Personally, I think a lot of people moved to other forums like Audiokarma, Steve Hoffman, Audiogon. Those remain really active. For whatever reason, I've never found this site overly active. Wouldn't surprise me about younger generations losing interest in hifi. They still love the music, more than ever I think, but they're not as concerned with the quality of playback as past generations. Money is definitely a part, but it's also a generation of streamers and low attention spans. They're happy to just listen on their phone or just buy Sonos speakers, and quickly bounce from tune to tune.

Seems right on, on both counts (i.e. audio and video)!

Many of my nieces & nephews are aware that I have been a life-long lover of music and have a nice stereo system at home.

When they were very young, just starting to appreciate music, mostly the contemporary stuff of their day, and before they had ever heard the sound system I had at home, they would periodically try to impress the old guy with some new musician or band they had just "discovered", seeking to impress the old man with their budding music appreciation skills. They did the same with whatever MP3 device, smart phone, high-tech earbuds, earphones or whatever portable on-the-go music playing gadgets they had just purchased or acquired. Occasionally, one of the new "discoveries" happened to be Led Zepplin, Mountain, Ten Years After, a band or musician they'd never heard of before and never knew existed, before they discovereBd them, of course. It never ceased to tickle me when I'd respond with something like: "Oh! Yeah! I know them! I've got some of their stuff at home! Bought some of their stuff around 30 years ago." I loved watching the stunned expressions and jaws dropping in disbelief.

As for the latest gadgets they were always trying to impress me with and convince me just had to be better than whatever old antique stereo equipment I had at home, my responses were invariably the same (e.g. "Yeah. That's pretty cool, but nowhere near as good as a good home sound system."). Of course, they just couldn't bring themselves to believe such a thing. That is, until they'd come for a visit and the old guy would turn the tables on them and say something like: "Wanna listen to that band you were telling me about the other day, on my stereo?" I should have taken photos of the stunned expressions and the jaws dropping! The only thing you'd hear from them was an "Oh! Wow!" and then, utter silence for a good long time.

As for smart phone photos, this medium has indeed come a long way since the early days. However, there is still no substitute for a real (good) camera.

It appears to be the natural life cycle of many audio forums to ebb and flow, sometimes more ebb than flow. Lol

Ariel Views wrote:

I joined this site about a year ago and check in every once in a while, but things seem deader than a doornail. Have people lost interest, died off, or what? I was watching.... I think it was "Cheap Audio Man" on YouTube the other day and he mentioned something about the younger generations having no interest in Audio because it's too expensive. I have to say he may be on to something and even today at my relatively advanced age I think a lot of equipment is ridiculously priced. Is the HIFI industry cutting it's own throat?

This forum was once a lively place. People slowly stopped participating. There were a few participants who eventually made discussions toxic, hence people avoided this forum, imho. Most people are respectful of the forum rules. A few were not; some were banned, a few of them are still here. I haven't looked here for quite a while, partly because of what I saw happening to the forum.

Without a little friction there can be no fire.

geoffkait wrote:

Without a little friction there can be no fire.

Too much friction is a big drag, requiring more effort.

Excessive noise excessively obfuscates communication of useful information.

Define useful information.

Only quote facts. - Old audiophile axiom