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"Will COVID-19 Take Out High-End Audio?"

Most people I know with Agas spend all daylight hours in the kitchen and put on 5 layers to go to bed. It’s not much of a life.
 
There is a ‘Donations’ button on the top menu-bar below and to the right of the site logo!
Another forum I'm a member of has an obvious donation box at the top right of every page. It calls out to "help us keep the unworkable working". It has a monthly target and a progress bar. Donors can be listed if they want to be. The target is usually met, although a mod often has prod the membership.
 
It was an interesting read for me, i kind of get what the point is in terms of 'the high end' and how there is a market for high end for high ends sake. I will admit that i haven't come across this particular reviewer before but i tend not to seek out high end audio reviews because its simply above what i could ever afford, and how would i actually do a proper high end system justice in our average living room even if i chose not to have a mortgage and invested in the money in a hifi instead.

I have to admit that reading the article made me think- this is exactly what is wrong with this hobby. The whole thing felt very contradictory, especially on a website that is plastered with advertising for high end audio and i know the ads are part of the website revenue and nothing to do with the author but its still ridiculous to me.

I don't quite understand that comment about 50-75% of 'so-called high end' disappearing though, that comment appears pointed and deliberately inflammatory (in context of his job). A quick Google of the reviewer shows that he has Indeed reviewed many high end audio devices and even has a quote for russ andrews stuff(i have nothing against russ andrews stuff btw)... im just not convinced by mains fuses etc.
But now he's decided that enough is enough? Maybe he's realised that the hifi bling reviews will dry up during the shutdown and that won't keep the lights on? I am willing to read and listen to an expert opinion and i would say that he is an expert simply by experience in the amount of equipment he has probably listened to and reviewed but surely decades of experience and reviews cant suddenly be swept under the rug because the market is potentially about to implode?
This old hat/old school nonsense still carries weight for some reason, even though today we all have the ability to do our own research and compare notes with like minded people, or just Google it... Saying that there are too many hifi manufacturers is a narrow view.
Hifi will be alive and well decades from now because people will continue to enjoy music and want to enjoy it, on any device. Of course we still won't understand why the expert hifi reviewer uses cable lifters on his headphone cable.
 
To be honest, I don't care very much about what happens to the companies that only supply the Veblen end of the market.
I am much more concerned about the Richer Sounds end of the scale. It's the people who spend 500 pounds on a box, who won't be buying anything else this year.
This will hurt good brands. The only light on the horizon, is that people won't be spending on foreign holidays.
 
Just diverting a little bit but still focused on the smaller firms I was very moved the other day. Many of our local garages are trying their best to keep going over the past weeks. We took our motor to our local for an MOT. The guy who owns it is a friendly chap and he said he was trying to keep open long enough to keep his staff on the pay role. He thanked us for using him and I could tell he was grateful.
 
I've been disgusted with a lot of new high end audio gear for a while now. There are indeed a lot of new ridiculously expensive products chasing the money of the plutocracy. It also appears that if you don't price your fancy equipment at the 'fancy' end of the price spectrum, it will not carry enough cred and bragging rights and will not be taken seriously by the target market. IMO most of them do not really outperform lower priced well-designed equipment (not conjecture on my part; I've listened to some ridiculously priced set ups). And most of them do indeed have fancy and vulgar looking chassis and knobs complete with outlandish but carefully crafted marketing. I am sure a lot of cost has gone into the cosmetics and BS marketing. Jancis Robinson, the famed wine critic, recently stated that if there's one thing that she has learned in her long experience in the industry, it's that there is no correlation between price and quality (enjoyment). This applies equally to hifi.

BUT I think KK's view is wishful thinking. The pandemic will more likely hit the lower and middle class consumer very hard, putting them out of jobs and curtailing their spending. I actually think the hifi companies which serve the lower/mid end of the market will be the ones that will be decimated since they have lower margins and need to move a lot more units to survive. Perhaps those that put out truly very affordable gear may be spared. But the very rich will still be able to buy the luxury super expensive gear.

The "Class System" will likely be the first "Casualty". Has it occurred to anyone that this might be a totally outdated and unsustainable belief system?

I'm sitting at home listening to Wes Montgomery through a lovely system mostly made up of "Pre Loved" Components. One of which has Valves.

I've (chosen to) find that the Hi Fi Community is most inclusive. I've forged many friendships through this community; actually; I feel like it is more like a family.

We're bloody fortunate that our hobby- massively important for our Mental Health- is one that may be enjoyed indoors.

Let's not lose sight of that fact!

I rent my place. My Landlord hasn't really checked where I have lived for 16 years. I excitedly called them in to listen to my first Valve Amplifier nearly a year ago. They loved it!

To some, I wasted money last year. This year; particularly the last three weeks, this has proved to be a pretty useful investment. After a day of driving a largely empty bus around Greater London, this is a most relaxing way to spend time. If I'm in the mood, and neighbours aren't in, I can listen to music at "Realistic Volume Levels"...

This is Self Care that can be shared. I have held many Bake Off inspired Music Evenings. These became more popular; neighbours ask when the next one will be held...

Time to realise what we have, eat, drink, listen and be merry. That's life. F**k being fashionable and all that entails. We're discovering how meaningless this looks...
 
With the current oil prices, an oil powered Aga ought to be very cost effective to run.

WTF am I discussing cookers??? :eek::eek:

...because they are the valve amps of cooking - to others sous vides and bread makers.
 
The "Class System" will likely be the first "Casualty". Has it occurred to anyone that this might be a totally outdated and unsustainable belief system?

I'm sitting at home listening to Wes Montgomery through a lovely system mostly made up of "Pre Loved" Components. One of which has Valves.

I've (chosen to) find that the Hi Fi Community is most inclusive. I've forged many friendships through this community; actually; I feel like it is more like a family.

We're bloody fortunate that our hobby- massively important for our Mental Health- is one that may be enjoyed indoors.

Let's not lose sight of that fact!

I rent my place. My Landlord hasn't really checked where I have lived for 16 years. I excitedly called them in to listen to my first Valve Amplifier nearly a year ago. They loved it!

To some, I wasted money last year. This year; particularly the last three weeks, this has proved to be a pretty useful investment. After a day of driving a largely empty bus around Greater London, this is a most relaxing way to spend time. If I'm in the mood, and neighbours aren't in, I can listen to music at "Realistic Volume Levels"...

This is Self Care that can be shared. I have held many Bake Off inspired Music Evenings. These became more popular; neighbours ask when the next one will be held...

Time to realise what we have, eat, drink, listen and be merry. That's life. F**k being fashionable and all that entails. We're discovering how meaningless this looks...

A smashing post Mr Gold :)
 


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