This tweet from Stereophile was on my facebook

Cheeseboy · « **on:** 24 Aug 2011, 03:27 pm »

Stereophile Magazine

“I have seen the enemy of high end audio,” he writes, “and it is us.”

Danny Richie · « **Reply #1 on:** 24 Aug 2011, 05:10 pm »

Huh?

Tell us more Cheeseboy.

Outofthewoods · « **Reply #2 on:** 24 Aug 2011, 05:17 pm »

http://www.stereophile.com/

Scroll down a little...

Ruben

Danny Richie · « **Reply #3 on:** 24 Aug 2011, 05:40 pm »

I have some real thoughts on this but will have to come back to this later in the day.

launche · « **Reply #4 on:** 24 Aug 2011, 06:56 pm »

I'll agree to a degree.

One might argue that most audiophiles don't listen to music but rather to the sound of their systems.

R_burke · « **Reply #5 on:** 24 Aug 2011, 07:16 pm »

I also think the recording industry is to blame. Most people listen to and continue to listen to the music that was most popular when they were in High School or early College. For people currently in that age group so much of the music is overly compressed and just doesn't lend itself to high end audio. Why bother with high end audio when your favorite music doesn't sound any better on it than it does on your ipod.

I know for me the joy of high end audio is listening to the music and hearing it better defined, fuller, warmer, etc as I go up the line in equipment. I just don't see the current pop music lending itself to this.

Cheeseboy · « **Reply #6 on:** 24 Aug 2011, 07:28 pm »

I opened my facebook today. I had added Stereophile as a friend some time ago and they will send things to look at from time to time. There it was.

I think the statement is to reference how fragmented we are as buyers/users. In alot of ways I have to agree that individually we are fiercely independant in our approach to ownership.

Good grab Ruben on the original content.

Initially I took the statement to read as Stereophile is the problem with our community. That might be a whole nuther thread.

Launche, I think the real difficulty is that we have become detached from the live event by a recording of it. Our focus on replicating the event is in the equipment involved. I can see your point but it is still the music that involves us. This hobby has exposed me to tons of new music I would have never explored if some one didn't point out stellar piece of software.

brother love · « **Reply #7 on:** 24 Aug 2011, 07:56 pm »

Stereophile: Forum member “jgrossman” wants to know what’s stopping more people from getting into hi-fi. Is it the high cost of audio components, the hobby’s steep learning curve, the lack of hi-fi dealers, or something else?

Anton argues that audiophiles are the problem. “I have seen the enemy of high end audio,” he writes, “and it is us.”

I'm missing the point... why the heck would audiophiles be the problem? Helping drive up the prices to be less attainable for the masses? Turning people off because some might take an elitist attitude maybe?

I think one key problem is that like small shops having to close up when Walmart comes to town, big box stores like Best Buy flood the market & squeeze out the smaller hi-fi shops.

Cheeseboy · « **Reply #8 on:** 24 Aug 2011, 09:36 pm »

I agree that the audio business for Walmart and Best Buy has been reduced to Home theater in a box.

We might be the problem because in our search for the musical truth we are very different in our approach. It can't be streamlined into a few manufacturers and sold into mass market retailers. The sales people in these chains would have to be capable of making a quality demonstration of the product. Read comissioned. Pay would have to be increased.

I don't think the learning curve is high. It's just for the masses audio has been relegated to casual listening. When was the last time your friends came over to listen to a new CD from your favorite band. Sat down and listened. When I was a younger man it happened all the time. Most listen in thier car or with headphones when they workout today. Casual listening. Backround music. I blame the demise of audio on the Walkman.

AUDFILE74 · « **Reply #9 on:** 24 Aug 2011, 10:54 pm »

http://www.stereophile.com/content/forum-problem-hi-fi this i sthe reference to the forum post

http://www.stereophile.com/content/largest-hinderance-getting-people-interested-audio This is the forum post meijas was referring to

kingdeezie · « **Reply #10 on:** 25 Aug 2011, 12:42 am »

I agree with the fact that audiophiles continuously cut their noses off to spite their faces.

The hobby can be daunting, expensive, and slightly overwhelming. The guidance of educated/experienced audiophiles for those newer to the hobby (much like the fine people on this board) can really help make the hobby easier to take on and enjoy.

Unfortunately this is not the case. There are a lot of elitist people that like to alienate and isolate people who have different tastes; be it electronics and equipment, or the very music itself.

In the end I like coming to audio circle for the most part because it is the antithesis to what I run into in the real world.

JohnR · « **Reply #11 on:** 25 Aug 2011, 12:48 am »

Quote from: brother love on 24 Aug 2011, 07:56 pm

I'm missing the point... why the heck would audiophiles be the problem? Helping drive up the prices to be less attainable for the masses? Turning people off because some might take an elitist attitude maybe?

The post is here: http://www.stereophile.com/content/largest-hinderance-getting-people-interested-audio#comment-486069

I agree with him.

Diamond Dog · « **Reply #12 on:** 25 Aug 2011, 01:28 am »

Me too.

D.D.

Cheeseboy · « **Reply #13 on:** 25 Aug 2011, 03:48 am »

There is alot I can agree with. For me I just miss the gathering of the tribe on the couch for a session. I enjoy a good solid listen. Someone always brought a new sound or band. When it happens these days I feel blessed.

Rclark · « **Reply #14 on:** 25 Aug 2011, 05:08 am »

and why the hell would current music bless us with uncompressed sound? As soon as they release it "we're" all just going to a torrent and rip them off anyway. What makes "us" so deserving of high quality music? Honestly if I was in a band I'd be all about the bottom line too. As much as the music industry supposedly did us so wrong by charging for the music, we have done far far worse in return . Its not the industry's fault music is compressed, it's "ours", because that's what we wanted. Small enough to fit a stolen bazillion songs onto harddrives

neekomax · « **Reply #15 on:** 25 Aug 2011, 05:28 am »

Quote from: Rclark on 25 Aug 2011, 05:08 am

and why the hell would current music bless us with uncompressed sound? As soon as they release it "we're" all just going to a torrent and rip them off anyway. What makes "us" so deserving of high quality music? Honestly if I was in a band I'd be all about the bottom line too. As much as the music industry supposedly did us so wrong by charging for the music, we have done far far worse in return . Its not the industry's fault music is compressed, it's "ours", because that's what we wanted. Small enough to fit a stolen bazillion songs onto harddrives

Excellent point.

Hank · « **Reply #16 on:** 25 Aug 2011, 12:47 pm »

Quote from: Rclark on Today at 12:08 AMand why the hell would current music bless us with uncompressed sound? As soon as they release it "we're" all just going to a torrent and rip them off anyway. What makes "us" so deserving of high quality music? Honestly if I was in a band I'd be all about the bottom line too. As much as the music industry supposedly did us so wrong by charging for the music, we have done far far worse in return . Its not the industry's fault music is compressed, it's "ours", because that's what we wanted. Small enough to fit a stolen bazillion songs onto harddrives

Excellent point.

YES

HT cOz · « **Reply #17 on:** 25 Aug 2011, 01:28 pm »

I think there are two points to consider:
1. Use of Napster brought forward computer audio but gave up quality. Music became an all you can eat buffet instead of something to be cherished.
2. The next generation of Audiophiles are alive and well but they are into Headfi. Every generation takes a different path and I think they will grow into 2ch Stereo when they get their own homes. A lot of the 30 somethings like me came to audio via Home Theater.

If the artists and labels can figure out how to deliver high bitrates without being robbed blind, I think it might happen.

R_burke · « **Reply #18 on:** 25 Aug 2011, 02:16 pm »

Quote from: Rclark on 25 Aug 2011, 05:08 am

and why the hell would current music bless us with uncompressed sound? As soon as they release it "we're" all just going to a torrent and rip them off anyway. What makes "us" so deserving of high quality music? Honestly if I was in a band I'd be all about the bottom line too. As much as the music industry supposedly did us so wrong by charging for the music, we have done far far worse in return . Its not the industry's fault music is compressed, it's "ours", because that's what we wanted. Small enough to fit a stolen bazillion songs onto harddrives

Guess I'm sentimental or foolish or both, I still like to think of musicians as artists and not businessman

S Clark · « **Reply #19 on:** 25 Aug 2011, 02:28 pm »

I have two friends who will sit down and listen to 3+ songs with me. One is a recovering equipment junky audiophile, and the other is a lifelong mid-fi, passionate music lover. Everyone else runs screaming from the room if asked to listen to more than one cut. For the overwhelming majority, music has become something that you listen to while doing something else. Occasionally the wife will listen to something with me, if I ask with passion. I would have to restrain her to stay for more than two/three cuts. I agree that the Walkman-->Ipod may have influenced this attitude, but it doesn't explain the attitude of my 50-60 year old peers.
One additional factor that adds to this is a generation has passed since most kids were expected to learn to play an instrument. Pianos are no longer found in the average living room. Except for the function as the social binder for each upcoming generation, music for its own sake is diminishing with each passing year.
This devaluation of its place in our lives results in the tepid response to audiophile offerings.