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The next generation could not care less about our hobby.


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There are also a significant number of "this" generation that seem to be less concerned about sound quality. Regarding the generation to follow, some of you may be surprised by how many young adults (I'm speaking mainly about high school age kids) actually care a great deal about not just music listening, but the quality of the reproduced sound. I have taught in public schools for many years and have had the pleasure of 'talking audio' and music listening with bunches of students who have purchased modest but good quality systems -- including, most happily, records -- as in vinyl. I remember about 15 years ago a 7th grader who told me he decided to listen to his dad's stereo system, including the turntable, and came to class one day to tell me that records made CDs sound like flat cardboard cutouts! Bunches of my students LOVE listening to records!

Just before the end of this school year, a very talented artist (I'm an art teacher) asked if she could ask me a question, to which I replied, "Of course!" The question was whether I have ever listened to Pink Floyd...not on CD or MP3...but vinyl.

Kind of neat, wouldn't you agree? I have bumped into students of mine at a used book/record store My wife and I go to on weekends on several occasions.

There are young audiophiles and music lovers out there who will carry this forward. There are members of THIS generation that would find my investment in a $3,000 turntable and $900 "needle" nothing short of ludicrous. That's why we come to gather, share, and argue about things like capacitors and resistors on forums such as this one. ;):)

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I disagree with generalizing all kids of this generation. There are many thrift stores and antique stores around central Arkansas that are carrying more vintage consoles, turntables and hifi gear because kids are into it. I used to get pretty good deals but because it is "cool" the prices have started going up. This started with the vinyl revolution that is going on but they all want something cool to play their records on and not that POS at Target.

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I think kids today like personalized music systems. They like the I pods, Beats headphones and similar stuff. My kids know that their I pods, I Pones and other sources can be streamed in the house but, never use it. I offered to put some speakers outside on the 4th and they politely said, no need to do all that. :blink:

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My child is being raised around the best system I can afford. I hope as she gets older she will still enjoy it.

It does drive me NUTTS when my family comes over and could care less?? They say sounds nice but a small radio will do just fine???

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Well I go with its the parents fault. Both my children now being in the early 30's and late 20's have full blown 2 channel stereo systems. They even use 2 channel for TV and neither of them own head phones and definitely not ear buds. But I installed stereo systems in there rooms when they were very young. Both absolutely love music and both absolutely know Tube systems out perform SS by the large margin. They both can hear the difference all by themselves. My daughter has been my best piece of test equipment since she was a small child.

Raise them right from the get go and it sticks.....

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What percentage of your older generation do you think falls into the audiophile category?

I come into contact with several amongst our younger generation through several different avenues and the young audiophiles exist. However, they grow tired of the criticism from the incumbent audiophile community that doesn't understand modern music.and their tighter budgets. Remember your parents freaking about the garbage you listened to? Haha.

There will shortly be an infrastructure shift that will allow for lossless audio streaming over portable devices. Earbuds are starting to sound really good and in some ways better than a lot of the great stereos I've heard over the years. The modern audiophile is simply changing form and avoiding the atrocities of room acoustics for way crazy cheaper. You're looking at several thousand dollars for a stereo that competes with $100 earbuds and the phone I already own. And if that's not good enough, add a $500 headphone amp with a better DAC and headphone amplifier.

I'm not saying that's the end all be all, and I'm not giving up my stereo, but the younger generation can't afford it. They're also too busy, but that's another story. Give the kids twenty years and they'll have their modern stereo......and it'll be nothing like today's archaic devices required to capture the music of an old era. :)

Will be interesting to see how things change...

Edited by DrWho
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What percentage of your older generation do you think falls into the audiophile category

Thats a good point, I work with several older people anywhere from 10-30 years older then me. There is one that I know of that has a Denon AVR, and cough Bose cough speakers. There are several others that think I waste my time with this stuff. It just may be we are geeks about this stuff, I guess I can now understand a Star Trek fan.

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I disagree with generalizing all kids of this generation. There are many thrift stores and antique stores around central Arkansas that are carrying more vintage consoles, turntables and hifi gear because kids are into it. I used to get pretty good deals but because it is "cool" the prices have started going up. This started with the vinyl revolution that is going on but they all want something cool to play their records on and not that POS at Target.

I agree. I live in central Arkansas too. Last time I was in Hastings there were college kids male and female looking through all the vinly new and used for sale. They were buying too. Both my sons (25 and 19 almost 20) are buying new vinly records and building their collections although neither has a turntable yet. Neither do I but I'm looking. BTW, vinly sales were up 37% nationally in 2013.

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My wife sits down at the computer the other night to work, plugs in her ear buds into her phone. I tell her, you know you could plug into the computer and listen what ever you want. She says I know I just like to use my phone. I don't get it.

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I disagree with generalizing all kids of this generation. There are many thrift stores and antique stores around central Arkansas that are carrying more vintage consoles, turntables and hifi gear because kids are into it. I used to get pretty good deals but because it is "cool" the prices have started going up. This started with the vinyl revolution that is going on but they all want something cool to play their records on and not that POS at Target.

Same here in Athens, Ga. The record stores are stocking new vinyl and inexpensive mid-fi turntables because the college kids are purchasing this stuff. I got my son's girlfriend a few new albums for X-mas last year. It's what she wanted.

There's a bar in Athens that has a happy hour of "we play your vinyl"...........you bring your own records and they play them.

Now...........about the sound quality...........I tend to agree that today's generation doesn't care too much about it. However, they were born into an already existing respecable quality of sound............We were born into the birth of continued increasing sound quality as audio developed from cheap radios. They bypassed all that and have landed with these respectable digital devices. Put good music on them and what's wrong with it?

Today's kids also do not see the need for old school big speakers. My son's friends think I'm crazy when they see my stereo. The saving grace is that I have a mini-RCA cable just hanging out so they can try their phones on an MCM-4 Grand. That always makes them smile. But they won't be the next generation seeking out these big old speakers. We are a dying breed.

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So - does this same generation not appreciate the sound of live concerts? Do they attend live music and revel in the performance as often and as much as was done in the past? I realize music is now portable and constantly accessible - but at issue is the concept of quality over quantity. If they appreciate the live concert how would they not aspire to owning a better performing sound system in their homes, vehicles, etc........? Do companies such as Klipsch have any responsibility to educate this generation about the performance of sound devices? I see so many missed opportunities. Every theater with Klipsch product is a perfect example of point of performance marketing - not accessed and not educated. That does not serve the uninitiated generations well IMHO.

My kids are in their early 20s and they love concerts......some they attend with me........they went to Bonarroo this summer and raved about how they will always be going to it and can't wait until next year. They also attend a lot of other concerts.

But there's a problem I have..............I streamed a lot of Bonarroo this year (many previous years as well). Many of the most popular performances were fake. It amounted to a lot of Kareoke...........DJ's, pre-recorded music, drum machines.............MAKES ME SICK. If there's one thing that makes me sick it's a FAKE LIVE PERFORMANCE. I can not swallow spending my money on lip synching, Kareoke, and pre-recorded music.

But it's OK if Beyonce fakes the National Anthem in front of the president when Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor do it for real..........Nobody really cared the Red Hot Chili Peppers faked the Super Bowl. Nobody seems to care.

This is the stuff I don't understand. Pay $240.00 to go see Bonarroo and they love the FAKE PERFORMANCES.

This bothers me a lot more than today's kids not caring about big speakers.

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