Best way to save money on audio is to find a new interest... I did.

dB Cooper · « **Reply #40 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 03:27 am »

Car audio does have the advantage of making it easier to show off how loud your 'system' is and how much low frequency noise it can pump out. The SQ is horrible, but SQ isn't really the point.

genjamon · « **Reply #41 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 03:45 am »

Yeah, but my point is that many youth are engaged in audio and investing in it. Just not the same values or conspicuous consumption or political economy of industry as those of us here.

And btw, I’m under-40 and have been at this hobby for around 20 yrs. An outlier in my generation who surely does not relate to the boomers driving by.

Early B. · « **Reply #42 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 04:05 am »

Young people have a tremendously different association with music than we did at their age. First, their idea of an audiophile device is the latest cell phone. Second, they have a lot more debt, especially student loans, so spending thousands on audio gear takes a back seat. Third, we were exposed to audio systems; nearly every household in the 70's had a turntable, for example.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #43 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 04:23 am »

First, their idea of an audiophile device is the latest cell phone.
Are you sure this? I think they are not this dumb.

OzarkTom · « **Reply #44 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 05:32 am »

Since I have retired, ss sucks in pay. I am going metal detecting this summer so maybe I can hit it rich somehow. Then I will buy more audio.

Stu Pitt · « **Reply #45 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 01:32 pm »

An interesting tidbit about youth and audio...

There’s a local vintage stereo shop that does repairs and sales. The guy’s been around over 40 years. He sells some vinyl too. We somehow got talking about the 20 somethings buying vinyl. I jokingly said “what are they listening to it through? Those retro-looking Crosley all in ones that sound awful and probably carve up the vinyl after listening to it twice?” He said he does a lot of business with that demographic. He sells them vintage receivers, speakers, and turntables.

IMO the overwhelming majority of home “stereo” sales today and more so down the road is and will be the wireless speaker stuff. Stuff like Sonos and Bluesound. Place a relatively small speaker in a room that’ll fill the room with background music without needing anything more than a single outlet and a smartphone to control. And voice integrated, like Alexa or Siri. Hell, IKEA released a lamp with a speaker in it co-designed with Sonos. IMO it’s genius. Sure it won’t sound nearly as good as a traditional stereo system, but stuff like that easily sounds more than “good enough” for the vast majority, and won’t break the bank.

JLM · « **Reply #46 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 03:28 pm »

Now-a-days it's all about convenience. Convenience is measured in terms of portability, size, instant gratification, and up front cost. Convenience wins over quality and long term value. Just look at how "dumbed down" keyboards have gotten as an example. Back in the day the IBM Selectric typewriter had the best keyboard ever developed, now we treasure a MacBook keyboard but often settle for touching on a smartphone while on the go. That's the market forces audio is up against. The ideal compromise might be a "nice" sound bar connected to a remote controlled streaming TV.

witchdoctor · « **Reply #47 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 03:39 pm »

Quote from: JLM on 28 Jan 2020, 03:28 pm

Now-a-days it's all about convenience. Convenience is measured in terms of portability, size, instant gratification, and up front cost. Convenience wins over quality and long term value. Just look at how "dumbed down" keyboards have gotten as an example. Back in the day the IBM Selectric typewriter had the best keyboard ever developed, now we treasure a MacBook keyboard but often settle for touching on a smartphone while on the go. That's the market forces audio is up against. The ideal compromise might be a "nice" sound bar connected to a remote controlled streaming TV.

Watch out, I'll start my MORE audio gear that is convenient. For me the two things I did for mega convenience and great SQ was to setup the DTS playfi ecosystem around the house and run the whole thing from a tablet. I got all the devices for roughly 60% to 90% discounts too.

AJinFLA · « **Reply #48 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 04:21 pm »

Quote from: SteveFord on 26 Jan 2020, 08:48 am

That's an awful lot of Shakti Stones.

Maybe she built a separate listening room with them and some audiophile mortar

AJinFLA · « **Reply #49 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 04:23 pm »

Quote from: Letitroll98 on 26 Jan 2020, 12:16 pm

a commercial comes on for Austin Martin. Their new car is on sale for only $1,799 a month on lease. Would I get more enjoyment from the Austin over my Honda, sure, I guess.

007 Limited Shag edition?

rollo · « **Reply #50 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 04:56 pm »

Hobbyists build their gear. Others buy gear. Golf as well as cooking take a lot of my time away from audio. Sitting that long in front of anything is a downer for me. Sitting IMHO is the new smoking. Not good for ya.
Saying that though for me nothing like a stereo system that brings me relaxation, joy and stress relief. Humming or singing along stimulates Vagus nerve a good thing. Check it out.

charles

Bill Baker · « **Reply #51 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 05:09 pm »

I have other hobbies tbat keep me busy. Some can be expensive, some not so much.
I love fishing and camping and have had a camp site for several years.
Hoping on the bike and going for a cruise through the hack roads of Upstate NY.
My younger years were spent building classic muscle cars. Now im more i to luxury so this spring I will be doing some upgrades on my Jaguar which is just as much fun cruising the back roads.
I am also an aquarium enthusiast and have a few aquariums set up.

jtwrace · « **Reply #52 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 05:50 pm »

Quote from: rollo on 28 Jan 2020, 04:56 pm

Sitting that long in front of anything is a downer for me. Sitting IMHO is the new smoking. Not good for ya.
charles

100% agree. Listening (sitting with little movement) is one of the worst things we can do to our bodies. Home audio falls directly into this category. Heck, as least vinyl you have to get off your rump and flip the record every 20 min.

Bill Baker · « **Reply #53 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 06:06 pm »

But sitting and listening to music at night with the lights off is very relaxing and a good release. In today's world, it seems less people take the time out of their busy lives to relax and unwind

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #54 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 07:14 pm »

That is so true. People are way too stressed and they don't know how to relax anymore. It's almost like the masses are addicted to stress and stimulation. It's no wonder heart disease is the number one killer in America. People need to chill. That's what this hobby is all about.

DaveC113 · « **Reply #55 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 07:48 pm »

Quote from: Wind Chaser on 28 Jan 2020, 07:14 pm

That is so true. People are way too stressed and they don't know how to relax anymore. It's almost like the masses are addicted to stress and stimulation. It's no wonder heart disease is the number one killer in America. People need to chill. That's what this hobby is all about.

Exactly, listening to music can be a form of meditation.

Sitting is not bad. Sitting for too long is bad. Just like drinking water is not bad, but drinking too much water can actually kill you. Life is all about moderation and balance, not black and white.

rollo · « **Reply #56 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 09:20 pm »

Quote from: DaveC113 on 28 Jan 2020, 07:48 pm

Exactly, listening to music can be a form of meditation.

Sitting is not bad. Sitting for too long is bad. Just like drinking water is not bad, but drinking too much water can actually kill you. Life is all about moderation and balance, not black and white.

Yes Dave. Healing as well. Lots of research being conducted with music therapy, resonance and light stimulating the Vagus nerve and other body systems. All you need to do is Hum between 80HZ and 220HZ. Give it a try for 30 seconds.

charles

DaveC113 · « **Reply #57 on:** 28 Jan 2020, 10:22 pm »

Quote from: rollo on 28 Jan 2020, 09:20 pm

Yes Dave. Healing as well. Lots of research being conducted with music therapy, resonance and light stimulating the Vagus nerve and other body systems. All you need to do is Hum between 80HZ and 220HZ. Give it a try for 30 seconds.

charles

Interesting, maybe it has to do with why all cultures have some sort of chanting associated with their spiritual traditions. Tibetan Buddhism has a style that contain an almost continuous low frequency "rumble"...

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #58 on:** 29 Jan 2020, 12:01 am »

This seems logical why cats purr.

mix4fix · « **Reply #59 on:** 29 Jan 2020, 03:31 am »

Quote from: dB Cooper on 28 Jan 2020, 03:27 am

Car audio does have the advantage of making it easier to show off how loud your 'system' is and how much low frequency noise it can pump out. The SQ is horrible, but SQ isn't really the point.

Modern day car audio does not have personality.

There were high current/low impedance "cheater" amplifiers, full-range speaker boxes, tri-mode setups, under dash horns, and demo vehicles seamed more special.

Nowadays, it's all about decibels. Every smuck has super-douper woofers and zillion watt amplifiers.

I object to car audio being called lacking SQ. They can sound good.