How to Revive High-End Audio
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I'm not sure I understand this thread 
What is there to revive? High end audio is thriving. Witness the sold out shows (for exhibiters), the g'zillion Ezines and bloggers, the 100s of audio societies worldwide, the vinyl explosion, the headfi movement, DSD downloads, and reel to reel tapes. My goodness, I'm out of breath writing this! Where is the problem?
What is there to revive? High end audio is thriving. Witness the sold out shows (for exhibiters), the g'zillion Ezines and bloggers, the 100s of audio societies worldwide, the vinyl explosion, the headfi movement, DSD downloads, and reel to reel tapes. My goodness, I'm out of breath writing this! Where is the problem?
I'm not sure I understand this thread
What is there to revive? High end audio is thriving.
I know I have been doing my part this year...
The recent TAVES show in Toronto wasn't sold out, not even close, and Toronto includes a large audiophile contingent.
Anyway, I think hi-end appeals to a healthy demographic, but one perhaps that is a bit static in nature ... I don't see nearly as many younger people getting into the hobby as I once observed ... and that factor alone ... may haunt the industry in the future.
tb1
Check out the stats from one of our channels... over 1,200,000 data points.
I wonder why some pics post blurry?
I wonder why some pics post blurry?
I'm not sure I understand this thread
What is there to revive? High end audio is thriving. Witness the sold out shows (for exhibiters), the g'zillion Ezines and bloggers, the 100s of audio societies worldwide, the vinyl explosion, the headfi movement, DSD downloads, and reel to reel tapes. My goodness, I'm out of breath writing this! Where is the problem?
You are joking aren't you? High end audio is limited to a very, very small portion of the population. I am sure that people who are involved in dog shows, equestrian, bowling all think the world revolves around them too.
Same with RMAF this year. The halls and rooms were as empty as i have ever seen them.
I'm not sure I understand this thread
What is there to revive? High end audio is thriving. Witness the sold out shows (for exhibiters), the g'zillion Ezines and bloggers, the 100s of audio societies worldwide, the vinyl explosion, the headfi movement, DSD downloads, and reel to reel tapes. My goodness, I'm out of breath writing this! Where is the problem?
Peter, i can appreciate your optimisim. i work in an industry of eternal optimists or become a victim of a self fullfilling prophecy.
that said i dont see this industry the way it was 20 or more years ago. far fewer brick & mortar stores operate today in my area that are truly high-end 2-channel orientated. many very good cos. have gone under or are on the verge of going under or get swallowed up by investment groups that spin them off sooner or later. Thiel and ARC were acquired this way earlier this year and what was left of Wadia. In doing research on my newly acquired martin logan speakers, i read they were on the verge of going BK at least once and and now redirected their efforts more to HT and mid-fi and they're still not out of the woods. an acquaintance i know that worked at conrad johnson went back for a homecoming recently and was shocked to see they moved to a much smaller operation and let many people go - are those good signs? almost forgot Goldmund just went under - these are blue chip cos! who will be the latest casulty in 2014, should we start a ghoul pool?
I think Peter has a point, actually. As a very small, niche market luxury product group, much of high end audio is doing pretty well. But as anything remotely approaching a mass market product reaching enough people to be seen as more than a niche, high fidelity, with the exception of headphones, is on the ropes, breathing hard, struggling to remain on its feet.
Tim
Tim
IMHO, everyone is just presenting some particular aspects of his garden, with mainly a pessimistic view, but there are some very positive aspects in recent times for High-End. Consider for example Devialet - they were such a success that now they managed to raise 15 million euros to reorganize and expand the company, Sonus Faber has a very successful range of low price speakers, Krell entry line CD player and amplifier, the successful PrimaLuna line of electronics, Shunyata new cables, just to refer a few cases. In Europe, most countries have local brands, that in spite of the financial crisis of the southern Europe are still keeping alive.
Surely audio has to face the competition of many other hobbies. Who would guess thirty years ago that people would be flying radio controlled helicopters costing less than $100 in competitions in 2013?
Surely audio has to face the competition of many other hobbies. Who would guess thirty years ago that people would be flying radio controlled helicopters costing less than $100 in competitions in 2013?
Definitely good points, micro. I think what is truly bothersome about the current state of the industry is that there aren't more sales of systems in the $10k - $20k range which could be close to the SOTA of 20 years ago for less than the price of the average new car. I suspect there were more systems sold in that price range back then, when that money was worth more but probably bought you less. Or systems now in the $5 - $10k range now which can buy something really good for a fraction of the price of an economy car.
I think it will be revived now that sun spot activity has seized up and we are now in a new ice age. I went sledding with the kids this morning down the 11th fairway T-box hill behind my house. Can't leave the house in Texas.
There will always be winners and losers. Just because things change doesn't mean the market is dying.
As for shows, I went to RMAF 3 years in a row, but I skipped this year. I didn't stop buying gear though. I just got bored with that particular show. Maybe I'll go to SF show next year. That looked like a fun one.
As for interest in high quality live music, I have never seen the Dallas Symphony in such high demand. That must be a good sign.
As for shows, I went to RMAF 3 years in a row, but I skipped this year. I didn't stop buying gear though. I just got bored with that particular show. Maybe I'll go to SF show next year. That looked like a fun one.
As for interest in high quality live music, I have never seen the Dallas Symphony in such high demand. That must be a good sign.
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