High Fidelity stereo is by most accounts, among the slowest developing industries in electronics. While experienced audiophiles will be quick to boast of the gains made throughout the years, the bottom line is that there has been nothing absolutely ground breaking enough to catch the attention of the general public. The only device to have caught the eye and wallet of the general public is the iPod. Previously, it was the Bose Acoustimass cubes. That’s within a 10 year time frame. As the rest of electronic industries move full speed ahead – stereo remains almost stagnant, appealing primarily to existing audiophiles. While the ranks do continue to grow, the numbers are small – causing concern among many as to what this means for the future of hi-fi.
Being 25 years old, I am part of the generation that has had little exposure to high quality sound. I didn’t grow up with vinyl or tubes. I never had friends over to listen to music for extended periods of time, or visa versa. If I wanted to let them hear a CD, I would have brought my little portable CD player outside or to school and let them listen through some headphones. There was no such thing as stereo wars, unless you count “bass loudness” contests from the trunk of a car. That’s close enough right? Large hunkering stereos were relics of our parent’s generation. Oh we listen to music alright. Maybe if there weren’t so many other cool toys available today – we’d listen the same way our dads did. Then again, back in the day – computers were in their infancy stages and far from being a house-hold device. There were no cell phones, large flat screen LCD and PLASMA televisions, iPods, Portable CD players – hell, there was barely even CD. There was Intellivision – but that’s nothing compared to today’s gaming consoles and games. There was no high speed internet, or tons of channels on TV. While cars are still the money pit they were years ago – car stereo’s and goodies to trick out your ride have exploded.
The list could go on. Top all of these distractions off with being young – wanting to spend less time at home (with the parents) and more time hanging out with friends – or for the older crowd; paying off those cell phone and cable bills while staying afloat in a market that’s very tough to live in, and well, the room for hi fi stereo is nil.
Yet, younger people are as connected to the music as you were as a kid. We listen while in the car. We listen while using the computer. We listen while hanging out with friends. We listen when on vacation with the family. The one thing that seems universal through generations over the past 50 years is the connection made with music. It is a very real part of our culture, and lives. Nothing’s changed there. What has changed and continues to change is the way that experience is felt.
Sitting around and making note of the problem doesn’t make it go away, nor does pointing fingers. Since no true high end company has managed to make a significant impact in the lives of younger people – I feel it is up to YOU to take in younger people and let them experience what good music sounds like on a good stereo system. Yeah, some of them may not get it. That’s fine. I’m not into cars or boats. The point is showing the effort to make that difference – and to give these people who otherwise have not had the chance to hear a good system – the opportunity to do so.
Even if you open their eyes and ears – you can’t change the usual status of “young and broke”. But you can take solace in knowing you’ve done your part – all the while potentially sparking an interest in someone to take their love of music to the next level.
