Went to an Audio Society meet last night...

Hi-FiGuy

Member Sponsor
Feb 23, 2015
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What better way than a VPI Nomad to get a young person into vinyl, phono pre amp AND a headphone amp built in.

Take it out of the box, set it on the counter plug in headphones and your listening to vinyl. Great for college dorms, apartment, condo or any other close quarter living.

Able to plug it into any integrated amp and speakers, done.

That is a path to the future of the industry.
 

amirm

Banned
Apr 2, 2010
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FYI nearly 80% of our viewership is 45 years or older! As noted, it takes X number of years to build the financial success to purchase more expensive audio gear so I guess there is natural selection going on here.
 

Hi-FiGuy

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Feb 23, 2015
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FYI nearly 80% of our viewership is 45 years or older! As noted, it takes X number of years to build the financial success to purchase more expensive audio gear so I guess there is natural selection going on here.

Agreed Amir, but, the point is to get younger people involved, to teach them to know and want the difference, so that there is a strong want as they progress in their financial/personal futures.

We are supposed to be the wise old men sharing our passions and life lessons, not the greedy self absorbed old men that could give a crap what we leave behind.

In a few other hobbies I am involved in, "outsiders" are welcomed in and greeted, made to feel like family and encouraged and educated in the hobby. It furthers the hobby and guarantees its future.

Being unapproachable does nothing to guarantee this hobbies future, actually quit the opposite.

I have met many good people in this crazy quest of audio nirvana, but I have also brought new blood into it at all age and financial levels.

But the general perception by the masses is that of snobbery (so antiquated) and that is doing more harm than good in the long run.

If the behavior I saw at that last meeting and the last few T.H.E.Shows (I have to escort my handicapped audiophile friend that uses a walker) is any indicator of our perception to the public, the niche will only get smaller as time goes on.
 

TBone

New Member
Nov 15, 2012
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the point is to get younger people involved

Agreed, but perhaps we older audiophiles are going about it all wrong. Most kids today don't have the rooms or resources, especially if they are still attending University/College. They can't relate to mega costing systems b/c these devices don't represent "real world" commodities. However, today's younger generation do relate quite well to higher quality reproduction - especially if they can hear the results first hand on a good personal music device. When I demo my Samsung G3/Grado headphones playing my higher quality LP rips, a look of shock usually follows ... many can't believe music could be so much more ... musical. That said, the G3 is easily the best PMD I've ever owned - by a country mile.
 

amirm

Banned
Apr 2, 2010
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Seattle, WA
Agreed Amir, but, the point is to get younger people involved, to teach them to know and want the difference, so that there is a strong want as they progress in their financial/personal futures.
Well, let's do that. How about we create a subform for "young audiophiles" and post our suggestions for starter system and get people to come and read them? You know, looking for what we can do here and now. Who is game?
 

Hi-FiGuy

Member Sponsor
Feb 23, 2015
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Agreed, but perhaps we older audiophiles are going about it all wrong. Most kids today don't have the rooms or resources, especially if they are still attending University/College. They can't relate to mega costing systems b/c these devices don't represent "real world" commodities. However, today's younger generation do relate quite well to higher quality reproduction - especially if they can hear the results first hand on a good personal music device. When I demo my Samsung G3/Grado headphones playing my higher quality LP rips, a look of shock usually follows ... many can't believe music could be so much more ... musical. That said, the G3 is easily the best PMD I've ever owned - by a country mile.

Exactly! As stated in my earlier post, we need to get them involved in good sound on the go.

That way when the time comes to put some boxes on the floor, they will have a higher level of want and expectation.
 

Hi-FiGuy

Member Sponsor
Feb 23, 2015
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Well, let's do that. How about we create a subform for "young audiophiles" and post our suggestions for starter system and get people to come and read them? You know, looking for what we can do here and now. Who is game?

obviously I am in, would love to have a resource to send younger/inquisitive people to without getting overwhelmed.
 

scouter

Member Sponsor
Oct 30, 2012
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Wrightsville Beach, NC
Agreed, but perhaps we older audiophiles are going about it all wrong. Most kids today don't have the rooms or resources, especially if they are still attending University/College. They can't relate to mega costing systems b/c these devices don't represent "real world" commodities. However, today's younger generation do relate quite well to higher quality reproduction - especially if they can hear the results first hand on a good personal music device. When I demo my Samsung G3/Grado headphones playing my higher quality LP rips, a look of shock usually follows ... many can't believe music could be so much more ... musical. That said, the G3 is easily the best PMD I've ever owned - by a country mile.
I agree that most college kids can't afford super expensive audio gear, but I feel headphones aren't the answer. Listening to music has been a social thing in the past, and will continue to be so. I think you would be surprised at what kids will pay for good audio gear, maybe used if that's what it takes to get into great sound.
We listened to music with college friends in the late 70's-early 80's in dorm rooms and small apartments with some pretty kick butt gear- Rodgers LS35As-Audionics-RegaPlanar2/3s, Quads-Levinson-Regas, DCM Time Windows, early Vandersteen 2s, used ARC pre and amps, etc. It wasn't a matter of $ but of exposure to good audio, and subsequent allocation of limited funds that reflected where our hearts (and ears) were. :) We drank cheap beer, ate peanut butter sandwiches, and bought audio gear and records. Many kids today are like we were back then and hopefully are today-love music and love to share great sound with their friends. We just need to get the word (sound) out to them in an encouraging and mentoring way. There's a lot of gear out there that is relatively affordable, and sounds great. Oh, and btw, don't forget females, the most overlooked of all. There are a lot of them out there, young and old, that love music and can differentiate between great sound and crap, regardless of price.
 

DaveyF

Well-Known Member
Jul 31, 2010
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La Jolla, Calif USA
Well, let's do that. How about we create a subform for "young audiophiles" and post our suggestions for starter system and get people to come and read them? You know, looking for what we can do here and now. Who is game?

Amir, i think you have come up with an excellent idea.

I'm in.
 

garylkoh

WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Sep 6, 2010
5,599
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Seattle, WA
www.genesisloudspeakers.com
In the Pacific Northwest Audio Society, we do our best to get newcomers into the hobby. We used to advertise our meetings in community newspapers and event listings as far and as wide as possible. One way to break the ice is that we all wear a name tag and everybody makes an effort to engage every new face that we see. We also have a lady now in the executive committee. Last meeting, we invited Paul McGowan to speak to the meeting, and we persuaded him to bring in a Sprout that would attract the younger crowd. We have also featured other entry-level components and systems in the past.

Next meeting is May 12th in case anyone here would like to attend. Guests, friends and family are always welcome and attend as many meetings as they like for free until they feel like they want to join the membership.

Paul's Sprout.jpg
 

taters

New Member
Jun 6, 2012
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Agreed Amir, but, the point is to get younger people involved, to teach them to know and want the difference, so that there is a strong want as they progress in their financial/personal futures.

We are supposed to be the wise old men sharing our passions and life lessons, not the greedy self absorbed old men that could give a crap what we leave behind.

In a few other hobbies I am involved in, "outsiders" are welcomed in and greeted, made to feel like family and encouraged and educated in the hobby. It furthers the hobby and guarantees its future.

Being unapproachable does nothing to guarantee this hobbies future, actually quit the opposite.

I have met many good people in this crazy quest of audio nirvana, but I have also brought new blood into it at all age and financial levels.

But the general perception by the masses is that of snobbery (so antiquated) and that is doing more harm than good in the long run.

If the behavior I saw at that last meeting and the last few T.H.E.Shows (I have to escort my handicapped audiophile friend that uses a walker) is any indicator of our perception to the public, the niche will only get smaller as time goes on.


I have been a member of different clubs through out the years and I have even attended club meetings that I was not a member of. I can tell you without a doubt that the audiophile club of Southern California is the least friendly. Even when I have attended there winter gala and sat with a bunch of engineers there is a real snobby vibe going on. Contrary when I have attended high-end car shows the people for the most part were very friendly and down to earth.


I can't imagine a young person attending one of these audiophile meetings. If I feel uncomfortable and I am the average age of the membership. Just imagine how uncomfortable a 20 something would feel.
 

16hz lover

Well-Known Member
Aug 2, 2013
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It seems people are reluctant to have visitors over ,as there is so much fear that somehow word will get out and prompt a break-in and all your precious gear will be stolen. Charlotte is just a dead zone. The audio club fell apart years ago. I have to invite myself to peoples houses when we start talking about stereo. Rarely is there an open invitation to have people over for a demo. Strange times, very few audio shops, very few demo days at them, very few affordable systems on display. Instead of smaller(normal bedroom size rooms), they have large open areas with 20 pairs of speakers.
 

PeterA

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Dec 6, 2011
12,521
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It seems people are reluctant to have visitors over ,as there is so much fear that somehow word will get out and prompt a break-in and all your precious gear will be stolen. Charlotte is just a dead zone. The audio club fell apart years ago. I have to invite myself to peoples houses when we start talking about stereo. Rarely is there an open invitation to have people over for a demo. Strange times, very few audio shops, very few demo days at them, very few affordable systems on display. Instead of smaller(normal bedroom size rooms), they have large open areas with 20 pairs of speakers.

I am part of a small but extremely friendly group of audio buddies in the Boston area. We met basically by discussing audio on forums or through a chance meeting. We often visit each other to hear respective systems and have a great time. We are pretty open about critiquing new gear or changes to the systems. It is all in good fun with an effort at hearing various opinions and perhaps improving our systems. We are all in our 50s. WBF members include Ack, Al M., MadFloyd plus two or three others.

Personally, I'm open to being contacted via PM or email and inviting people to hear my system. Jfrech heard it during a business trip to Boston a few years ago, for instance. My view is that it is a small community of like minded people who can have a lot of fun together and learn something at the same time. There do not seem to be many larger area based audio clubs around, or at least I don't know of one in the Boston area. The other thing is that I can only fit a few people into my listening room at a time. I prefer small groups of two or three buddies listening to music they have brought over and commenting on the system's performance if there have been any recent changes. I'm not too concerned about break-ins. There is always insurance.
 

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