Why Audio Isn't Compelling to the Masses!!

Must be a genetic reason why many don't care. Over the years I have had many friends who used to listen to all the stuff we did. Eventually only a few bothered about picking a good system for themselves. The majority couldn't care less. This happens in families too. My parents never cared. As long as it sounds 'nice' and most importantly if the music was likeable they were happy!

Old saying : "You can take a horse to the water but you can't make it drink !". Applies here too. :)
 
I believe music should be given priority than the music system. I enjoy and love "my kind of music" in any kind of medium. However, a decent system would definitely make me happy. But that does not mean that I will enjoy "any kind of music" in a hi end system.
 
IMO why speakers are not in demand is any body can live without a speakers for years and can still listen to music in iPods, iPhones and car audio. But in today's age mobile, cars, tv's are not luxury but needs. High end speakers are still luxury and not need or a do or die situation. More over WAF plays a major role in speakers purchase as they just don't care as it does not add any social value. Same is not true about other gadgets where you can just show off, build peer pressure. I don't think any of our neighbors will care or even envy if you purchase a Rs.22 lac speakers, but will definitely envy if you bough an Audi for Rs.22L
 
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IMO why speakers are not in demand is any body can live without a speakers for years and can still listen to music in iPods, iPhones and car audio. But in today's age mobile, cars, tv's are not luxury but needs. High end speakers are still luxury and not need or a do or die situation. More over WAF plays a major role in speakers purchase as they just don't care as it does not add any social value. Same is not true about other gadgets where you can just show off, build peer pressure. I don't think any of our neighbors will care or even envy if you purchase a Rs.22 lac speakers, but will definitely envy if you bough an Audi for Rs.22L

Yes AUDI is always better for other..:)
 
Different people feel passionate about different things. Food, clothes, cars, computers, sports, work, money, adventure sports. Why bother taking one of them mainstream when the demand doesn't exist ?
 
I believe music should be given priority than the music system. I enjoy and love "my kind of music" in any kind of medium. However, a decent system would definitely make me happy. But that does not mean that I will enjoy "any kind of music" in a hi end system.

It depends on how active you listen to it. To me speakers are like a transparent veil that exits between the creator and the listener . The more clearer the veil the more you understand what the creator wanted you to understand !!!
 
Interesting POV, but one I'm not 100% in agreement with.

Fact is, nothing is demonstrated or demoed in ideal conditions, consider TVs, they are displayed in an open space, that is well lit and probably playing SD content, people still buy the latest and the greatest in TVs. Ditto for cars, even the test drives are not in ideal conditions or roads, or even a test track, folks still buy them in droves.

Sure, the speakers will sound better in ideal conditions, but will it drive sales through the roof? Probably not! I'm sure only the guys who know this stuff (the audiophiles and the videophiles) will continue to drive sales, but not the lay public.

Most of my folks (both in India and in the US) have Bose systems. To them its not only about sound, maybe its convenience, or availability or brand awareness, could be multiple factors, but right from wireless & personal radio, to sound docks, to home theater equipment, nearly 80% of them use Bose and to them it sounds perfect.
 
I'd like to add my two cents
Since I got my Dalis at the start of the year, a lot of people have visited my home (and obviously I put on some music for them :D)

Most of my friends are from very similar background/status. Everyone loves the sound (the Dalis are overall very pleasant sounding) but so far not one of them have made any noise about getting a speaker system, let alone a serious amplifier driven system

Even in my family, everyone appreciates a good song, but no one has appreciated the fact that the same song sounds so different on the speakers than on the TV. Like there is no difference at all

I am beginning to believe most people's hearing is not as fine tuned as their eyes
 
Sure, the speakers will sound better in ideal conditions, but will it drive sales through the roof? Probably not! I'm sure only the guys who know this stuff (the audiophiles and the videophiles) will continue to drive sales, but not the lay public.

The general public sales will remain the same irrespective of whether its special or ordinary room. The additional investment you make today for a special audio room will fetch incremental sales from audiophiles over the years which is still good because you are anyways improving the sales!!
 
@yogibear
Bro, we live in a society where people love to flaunt. You can flaunt your wrist watch, cellphone, cars and even your good-looking spouse, at various places but in normal situation, you can't flaunt your amp. avr. huge speakers.. that's why those who have this 'flaunt fetish', spend more on cell-phones. I pity them; I often see that at crowded places people take out their cell-phones and do some fiddling without any reason, just to make an impression!! Can anyone please tell me, by doing these silly activities do they earn some kind of adulation? or they reach higher echelon of the society?? :eek:hyeah: :eek:hyeah: :eek:hyeah:
 
@yogibear
Bro, we live in a society where people love to flaunt. You can flaunt your wrist watch, cellphone, cars and even your good-looking spouse, at various places but in normal situation, you can't flaunt your amp. avr. huge speakers.. that's why those who have this 'flaunt fetish', spend more on cell-phones. I pity them; I often see that at crowded places people take out their cell-phones and do some fiddling without any reason, just to make an impression!! Can anyone please tell me, by doing these silly activities do they earn some kind of adulation? or they reach higher echelon of the society?? :eek:hyeah: :eek:hyeah: :eek:hyeah:

Good one.. But I have come across people who buy extremely costly stuff like Devialet just to show off that their amp is 10L, 15L types :)
 
I may not be able to flaunt what I have back in my listening room but when I go out after a great listening session you can see a big smile on my face and a TOTAL satiated soul inside......

And the smile and satisfaction is tripled when the DIYs are at par with some of the best ones out there.........

wonderful.. soul satiation is the end objective !!!
 
I think it is a question of priorities...most of us would know at least one audiophile who has spent lakhs of rupees on his system but drives a beat up 800...I know one who does not have a car at all. Similarly, we would also come across folks who have chauffer-driven beemers and audis to do a 15 minute daily commute but has a basic audio setup or a Bose at best. I know one person who has an apartment full of lego blocks and model trains and not much else! I've been the butt of many a joke on my obsession with audio...by some who own a collection of expensive watches...why do they need to spend 3 lakhs on a frikkin' watch??? It'd still tell you the same time!!!

long story short, though everyone enjoys a good song but how much value they assign to having it rendered bit-perfect is subjective and depends on the person. It just boils down to where you passion lies...or as some might say...where your pragmatism lies...
 
I think it is a question of priorities...most of us would know at least one audiophile who has spent lakhs of rupees on his system but drives a beat up 800...

The total cost of my all av equipment is almost the double the price of my second hand car (santro) which I drive. :yahoo:

I know one person who has an apartment full of lego blocks and model trains and not much else!

I have quite a few scale model cars/ bikes. :clapping::eek:hyeah:
 
some who own a collection of expensive watches...why do they need to spend 3 lakhs on a frikkin' watch??? It'd still tell you the same time!!!

I have someone exactly like that right at home... a brother who has been into watches from high school. Has a ton of them and expensive too from Montblanc, Tissot, Cartier, Bvlgari, Longines, plus tons more and yes even the Omega that James Bond wears... and he was a college kid when he got that for 80K (IIRC) when GoldenEye came out.

By that same argument he'd say they all play music and he probably cannot tell the difference (in sound at least) between an Onkyo and a Marantz. He does watch movies sometimes with me... and while I'm all about how excellent DTS HD is in Transformers when the robots are whirring and jumping out of the sand, he's like its just sound and to him it probably does not sound any different from regular TV speakers.

Each to his own I guess... I do admit I hate the gargantuan square blocks he calls watches most of the time. A square watch did you say... I don't see the point in it either.
 
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