Substack article: Why is everywhere a listening bar now?

[jazdoc]

Why is everywhere a "listening bar" now?

Poking at the flat aesthetic of the suddenly ubiquitous hi-fi watering holes

mushmouth.substack.com

 

[spiritofmusic]

Well, I would say one big reason is that most people don't have systems at home, only the likes of us might have dedicated listening spaces.
So of course an environment set up for listening pleasure is a novelty and appeals.

 

[hopkins]

Well, I would say one big reason is that most people don't have systems at home, only the likes of us might have dedicated listening spaces.
So of course an environment set up for listening pleasure is a novelty and appeals.

People are increasingly aware of time spend on their phone and want an "analog" experience?

 

[twitch]

People are increasingly aware of time spend on their phone and want an "analog" experience?

I doubt, the majority of the chuckleheads I see have no clue as to how much time they spend on the stupid things .............

 

[Alrainbow]

Maybe it's my age but when I was in my 20 ,s
Most bars had possible a juke box playing vinyl . But I do recall a couple who had multi speaker setups even if it was a juke box . One I do recall was ALS stereo bar in Queens . He had a good sound system and played radio as well as the juke box . Also has tvs and sound on speakers too.
I now mostly live in North Carolina can anyone post some places here ? I'm near Raleigh .

 

[Kingrex]

I don't know of any bar that does not have music.

 

[wbass]

Nice piece. Is he a member here? I've been to at least a couple of the places mentioned, and know the founder of another, it turns out. Hey, they're hip spaces, however temporary or not the trend may be.

 

[jazdoc]

There is a listening bar in Seattle that looks interesting…

Shibuya Hi Fi

 

[SoundMann]

It's hilarious to see Americans trying to imitate the Japanese!

 

[hopkins]

It's hilarious to see Americans trying to imitate the Japanese!

The Japanese imitated Americans too...
What's the issue?

 

[SoundMann]

The Japanese imitated Americans too...
What's the issue?

Neither culture is suited to imitate the other.

 

[hopkins]

Neither culture is suited to imitate the other.

Yet Japan has embraced many aspects of American culture (including music and hifi).

 

[SoundMann]

Yet Japan has embraced many aspects of American culture (including music and hifi).

Hifi and the art of listening are 2 things that they have improved upon.

 

[Anton D]

Listening bar: a place where they focus on quality sound reproduction to a degree that people merely shout at each other in order to have a conversation.

I go to these places, but there are always tables of people howling at each other. I don't think they know listening is a verb.

 

[flowcharts]

I guess @SoundMann would thoroughly disapprove of American interpretations of Japanese interpretations of 19th & early 20th century American workwear in fashion too, e.g. Engineered Garments.

but I'm sure many people who wear EG looooove the concept of listening bars.