The only thing everybody seems to agree on is that there is a steady change in the demographic of show goers to older, whiter, heavier men.

I am sure students are attending rock concerts immediately after finals, and paying a lot more than what HE 2007 charges. No, we can’t imbibe at a show - but otherwise I would think that, males anyway, would like a high-end audio show as much as a concert - all things being equal.

This *is* NYC - you and I have to fly in - and it *is* expensive, you bet - but there are lots of people there in the City already….

They would be ‘equal’ if

1. decent tunes were played
2. they were played loud
3. nobody was trying to sell them anything - except maybe software and concessions
4. and there were lots of young women in attendance

Not much chance, huh?

Maybe if shows had more of a reputation of being a party-scene then kids would think it was not so stodgy and boring?

A $200 price point is not relevent in this context. This is a high-end show, not a flea market. IPODs cost more than $200. $2000 is more of a entry-level price - and I think one well-within the computer generation’s budget. Don’t forget, young people aren’t married and have no kids yet - they are wealthier than the rest of us by far with respect to having lots of free time and very few expenses.

I am not aware of any online forums where people have fun.

From what I hear, local get togethers are more dead than shows, by far. At this point, RMAF is really the best show out there - and it is here in our own backyard…. hee hee hee

Thanks for your post - I think there is something here that we can all do to take the hobby back from the cliff. Perhaps more rooms at shows run by plain-ole-audiophiles…?

There are not many 30- year-olds in attendance at an Audio show. A show which happens to be scheduled during finals or just after the end of a spring semester of college? Hmmm… I will assume that since they are not attending the show, they are not interested in high-end audio Shelling out more than hundred bucks airfare or gas money to attend a high-end audio show just was not practical for me as an undergrad or grad student. What about shows that are not even scheduled to be part weekend days - how stupid is that?

“The industry has collectively failed to capture the youth market and its apparent anathema towards home theater has insured that those willing to spend serious money on home entertainment will end up with HTiB instead of real systems.”

A different part of the A/V industry HAS captured the youth market by a simple factor - price. Look at any company selling components with volume sales to 30- year olds - I bet a $200 price point is offered.

A HTIB IS a real system - it is tangible. You can set it up, plug it in, and listen to music. It’s exactly that kind of condescending writing attitude which turns off budget/beginner readers and potential customers and sends folks to online forums and local get-togethers where they can hang out and have fun.

- Steve O.