Is Audiophilia a Dying Hobby or Just in Need of a Tune-Up?

[PYP]

from a recent newspaper article:

On one Friday evening, the conversation in the back room of All Blues in TriBeCa, where about two dozen people sat in leather chairs, was overtaken by the music streaming from three large, mid-20th-century speakers.

Behind a D.J. booth, Yuji Fukushima, 62, the owner of the bar, spun a set that included 1980s funk and late-career Dizzy Gillespie, which played from a pair of German-made turntables. Around the room were rare McIntosh amplifiers, a tape recorder from a Swiss audio company and the three speakers — JBL products that altogether cost tens of thousands of dollars.

The bar’s patrons were enjoying what Mr. Fukushima called a “music massage,” inspired by some of his favorite hangouts in Japan, where he grew up.

The lounges, better known as listening bars or listening rooms, are places that are typically centered on a high-quality sound system that plays vinyl records. These bars stem from Japanese cafes, known as jazz kissas, which have a similar focus. In the past year, listening rooms in New York, as well as in other cities, have opened with increasing frequency. Nightlife proprietors point to the sustained popularity of vinyl and a lingering hesitance toward large gatherings after the pandemic. (Tokyo Listening Room and Another Country are others that have opened in Manhattan within the past year.)

 

[MarkusBarkus]

...I love the idea and have been (in Japan) but the cynic in me keeps asking how/how long they make money.

The "artist" in me suggests the old story about the German kookoo clock maker.

When told how long it takes him to make a kookoo clock, and how much it costs for materials, the customer asks:

How can you make any money?

The artisan replies:

I'm not making money, I'm making kookoo clocks.

And there was a hush in the passion play. Luckily for us, there are people willing to chase an idea. Support your local kissa? Support your local record store? Carry on...bravely in 2025.

 

[gleeds]

from a recent newspaper article:

On one Friday evening, the conversation in the back room of All Blues in TriBeCa, where about two dozen people sat in leather chairs, was overtaken by the music streaming from three large, mid-20th-century speakers.

Behind a D.J. booth, Yuji Fukushima, 62, the owner of the bar, spun a set that included 1980s funk and late-career Dizzy Gillespie, which played from a pair of German-made turntables. Around the room were rare McIntosh amplifiers, a tape recorder from a Swiss audio company and the three speakers — JBL products that altogether cost tens of thousands of dollars.

The bar’s patrons were enjoying what Mr. Fukushima called a “music massage,” inspired by some of his favorite hangouts in Japan, where he grew up.

The lounges, better known as listening bars or listening rooms, are places that are typically centered on a high-quality sound system that plays vinyl records. These bars stem from Japanese cafes, known as jazz kissas, which have a similar focus. In the past year, listening rooms in New York, as well as in other cities, have opened with increasing frequency. Nightlife proprietors point to the sustained popularity of vinyl and a lingering hesitance toward large gatherings after the pandemic. (Tokyo Listening Room and Another Country are others that have opened in Manhattan within the past year.)

My colleague, Fred Crane, was a passionate advocate of listening bars and, before some misfortune, was hoping to equip one in Massachusetts himself with Destination Audio horns and SE amplification (see his WBF post here)




This new spot in Tribeca looks very cool and will be on my itinerary the next time I visit NYC. I recommend Smokes Jazz Club on the Upper West Side to members for live jazz. There are magnificent acoustics, excellent food, and a great line-up of top players.

With the growing popularity of listening bars with great sound systems, we will attract more consumers to own the high-fidelity experience at home

...I love the idea and have been (in Japan) but the cynic in me keeps asking how/how long they make money.

The "artist" in me suggests the old story about the German kookoo clock maker.

When told how long it takes him to make a kookoo clock, and how much it costs for materials, the customer asks:

How can you make any money?

The artisan replies:

I'm not making money, I'm making kookoo clocks.

And there was a hush in the passion play. Luckily for us, there are people willing to chase an idea. Support your local kissa? Support your local record store? Carry on...bravely in 2025.

Right on, Mark. Here's a hat nod to the small, passionate artisans who keep the pursuit of high-fidelity sound alive!

 

[PeterA]

from a recent newspaper article:

On one Friday evening, the conversation in the back room of All Blues in TriBeCa, where about two dozen people sat in leather chairs, was overtaken by the music streaming from three large, mid-20th-century speakers.

Behind a D.J. booth, Yuji Fukushima, 62, the owner of the bar, spun a set that included 1980s funk and late-career Dizzy Gillespie, which played from a pair of German-made turntables. Around the room were rare McIntosh amplifiers, a tape recorder from a Swiss audio company and the three speakers — JBL products that altogether cost tens of thousands of dollars.

The bar’s patrons were enjoying what Mr. Fukushima called a “music massage,” inspired by some of his favorite hangouts in Japan, where he grew up.

The lounges, better known as listening bars or listening rooms, are places that are typically centered on a high-quality sound system that plays vinyl records. These bars stem from Japanese cafes, known as jazz kissas, which have a similar focus. In the past year, listening rooms in New York, as well as in other cities, have opened with increasing frequency. Nightlife proprietors point to the sustained popularity of vinyl and a lingering hesitance toward large gatherings after the pandemic. (Tokyo Listening Room and Another Country are others that have opened in Manhattan within the past year.)

Stories like this and others make me very optimistic about 2025. I wish these places much success.

 

[gleeds]

from a recent newspaper article:

On one Friday evening, the conversation in the back room of All Blues in TriBeCa, where about two dozen people sat in leather chairs, was overtaken by the music streaming from three large, mid-20th-century speakers.

Behind a D.J. booth, Yuji Fukushima, 62, the owner of the bar, spun a set that included 1980s funk and late-career Dizzy Gillespie, which played from a pair of German-made turntables. Around the room were rare McIntosh amplifiers, a tape recorder from a Swiss audio company and the three speakers — JBL products that altogether cost tens of thousands of dollars.

The bar’s patrons were enjoying what Mr. Fukushima called a “music massage,” inspired by some of his favorite hangouts in Japan, where he grew up.

The lounges, better known as listening bars or listening rooms, are places that are typically centered on a high-quality sound system that plays vinyl records. These bars stem from Japanese cafes, known as jazz kissas, which have a similar focus. In the past year, listening rooms in New York, as well as in other cities, have opened with increasing frequency. Nightlife proprietors point to the sustained popularity of vinyl and a lingering hesitance toward large gatherings after the pandemic. (Tokyo Listening Room and Another Country are others that have opened in Manhattan within the past year.)

My friend and colleague, Fred Crane, passionately advocated listening bars. Then, some considerable business and family misfortune befell him, and his dream to equip an establishment in Massachusetts with Destination Audio horns and SE amplification was not to be. Now some years later bars are appearing with some frequency and the concept is growing, at least in trend-setting locations such as NYC/Brooklyn, LA, and Toronto. (see Fred's WBF post here)

Destination Audio's Malta (Listening Bar) Horn Loudspeaker System

The Destination Audio Listening Bar (part 1) Recent years have seen a decline in most on-the-town venues. The pandemic has had quite a breadth of casualties, first and foremost in human terms, but also in terms of businesses succumbing to the varied land mines, be they from lack of an audience...

www.whatsbestforum.com

PYP, this new spot in Tribeca, looks very cool and will be on my itinerary the next time I visit NYC. For live music, I also recommend Smokes Jazz Club on the Upper West Side to members for live jazz. Smokes offers magnificent acoustics, excellent food, and a great line-up of top players.

With the growing popularity of listening bars with great sound systems, I'm optimistic we will, albeit slowly, attract more consumers to own the high-fidelity experience at home

 

[PeterA]

My colleague, Fred Crane, was a passionate advocate of listening bars and, before some misfortune, was hoping to equip one in Massachusetts himself with Destination Audio horns and SE amplification (see his WBF post here)




This new spot in Tribeca looks very cool and will be on my itinerary the next time I visit NYC. I recommend Smokes Jazz Club on the Upper West Side to members for live jazz. There are magnificent acoustics, excellent food, and a great line-up of top players.

With the growing popularity of listening bars with great sound systems, we will attract more consumers to own the high-fidelity experience at home

Right on, Mark. Here's a hat nod to the small, passionate artisans who keep the pursuit of high-fidelity sound alive!

I visited Fred Crane‘s shop in Massachusetts, shared some drinks with a few other visitors from his well stocked collection, and then sat around listening to one of his systems. It was a great evening and a very relaxed and casual atmosphere. He was telling me plans about expansion with a balcony and food service.

I’m sorry to read about any misfortune.

 

[PYP]

...I love the idea and have been (in Japan) but the cynic in me keeps asking how/how long they make money.

The "artist" in me suggests the old story about the German kookoo clock maker.

When told how long it takes him to make a kookoo clock, and how much it costs for materials, the customer asks:

How can you make any money?

The artisan replies:

I'm not making money, I'm making kookoo clocks.

And there was a hush in the passion play. Luckily for us, there are people willing to chase an idea. Support your local kissa? Support your local record store? Carry on...bravely in 2025.

Your mention of Japanese kissa stirred the memory that the contemporary Japanese author, Haruki Murakami, owned a jazz kissa before he became a well-known author. Speaking of Murakami, folks who enjoy classical vinyl might find his book on the subject interesting - Absolutely on Music: Conversations with Seiji Ozawa. This to me defines how a music lover listens. That a jazz lover has such knowledge of particular classical recordings is mind blowing to me when you consider what else he does with his life.

 

[Rexp]

Anyone know of any digital music listening bars?

 

[PeterA]

Anyone know of any digital music listening bars?

Yes, the one next to the lobby at the local hotel playing lounge musack and serving drinks.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Anyone know of any digital music listening bars?

Yes its the one you have to reserve a seat via the app.
Same goes for parking
And by the way its in a non emisiion zone so only digital / electric cars allowed .
Optimus is serving the drinks .

Oh and by the way no cash payment .
Card or smart phome only

 

[MarkusBarkus]

...kissa bars will be the only places vinyl is allowed. They'll need a special license to play "plastic" music.

 

[wil]

Anyone know of any digital music listening bars?

It’s a shame when the usual suspect(s) must poop on every thread with their format obsession — especially when the thread veers to something more meaningful like music and the listening bars.

Hat’s off to Fred Crane and his wonderous thread linked above.

 

[Rexp]

It’s a shame when the usual suspect(s) must poop on every thread with their format obsession — especially when the thread veers to something more meaningful like music and the listening bars.

Hat’s off to Fred Crane and his wonderous thread linked above.

It's a greater shame that, as things stand, the hifi business has no future. It's time to wake up and offer folks life changing musical experiences at home.

 

[ssfas]

It's a greater shame that, as things stand, the hifi business has no future. It's time to wake up and offer folks life changing musical experiences at home.

I was on Japan recently. Went to several record stores that also run labels and are listening venues. Also went to Disk Union Tokyo and HMV Osaka, which are big, commercial and excellent. HMV Japan runs an independent label as well as retail.

I went to a big Yodobashi in Tokyo and bought an Ikeda 9TS, a camera SD card and a pair of hair straighteners. The hifi and hair straighteners were on the same floor. All the Japanese brands were on display, from the cheapest to the most expensive components, and the headphone selection was about the size of a football field.

As we were walking between districts, I did spot a small shop selling European hifi.

The Japanese love their music, and they rightfully have a soft spot for home-grown jazz. They also still love CD, which accounts for 35% of physical sales. Their culture is so different from the West, their approach to hifi seems completely different and quite sane, not always wanting the next best thing, not in the least ostentatious. There is huge respect for tradition and continuity.

Absolutely on Music: Conversations with Seiji Ozawa. This to me defines how a music lover listens. That a jazz lover has such knowledge of particular classical recordings is mind blowing to me when you consider what else he does with his life.

Definitely a great insight about a healthy relationship between hifi, recordings and musical performance.

 

[MarkusBarkus]

Their culture is so different from the West, their approach to hifi seems completely different and quite sane, not always wanting the next best thing, not in the least ostentatious. There is huge respect for tradition and continuity.

...I would refine this statement, because one of the defining characteristics of Japanese culture, IME, is that folks are at once voracious early adopters and trend setters, while maintaining a very strong relationship with the past/tradition. I think, to some extent, it depends upon where one draws the line (in terms of a timeline) and what one considers "ostentatious." Even Japanese culture struggles to keep some of the family artisanal lineages going, to not lose certain old traditions. Like hifi itself: simple, yet complicated. Like life.

 

[Mr. Miyagi]

I would agree. I've seen and heard many areas of progress in high end audio. And it's exciting. Has the high end watch industry shown progress. Not so much in technical terms but mostly in aesthetic touches. To "leyenda's" point (a few posts back), there is a status element that high end watches have. Getting to that "status" level would propel our industry tremendously. But for us, in our industry, improved performance must accompany status! And for most of us music is a sacred gift.

This will never happen. Watches, while not a good investment (can be short-term speculative, but long term underperforms all asset classes that are at scale and liquid, are made of natural elements that have intrinsic value (gold, diamonds, platinum etc) and can be worn everyday that are a status symbol to show the world daily you have financial resources. Audio equipment is in the confines of your home, have no intrinsic natural element value (cannot burn down an amp for scrap value) and depreciate 20% the minute you take possession. The supply and demand dynamics are entirely different and its not a good comparison.

 

[Mr. Miyagi]

Why does anyone care? It seems fake or misplaced concern. Why should the youth of today embrace some other generations hobby.

Its a very sound statement to say sitting for hours in front of a stereo is a waste of time and money to buy the expensive gear. At least a video game is active, engaged with 3 or more people and a lot less money.

And really, I see a lot of people walking around with headphones. They may be more engaged with music than old people are. They simply avoid wasting big $$$ chasing a unattainable goal.

Well, there are a plethora of scientific studies (read the book by Daniel J. Levitin. He is a neuroscientist, musician, and best-selling author known for his work exploring the intersection of music and science) that assert that listening to music has profound positive effects on the brain and critical to neuroplasticity. I would vehemently disagree that listening to music is a waste of time and money.

Videogames also likely have impacts on the brain, unfortunately I am not optimistic the effects are positive particularly as the hobby is dominated by folks under the age of 25 who as a group are still developing their prefrontal cortexes (a crucial part of the brain responsible for executive functions such as decision-making, planning, and impulse control, continues to develop well into adulthood).

While I am no expert, I think video games are largely a good way to waste time and offer almost no positives, particularly none that cannot be enhanced with other/better methods. Video games can have several negative effects on children, including but not limited to behavioral issues, mental health issues, physical health issues, academic performance, social isolation, sleep issues, cognitive impact, desentization to violence etc.

 

[andromedaaudio]

If you spend wisely in Hifi it doesnt have to cost much .
Take for example the ARC Ref 3 still a very good pre amp .
Its running at the same price for about 20 years now .
Hifi only costs a lot if you wanna keep up with the magazines

 

[andromedaaudio]

The past 10 years i spent only 8 K on amps in total , all second hand upgrades to higher specd models in the line up.

 

[Kingrex]

Well, there are a plethora of scientific studies (read the book by Daniel J. Levitin. He is a neuroscientist, musician, and best-selling author known for his work exploring the intersection of music and science) that assert that listening to music has profound positive effects on the brain and critical to neuroplasticity. I would vehemently disagree that listening to music is a waste of time and money.

Videogames also likely have impacts on the brain, unfortunately I am not optimistic the effects are positive particularly as the hobby is dominated by folks under the age of 25 who as a group are still developing their prefrontal cortexes (a crucial part of the brain responsible for executive functions such as decision-making, planning, and impulse control, continues to develop well into adulthood).

While I am no expert, I think video games are largely a good way to waste time and offer almost no positives, particularly none that cannot be enhanced with other/better methods. Video games can have several negative effects on children, including but not limited to behavioral issues, mental health issues, physical health issues, academic performance, social isolation, sleep issues, cognitive impact, desentization to violence etc.

You need to read what i wrote if your post is to lecture me about listening to music. I stopped wasting my time with this thread long ago. It a waste of my time. Did you do the typical snip a fraction of what I wrote to create a lie of omission. Seems that way. Thats not a cool thing to do.