I'm 55: Just old enough to have known Heathkit, Radio Shack's Science Fair and ArcherKits and the glory days when hifi was considered sexy enough that Playboy Magazine issued a hifi guide (the only Playboy product I could legally buy at the time!)
Today I think we're very fortunate to have high-quality kit offerings like Elekit's tube amps and preamps, and on a smaller scale, AM radio kits by Tecsun. But overall I expect to do less DIY in the future because my interests have shifted to components which I can't readily DIY, like JBL's 705P, a biamplified, DSP'd pro monitor with waveguide.
Health-wise, I probably benefitted from lack of junk-food choices as a kid. Even soda was a rare treat. Probably ate more plants and fewer animals than the average American too. As an adult, I made a conscious decision to locate myself in an area known for healthy living so I can walk to most places and vegan dishes are fairly common.
Today I think we're very fortunate to have high-quality kit offerings like Elekit's tube amps and preamps, and on a smaller scale, AM radio kits by Tecsun. But overall I expect to do less DIY in the future because my interests have shifted to components which I can't readily DIY, like JBL's 705P, a biamplified, DSP'd pro monitor with waveguide.
Health-wise, I probably benefitted from lack of junk-food choices as a kid. Even soda was a rare treat. Probably ate more plants and fewer animals than the average American too. As an adult, I made a conscious decision to locate myself in an area known for healthy living so I can walk to most places and vegan dishes are fairly common.
This poll has run long enough the trend is clear.
Hoffman Amps has run a similar poll. Hoffman is also a group of amplifier builders, though musical instrument amps rather than (mostly) hi-fi amps.
Unsurprisingly, the age-curves are so very similar they are statistically "the same".
One detail: Hoffman's poll started in 2010. Many of the early voters are still around, but probably older, by over a half-decade on average (getting birth-years instead of ages might be better long-term). That would be one reason for the small difference in the 60-70 group. Another is that hi-fi can be less active, while musicians lug stuff around and use fine finger-picking skills, which may be lessened with age.
Hoffman Amps has run a similar poll. Hoffman is also a group of amplifier builders, though musical instrument amps rather than (mostly) hi-fi amps.
Unsurprisingly, the age-curves are so very similar they are statistically "the same".
One detail: Hoffman's poll started in 2010. Many of the early voters are still around, but probably older, by over a half-decade on average (getting birth-years instead of ages might be better long-term). That would be one reason for the small difference in the 60-70 group. Another is that hi-fi can be less active, while musicians lug stuff around and use fine finger-picking skills, which may be lessened with age.
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You want the lowest selection in the poll. That one is for ages 81 and above.
Can someone get this guy an electron microscope?
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I’m sure if a similar post was posted on the car audio section the results would definitely show some younger members. After all, that’s what brought me to this form around 5 years ago. Try to read a little bit of everything on here now. Luckily, time is on my side at only 32. Thank you to all that contribute!
61. Everything seems to be going SMD and so much smaller !
I cheat a bit and use 2512 style resistors, they are a bit bigger and easier to work with although the occasional one flies out of the tweezers.
The bigger stuff is still through hole.
I remember the days of Maplin in the 1980's with their wide range of kits.
I built up their mobile disco kits and it worked well for years.
Record decks, pre amps, mixer and 225WRMS power amp.
Sound to light converter.
Sad to hear they are now closing down.
I cheat a bit and use 2512 style resistors, they are a bit bigger and easier to work with although the occasional one flies out of the tweezers.
The bigger stuff is still through hole.
I remember the days of Maplin in the 1980's with their wide range of kits.
I built up their mobile disco kits and it worked well for years.
Record decks, pre amps, mixer and 225WRMS power amp.
Sound to light converter.
Sad to hear they are now closing down.
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I do some business with some audio sales guys from NYC area, and they say that everybody into high performance audio are old. There are zero young people in the hobby according to them. And they say that there are some budding businesses of buying peoples audio gear after they die from the remaining family members.
I take it that young people just don't care about good sounding audio.
My data point is that my customers for Quad rebuilds are my age (48) or older.
Sheldon
quadesl.com
I take it that young people just don't care about good sounding audio.
My data point is that my customers for Quad rebuilds are my age (48) or older.
Sheldon
quadesl.com
65 and still loving DIY. My eyes aren't what they used to be, but optics can overcome the issues and allow me to pursue my hobby. Ears lost the top octave, but I can still hear lots of detail in music on good equipment. Cymbals still have sizzle and midbass still thumps my chest. Been into high quality audio since my teens.
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I'm a few weeks short of 67. My dad helped me assemble a Heathkit crystal radio when I was 8, I believe.
Every year my wife looks forward to May, when she ends her four-month gig as "my old lady" because we are once again the same age.
Dale
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