Is High End Audio Market in Recession?

[spiritofmusic]

No, this is not DEI as "art". Your statement shows that you have no idea what DEI means. David Bowie was not DEI.

This is Jaguar trying to get attention for a dying brand by breaking conventions with a bizarre, shocking and very colorful ad campaign. Here is a link to their follow up. How is this relevant to high end audio? To the extent that Jaguar as a brand and high end audio as a hobby are perceived to be dominated by old men, it might make sense to try to get the attention of a younger audience. Probably not effective, but please don't use this as an excuse to bash people who are different from you.

Yeah? This ain't Bowie.
But sure, I'm bashing people different than me, if you say so.
I guess criticism of Dylan Mulaney and Bud Light attracts the same reply as well?

 

[Lagonda]

For someone castigating old people for poor opinions, you're guilty of showing contempt yourself.
No-one I know is "disgusted" by what young people are doing, or this ad, that's preposterous.
We're weary of DEI shoehorned into every aspect of life.
And that's what this ad is, DEI as "art".
Tell me, did you think Dylan Mulvaney's tanking of Bud Light was also a masterstroke?
I mean, giving one to all those disgusted oldies.

I always have to quietly laugh when older people brag and name drop, it's alway so out of date and funny ! Sorry carry on !

 

[gadawg58]

I'm new to this forum but want to put in my 2 cents. I am 43 and was heavily into this hobby starting in around 08, since that time I had built up a what I considered a complete system. My hobbies then shifted as everyone's do as I became overly complacent and satisfied with the sound of my stereo. In the last 3 years I probably only turned the stereo on a couple dozen times. In June of this year I got an offer on a VPI Classic 4 that was too good to pass up. Since then I have probably put in over 250 hours of music listening any fairly short time. I say this because I am currently going back down the rabbit hole of upgrading components although I would not consider myself a rich individual I do have some discretionary income.

But what I also see interesting is I am in the car audio industry specifically in the retail sales aspect. Our numbers this year as an industry are down between 12 -18% as a whole. So I can say with first hand experience that people's discretionary income is certainly been diminished as of late. Items that are luxury/unnecessary are being put on hold or budgeted for on a much smaller basis. I am hoping this trend changes for the sake of the audio industry but I have also found that my customers are aging upwards and we are not getting nearly as many younger customers coming through the door.

My hope is that we can offer a listening experience that caters to the younger generation so that we can grow their interest in the high-end components that we all enjoy so much. We shall see but in the meantime I'm going to get back to enjoying my current stereo status.

-Joel

Something else that may be hurting the car audio industry specifically is that most of the luxury brand cars make it nearly impossible to upgrade the audio systems in those cars so the folks that could spend the money on super high end car audio systems simply can’t. I ran into that with my Porsche’s.

 

[Rumpole]

Tell me, did you think Dylan Mulvaney's tanking of Bud Light was also a masterstroke?
I mean, giving one to all those disgusted oldies.

Yeah, same reply. Maybe I misunderstood, but it sounds like you said you are disgusted by Dylan Mulvaney. Whatever. I'm not here to debate gender issues. My point is that Bowie, Prince, Queen, Annie Lennox and a thousand other music icons are not about promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. They are making art and music. We can all appreciate or ignore the diversity of art and not criticize people who are different.

 

[Al M.]

Jaguar’s ‘Woke’ Ad Sparks Fury. Fans Slam Bold Rebrand

Jaguar faces backlash for its ‘woke’ rebrand featuring bold models, no cars, and a softer logo. Critics slam the brand’s new direction.

motorcyclesports.net

Jaguar facing backlash for 'woke' new ad | Fox News Video

FOX Business' Cheryl Casone joins 'Fox & Friends First' to discuss the backlash in response to Jaguar's 'woke' rebrand.

www.foxnews.com

Google dude.

Thanks. Before I went to the second link I had thought the same thing, "where is the f*cking car?". Agree, the whole thing is a failure.

 

[PeterA]

Yeah? This ain't Bowie.
But sure, I'm bashing people different than me, if you say so.
I guess criticism of Dylan Mulaney and Bud Light attracts the same reply as well?

The difference between Bud Light and Jaguar is that Bud Light was the biggest selling brand of beer in the US at the time, and the ad completely dismissed, even insulted, its customer base, the regular guy. Sales plummeted from the backlash (and Kid Rock made a bunch of new fans). Jaguar had some great cars in the past, real classics, now rare and coveted. Lately they seem to have lost their way as a brand. We will see if the attempt to "re-brand" has the intended result, but they are certainly not the brand leader that Bud Light was when their misguided ad was released.

In my opinion, one of the most clever shifts to attract new customers in high end audio was done by Nelson Pass with his kitchen table "First Watt" brand. It was small, affordable, and addressed to a completely different set of customers and speakers. Suddenly, Pass Labs had an expanded customer base, and a much more expansive list of offerings. They were also brilliant with the whole Reno HiFi reconditioned/used market providing a super easy upgrade path with trade-ins and direct sales. Magico and Wilson have also been very good at providing broad and deep product ranges, Magico especially with the A, S, and M lines. These are audio brands that know how to market and stay relevant.

 

[gadawg58]

I can’t speak for others but in 2024 I spent the most money on audio gear in my entire life purchasing basically an all new electronic front end … VAC Statement Preamp and power amps, Sonorus R2R, Esoteric Grandioso mono dacs and MIT Oracle IC and SC’s. That said as I’m in my last decade of working I can’t see upgrading any of that gear unless I live long long enough for it to need replacing. I am considering swapping out my Wilson Alexx speakers for XVX’s but I love how the system sounds so much now that’s I’m having a hard time pulling the trigger. I may be done but it won’t be because of recession or economics reasons .. I may simply be done. Other than procuring more music of course!

George

 

[spiritofmusic]

I always have to quietly laugh when older people brag and name drop, it's alway so out of date and funny ! Sorry carry

Yeah, same reply. Maybe I misunderstood, but it sounds like you said you are disgusted by Dylan Mulvaney. Whatever. I'm not here to debate gender issues. My point is that Bowie, Prince, Queen, Annie Lennox and a thousand other music icons are not about promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. They are making art and music. We can all appreciate or ignore the diversity of art and not criticize people who are different.

I'm not disgusted by Mulvaney, I'm embarrassed by Mulvaney.
I'm think you'll find it's women who are disgusted by Mulvaney, and I think you'd know why.
You're right about gender non-conforming artists, for them and us it's all about the music.
But I believe you're wrong about the Jaguar campaign, I believe it's all about DEI, just as the Mulvaney/Bud Light, Gillette toxic masculinity, and Target campaigns were.
We'll soon find out if this is a Jaguar car crash campaign as well.

 

[Rt66indierock]

Do not trust a source with NBC in the name. Head on over to Bloomberg.

You missed the point. I trust Futuresource Consulting and unlike you I looked at their audited financial statements.

 

[Joel27]

Something else that may be hurting the car audio industry specifically is that most of the luxury brand cars make it nearly impossible to upgrade the audio systems in those cars so the folks that could spend the money on super high end car audio systems simply can’t. I ran into that with my Porsche’s.

This is also a true statement. For years I have wondered its just a matter of time before the OEMs will make us obsolete.

 

[Tangram]

I’ll share a couple of Canadian data points. First is the Toronto Audiofest, which shrunk for the third year straight. One dealer I know says he won’t exhibit there again, after winning best sound in show a couple of times no less. Second, the used market in Canada is slow. I just sold a Luxman EQ-500 phono preamp that was listed FIVE months ago - to a guy in California (Canadian dollar at four year low to U.S.). Third, I’m having a set of speakers custom-made. The builder turned his hobby into a business five years ago and specializes in milling custom horns for other enthusiasts, as well as commissions for end-game speakers. When I enquired about getting a particular design built (he had only made one pair until then) he was getting set to build two more pairs so he added me to the queue.

So what does this tell me? At least in Canada, the market feels slow, except perhaps among retirees who are sitting on a real estate goldmine and have few expenses. For folks with kids still at home, mortgages and so on, audio has likely taken a back seat to “real” life. Maybe there’s a couple of biases in my comments, but that’s how it feels - to me.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

You missed the point. I trust Futuresource Consulting and unlike you I looked at their audited financial statements.

Got your point, you missed my point.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

I always have to quietly laugh when older people brag and name drop, it's alway so out of date and funny ! Sorry carry on !

Who you calling old Boomer!

 

[spiritofmusic]

Who you calling old Boomer!

Don't worry about it, Lagonda is dreading looking into the mirror
"Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the most relevant audiophile of all? And while you're at it, WHO IS THAT looking back at me?!"

 

[Republicoftexas69]

Don't worry about it, Lagonda is dreading looking into the mirror
"Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the most relevant audiophile of all? And while you're at it, WHO IS THAT looking back at me?!"

I take it with a grain of salt. All things consider…

 

[Lagonda]

Who you calling old Boomer!

I don't think you were name dropping !

 

[Republicoftexas69]

No, this is not DEI as "art". Your statement shows that you have no idea what DEI means. David Bowie was not DEI.

This is Jaguar trying to get attention for a dying brand by breaking conventions with a bizarre, shocking and very colorful ad campaign. Here is a link to their follow up. How is this relevant to high end audio? To the extent that Jaguar as a brand and high end audio as a hobby are perceived to be dominated by old men, it might make sense to try to get the attention of a younger audience. Probably not effective, but please don't use this as an excuse to bash people who are different from you.

DEI is DEAD

I don't think you were name dropping !

We’ll DM is not name dropping either, he is a stooge.

 

[spiritofmusic]

DEI is DEAD

We’ll DM is not name dropping either, he is a stooge.

A nice boy who had a promising future in Manhattan musical theatre.
Then COVID struck, and all the theatres shut.
What's a nice boy to do with no income coming in?...

 

[Lagonda]

Don't worry about it, Lagonda is dreading looking into the mirror
"Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the most relevant audiophile of all? And while you're at it, WHO IS THAT looking back at me?!"

I don't use mirrors much these days, sometimes weeks go by without using them. Cut myself shaving the other day, ran around in public with a piece of toilet paper on my chin all day. Did not find out until next days shave

 

[wgerman]

Something else that may be hurting the car audio industry specifically is that most of the luxury brand cars make it nearly impossible to upgrade the audio systems in those cars so the folks that could spend the money on super high end car audio systems simply can’t. I ran into that with my Porsche’s.

Is there a car audio aftermarket anymore? The shops seem to be Best Buy (oh the horror) or shops that do tint 50% of the time. The old days of 80s and 90s and pull-out HUs are gone, which brings us full circle. The smart High-End Brands are getting in on the OEM Audio gravy train. Burmeister, McIntosh, Naim, B&W, B&O to name a few. It's an effective way of advertising.