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Can Jana come?

$hit, you guys walked right into that one. :-)

That High End audio needs to be repositioned as a lifestyle pursuit. Luxury cars, watches, small batch whiskey etc are all marketed to those with disposable income, why not audio ? Remove the geek/nerd/all male stigma and make HE an integral part of the upscale living environment. This is a great first step, and a perfect environment.

The HE industry needs to expand to remain viable. Unfortunately for some participants, expansion may include marketing to the great unwashed with disposable income. If the industry can grow then we all benefit. As to why "lifestyle" should be embraced, consider that only a small percentage of buyers for Mercedes/Lexus/RangeRover/Rolex appreciate the product for inherent quality, while many purchase because of the visual statement made by displaying the item. Consider how much smaller the above companies would be, or if they would still be in business, if poseurs didn't buy their products? A deal with the devil, but a necessary evil all the same. Perception of HE equipment in the mainstream culture is another issue. The typical response of someone who has not been educated as to the benefits of HE is "you paid HOW MUCH ?" Why ? Because the media has tended to depict HE buyers as geeky nerds, outside of the mainstream. For the most part appreciation of HE audio has been a solitary pursuit. Contrast that with Home Theater. In general most understand why you would spend a lot of money on HT. HT can be displayed in the family room and HT in general is more group/family friendly making the expense more easily justified within a family budget. Compare that to the expense of an expensive 2ch amp enjoyed by only one member of the family. Looked at with a marketer’s eye, one sees that HT has become a "lifestyle" segment. By repositioning HE audio as a worthy lifestyle expense, the industry will expand the sales base dramatically. When HT began to become viable, the HE industry had an opportunity to not only participate, but also have meaningful input into domestic HT standards, and how the growing segment would be marketed. Instead the HE industry initially resisted before getting on board, and it took a long time to catch up. Contrast that response with the expansion of the headphone industry ? HE got on board immediately and has been able to both expand the market to casual buyers, and shape how the industry has developed. Expensive headphones are now considered a "lifestyle" item, but many casual listeners now understand the importance of absolute quality thanks in part to efforts of the HE industry. Expanding the market base by promoting to everyone, and gaining new enthusiasts at the same time. That’s what the HE industry should be doing across the board.

Do we bring bank statements to compare or can we just whip it out? Gender issues aside, this just seems like the douchiest meetup ever. I bet there will be some people buying just to be seen spending