Just how "in the minority" are we as Audiophiles?

[tonepub]

I think the seasoned audiophiles just want to be done with it - suck it up and buy it all to be done with it (until the next "best" product comes out). They already know what they want, and it is a matter of affording it.

I am not sure if those new to the hobby would appreciate a $20K speaker if they have not built their systems around a $3 or $5K speaker.

I think you are absolutely right. It's hard to tell how good the really good stuff is if you haven't started somewhere.

While there may be a million audiophiles out there, there's a lot bigger audience that just enjoys music and don't necessarily want to make audio a hobby. As much as I like talking about gear, setup, etc. those are the people that often really have a "wow" experience with even pretty modest gear.

If the industry can ever tap into those people, they won't be worrying about staying healthy.

 

[jtwrace]

Gamut L3's.

great speaker I really enjoy listening to any GamuT.:bowdown:

 

[User211]

great speaker I really enjoy listening to any GamuT.:bowdown:

Yup damned fine SS amps too...

 

[tonepub]

L-9's on the way for review...

Can't wait.

Their designer Lars Goller is a great guy. Really likes to
rock out! He was the only guy playing Thin Lizzy at CES!

 

[User211]

http://www.gamutaudio.com/products/category.asp?cat=5

Can't see an L-9 - is it new?

EDIT - er, yup - here it is at RMAF. Nice looker!

 

[tonepub]

I made a mistake, too many numbers to keep track of..

It's the S-9, I think, but you've got the right picture!

I heard these last year at CES and they were fantastic!

 

[jtwrace]

Yes, that speaker is awesome! Lars is great as well. Just another really cool guy in audio..

 

[kach22i]

To get back to the original question, Ken Kessler in one of his columns wrote that there are about 1,000,000 audiophiles worldwide.

I'll guess that 25% are in the USA and another few percent in Canada. I base this on GNP and energy use which are also 25%.

Therefore the number is 250,000 people in this hobby in the USA.

Gliders/sailplanes are about 7,000 people (USA).

Hovercraft owners about 2,000 people (USA).

I've never had a more popular hobby than 2-channel based on the number above.

 

[akm3]

My analogy is that of the Microwave.

"Real cooking" is always better then microwave food, but the Microwave will always win in the marketplace because it is just so much more convenient. The taste is 'good enough' for the market.

The convenience of digital files cannot be beat.

 

[C.A.P]

Microwave is good for one thing . POPCORN !

 

[amey01]

My analogy is that of the Microwave.

"Real cooking" is always better then microwave food, but the Microwave will always win in the marketplace because it is just so much more convenient. The taste is 'good enough' for the market.

Good analogy. The thing to remember though is that real cooking, for everyone, all of the time, is just not practical in today's modern world.

Likewise, for some people, it's just not practical to have a lot of money and a lot of space dedicated to sound.

It gives us a lot of pleasure, but we shouldn't continually be expecting everyone else to derive this pleasure too. They've got their own sources of it.

 

[User211]

Everything is irrelevant apart from how good that Gamut speaker looks. I want a pair - don't care what they sound like. I want THAT exact speaker cos the wood is ace.

Gimme.

Gimme.

Gimme.

 

[tonepub]

Now that's funny.

Did you hear them at the London show? They were breathtaking at CES.

 

[Paperman]

I didn't get to the Park Inn this year but I have heard Gamuts there previously and was suitably impressed.
They ALL have superb cases which are beautifully finished. Even my L3's are a delight with mirror finish varnish. I was not really impressed by the Phi series but they are cheaper.
My main speakers however remain Vantages

 

[User211]

Now that's funny.

Did you hear them at the London show? They were breathtaking at CES.

Nope - but Gamut gear shows up in Bristol usually. I'll go along this Feb and do a show report - just don't expect HK or RMAF level of gear at the show - the stuff I cover (just the stuff that will be there) will be affordable to quite a few member's, I'd say... that's pretty boring, I know. If you can affiord it, it is never quite the same. You just can't lust in the same way...

I will, however, let you know what's what according to my lugholes... which of course is always right. To me

 

[gordonmenninger]

Unoftunately the truth is that 99% of the population think that BO$E is considered "Audiophile" due their ridiculous prices for what you actually get! For example, one of my in laws has a $1200 complete Bo$e system mounted high on his wall in the living room, - 3 tiny cubes spaced about 2 feet apart each and he thinks that this sound is the Holy Grail. He has an old 60" monstrous analog TV with DVD player and he says he has never heard a better system and loves the pic of his tv. (Good for him).
He came over one day when I had just gotten my (amazing) Sony 1080p projector (black pearl), sony blue ray player, Martin logan SL3's, etc... and I showed him some High Def NFL and blue Ray movie. His comment was "It ain't no better than my awesome Bose system, and 60 incher! - I am saving my money this aint that much better if any!"
I was shocked to hear that, but unfortunately that is how many people feel about our great hobby! Now I don't bring it up anymore!

To most people Bo$E = Audiophile. It's pretty sad, but that's the way it is!

 

[FISH_MAN]

the flip side of that coin is that many people who have those sad little cubes HAVE AND WILL spend the money on a good system if they are properly introduced to it but what they are greeted with in most HIFI store ( please do not jump all over me for this there are good ones we all know this they are just diamonds in the rough) is a high brow size you up attitude of rude sale men who should be at the carnival selling tickets to get on the tilt a whirl let alone musical equipment. more people are turned away from this than I think you can figure and I think it ruins or hobby

 

[User211]

Super strong point, Fish. I hate walking into hi-fi shops because within 1 minute you are generally harassed. I never feel relaxed in them. And if you want to listen to something you daren't ask because you know they'll expect you to buy it.

I really bad example of this was in Sounds By Singer in NYC. I was basically told to get out if I wasn't serious about anything. The usual "just looking" I use over here did NOT go down well in there.

 

[FISH_MAN]

they also like to harass you over your choice of music selection "who cares what I want to hear I am the dam customer" this is very intimidating to a new buyer. I could go on and on but I won't it is just a shame to me that many of my friends have heard my system and where very interested after maybe not 8.5k Logans just something that sounds nice but when they walked into a nameless store they where so turned off that they just put that interest on the back burner of life. one of the main problems is that the upper management do not understand basic selling principles beyond their employee handbook so it is hard to teach there staff properly. almost any person can be made into an effective sales person who can enlighten someone to something new and spark the desire to spend money everyone loves to spend money it is human nature they just have the wrong idea on how to accomplish this. a good sales person will enlighten a customer to something they have never heard of be patient and not pushy just let the product sell itself. i am not going to go into specifics but I will say that most NOT ALL stores are set up totally WRONG its just a shame to this hobby that's all. why do people like BOSE? that's easy because they can understand BOSE not because of the sound. help them to understand a Martin Logan and the game is up.this is not for everyone but there are a lot of undiscovered audiophiles out their.

 

[tonepub]

And that's why everyone needs a pair of Purity's....

Just plug your iPod in with an AudioEngine 2W and you have a fully portable music system in the palm of your hand, for less money than the top of the line BOSE system (which is about $5k, I believe..)