Aloha,
Remember that thread about the future of hi fi?
I think we caught a glimpse of the future in the March Stereophile, and it portends well for our hobby.
In Michael Fremer's column, he described some new iPod accessory thingies that will eventually help "save/preserve" this hobby.
Did you see the iPod speaker upgrades by Monitor Audio and the tubed iPod system?
Here's how the future will happen:
There will be system add ons that lots of people will buy. Some enthusiasts will use a loseless algorithm that will sound better when their friends hear it.
Some will use add on systems that sound beter than others.
Some will use both.
People will hear these systems and ask why they sound so much better than their own.
Et Voila! The rebirth of hi fi!
The future of hi fi is ensured.
I'd go so far as to posit that when this renaissance blossoms, we will see an even mightier hi end / hi fi market than we have now.
I also propose that the same sort of people who are drawn into the new age of hi fidelity will pick up the vinyl torch and run with it; more out of cool factor than anything else - but then it will infect them and they will spread that gospel, as well...
It's all a function of:
Storage capacity (GB) X accessories (A)+ coolness quotient (CQ) + peer competition (PC) = market opportunity (MO).
(GB)(A + CQ + PC) = MO
Monitor Audio is genius for doing what they are doing. They are helping to create a marketplace that will help us all.
So is that 3,700 dollar tubed iPod desk top thing...trickle down theory would state that by created a demand amongst the well healed (and who like to one-up each other), that subsequent downstream demand will be created at lower price points.
I have a friend who spent alot of time in Afghanistan and he is fond of one of their sayings...
"The poor man knows what the rich man is having for dinner."
I think it applies to hi fi, too.