. He struggled with hand me down equipment for awhile, and once I saw he was serious about wanting better equipment I set him up with, and still do, some nice equipment. But as for sources it's mostly using a turntable, streaming and stored music files.
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See, there is hope.

My son is very similar. When he was still living at home I hooked him up with an old Marantz turntable, JVC receiver, and my old JBL LX-55's and off he went. Now he's 25, owns his own home, and has close to probably 150 albums.

In fact, he and his sister, who is also his roommate, host a monthly "whiskey and vinyl" night with several of their friends where they do exactly that, sip whiskey and listen to vinyl.
 
pworm14 said:
In fact, he and his sister, who is also his roommate, host a monthly "whiskey and vinyl" night with several of their friends where they do exactly that, sip whiskey and listen to vinyl.
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Sorta like sitting in a tavern drinking VO with Old Style chasers and listening to the juke box, eh?

9950C1DD-B8A2-4355-B380-9509C7FDA8F6.jpeg
 
E2 said:
Girl in her early 20's didn't know who Road Stewart is while he was playing on the musak in the Coffee Shops she works in. College Student back home for the holidays picking up hours where she worked over the summer.

I never encounter any young people that know anything except their idealistic crusades.
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I don't know who Road Stewart is.
 
I think it’s just a novelty for most of the younger generation that will soon wear off. Playing records and CDs requires effort.
 
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