Why Don't More People Love Audio?

Well, lots of people love audio by definition, from the folks tapping their toes while on the train, white earbuds jammed in their heads, to people who drive around the block, because their favorite song is on the radio and only halfway done.

As to why don't more people love the hobby of audio, because it's a pain in the butt. It's expensive, maddening and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow keeps moving.

Rich people want elegance and convenience, oftentimes. There are indeed rich folks who are totally into high end. But again, they tend to get stuff, and keep it. Done. I think most people understand that music is music, and reproduction is reproduction. Songs that make me cry, have that quality whether it's a download to my phone, or at home in the listening room.

It's that quality that makes most people say, why bother? It's all a question of what you're into. I'm a racing cyclist, who pedals in anger on a rig that, retail, would cost north of 10k. Why? It allows me to maximize my effort. For someone else, a $400 Trek hybrid bike is all they need.

It's the same with audio.

Because:
1) Doesn't increase their enjoyment of music.
or
2) Not a status symbol.

Value,

If they can get the price down they can mass market it. But look how it is now. For the price of a high end computer Audiofites can't even buy one wire. The computer has 80% of the sound at 5% the price. If they said for double the price of the computer you could have ultimate sound. Somebody might go for it. But the way it is, double the price of a computer will barely by one component. And the Audiofites do not agree what that one component should be.

I suspect this sentiment has already been expressed, but as a neophyte audiophile (meaning, I am learning an audiophile appreciation for sound, but may or may not ever have the resources to support the hobby), high end audio is like a foreign language.

At the Capital Audio Fest last weekend, I had limited time, and didn't recognize enough names to even guess which rooms would be best to visit. And saying that, I've grown up with a Dad who is into vintage audio, so I understand some part of the audiophile world, but the names I recognize are often of companies that are no longer around, from a time when no one would have dreamed of spending thousands (or even hundreds) of dollars on cable.

My impression of newer audio is that it is very hard to access. The friends I know who are well off are all that way because they work hard, and they try to be knowledgable in their hobbies. The entry hurdle for even speaking the language of high-end audio is simple too esoteric to make it a good value equation for most people with lots of disposable income.

And music is a time-consuming hobby in and of itself. Collecting and keeping track of high-quality source material, plus then making the time to listen to it, especially time to listen without distractions, is almost unthinkable.

B&O exists because it succeeds in providing an upmarket product that is visually appealing, fits in with high-end decor, and sounds better than Bose--at least in in-store demos. It's also in place in the right kinds of shopping areas, that cater to other high-dollar shopping habits. It also takes very little time to understand, set up or enjoy.

At some point with wealth, convenience seems to be the trump card, and high-end audio is not convenient and certainly not quickly accessible.

Some people are afraid of feeling emotions because then they are not in control of themselves. Other people do not have an emotional response to music so it does nothing for them.

There is definitely a different type of emotional component from listening to music that does not happen with other activities, like bungee jumping for example.