Perspective on show/demo music

M

Mr Peabody

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This weekend a friend was over and after cruising around in his new Challenger we went down to listen to my system, I was showing him how I was streaming from Tidal, so let him pick some songs. He listens to more mainstream Top 40 type stuff than me, he was picking Charlie Puth, Panic At The Disco etc.

At one point my 13 year old walks in, "is that John Legend?" and sits down. My grandson was soon to follow, as he is the same age. Then the Charlie Puth and I notice my 8 year old lurking in the background practicing her dance moves.

This reminded me of an article I read in HTR, Jerry is always lamenting the demise of "high end/audiophilia", where he is suggesting what could make audio shows better. One of the suggestions was to play morepopular music, the type younger folks want to hear. I don't usually like to give Jerry credit for much, LOL, however, after this weekend's experience, I think, he may have a point.

And, not all of the music my friend suggested sounded all that bad. In fact, some of it like the Charlie Puth had a solid bass that might be a decent demo.

Another thing, if you are showing a system, people will more recognize a difference when hearing something they are familiar with.

I think most rooms try to keep a variety at least on hand. But, the MBL room isn't just wildly popular due to their incredible gear, those guys know how to rock.

I plan to take my grandson, mentioned above, to Axpona this upcoming 2019 , I guarantee a system with Rebecca Pigeon isn't going to get his attention like same system playing Imagine Dragons.

Keeping in balance, I know manufacturers don't want to send Baby Boomers running hholding their ears, however, will the later generations return when all they hear old fart music?
 
You can still have the music that folks are familiar with but give the younger audience the opportunity to listen to their music also and not discourage them. My 14 year old daughter came with me to CAF couple of weeks back and that was her biggest complaint. One of the major sponsor was Qobuz but only handful of the rooms had streaming either Qobuz/Tidal. She also had concerns about the cost in majority of the room. How are you going to attract younger audience when the entry point is >10+ K, with college loans still to be paid off.

She enjoyed the show and plans to attend but she is hoping that she will have more opportunities to listen to some of her music. We will have to find out well in advance if the rooms are going to setup streaming before attending future shows.
 
I agree, As I mentioned in another post I had someone request a Johnny Cash track and another something by Queen. I picked something from Roon and they were happy.
 
I was at a Rockport dealer a week ago and he was shazaming quite a few tracks off my non-audiophile approved test cd :)

As many on this forum know, I bring cool music to shows honestly to broaden horizons. No Burmester disc here haha
 
Sorry if I do not totally agree with you.
If I had a system of many k to sell, I would put the music that best showed the qualities of this system.
I've seen some dealers fall into this trap and spoil the presentation and possibly the sales. Recordings are a key element for quality sound. Kids do not buy many K systems. Kids love to listen to their music regardless of the sound quality. Kids hear more pop music and pop / rock music have probably the worst recording quality.
 
@Spock, I respect your opinion and position, but how do industry attract younger generation if the music played is not something that they listen to now or the total system cost is as you say many K's. IMHO, if the industry continues down the current path and they do not make any effort to attract the younger crowd they are doomed.

Question for the dealers/manufactures on the forum.

What are the trends that you are seeing? Are you seeing customers who are between 30 and 50 yrs old purchasing equipment from you and/or what % (rough approximation) of the show attendees in your rooms are under 50? What is your approximate diversity break down (between male v/s female, along with ethnicity, age, etc)?

Our observation (mine and my 14 yr olds) at CAF was the attendees looked mostly over 50+, with very limited female attendance and not as diverse. That was similar observation at NY Audio show for the one day that I attended.

Apology in advance if I am redirecting the thread away from OP's original intention. Please, feel free to trash the post if it seems not appropriate for the thread.
 
Not a problem. However, the 13 year old is just an example, my friend is closer to my age. A dealer should play what the customer will be listening to on the system in his home. Get their attention first, then if you want to show difference in recording quality of Pop vs. whatever, go ahead. The point is to get the potential younger person to want to spend the money on a better system, to educate.

Spock said:
Sorry if I do not totally agree with you.
If I had a system of many k to sell, I would put the music that best showed the qualities of this system.
I've seen some dealers fall into this trap and spoil the presentation and possibly the sales. Recordings are a key element for quality sound. Kids do not buy many K systems. Kids love to listen to their music regardless of the sound quality. Kids hear more pop music and pop / rock music have probably the worst recording quality.
Click to expand...
 
Mr Peabody said:
A dealer should play what the customer will be listening to on the system in his home.
Click to expand...
Actually, one generally plays music that best highlights the systems strengths and then, if the potential customer requests something, play that....since "that", can include abysmally poor SQ music. Done over a dozen shows, that's been my experience.
It's the old saying you can please some of the people some of the time...
 
AJ Soundfield said:
Actually, one generally plays music that best highlights the systems strengths and then, if the potential customer requests something, play that....since "that", can include abysmally poor SQ music. Done over a dozen shows, that's been my experience.
It's the old saying you can please some of the people some of the time...
Click to expand...



It's the old saying you can please some of the people some of the time...and fool most of the people most of the time ..:whoa::D
 
One trick I've learnt when playing music to non-audiophile friends is to find covers of stuff and see how long it takes them to work out what it is. Favourites are Rodrigo y Gabriella's cover of Stairway to Heaven, and Mo' Blow's cover of Rolling in the Deep.
 
I'll have to look for those, not hearing them myself.

heihei said:
One trick I've learnt when playing music to non-audiophile friends is to find covers of stuff and see how long it takes them to work out what it is. Favourites are Rodrigo y Gabriella's cover of Stairway to Heaven, and Mo' Blow's cover of Rolling in the Deep.
Click to expand...
 
AJ Soundfield said:
Actually, one generally plays music that best highlights the systems strengths and then, if the potential customer requests something, play that....since "that", can include abysmally poor SQ music. Done over a dozen shows, that's been my experience.
It's the old saying you can please some of the people some of the time...
Click to expand...
I love music that is how I got into this business to begin with and I really don't like audiophile music.
When I do shows I do my absolute best to not play any of the same stuff over and over. I love to play music period. I play all kinds of music and I am always listening to new things to find more that I like and of course that sounds good.

When I do shows it seems that all people ask for is the same stuff over and over that I personally try to avoid.
Just because some reviewer liked in 10 years ago doesn't mean that is all there is to listen too.
I have met many audiophiles with tiny music collections which to me makes no sense.
I have over 7 TB on my server and its growing every day.

Here is this weeks suggestions:
Rodney Crowell- The Houston Kid - Try Highway 17 and the Rock of my Soul.
He is Roseann Cash's husband and Johnny Cash's son in law

Popular
try
Ed Sheeran X Wembley Edition - I'm a mess and Bloodstream but its all good
Your kids will know this for sure
 
BendingWave said:
I love music that is how I got into this business to begin with and I really don't like audiophile music.
When I do shows I do my absolute best to not play any of the same stuff over and over. I love to play music period. I play all kinds of music and I am always listening to new things to find more that I like and of course that sounds good.

When I do shows it seems that all people ask for is the same stuff over and over that I personally try to avoid.
Just because some reviewer liked in 10 years ago doesn't mean that is all there is to listen too.
I have met many audiophiles with tiny music collections which to me makes no sense.
I have over 7 TB on my server and its growing every day.

Here is this weeks suggestions:
Rodney Crowell- The Houston Kid - Try Highway 17 and the Rock of my Soul.
He is Roseann Cash's husband and Johnny Cash's son in law

Popular
try
Ed Sheeran X Wembley Edition - I'm a mess and Bloodstream but its all good
Your kids will know this for sure
Click to expand...

Rodney Crowell is an excellent song writer with many memorable lyrics. I saw him in concert earlier this year at The Ark in Ann Arbor. It is a very intimate venue where his artistry shines.
 
I have a couple of Crowell's albums. I haven't spun them in a while, good suggestion

BendingWave said:
I love music that is how I got into this business to begin with and I really don't like audiophile music.
When I do shows I do my absolute best to not play any of the same stuff over and over. I love to play music period. I play all kinds of music and I am always listening to new things to find more that I like and of course that sounds good.

When I do shows it seems that all people ask for is the same stuff over and over that I personally try to avoid.
Just because some reviewer liked in 10 years ago doesn't mean that is all there is to listen too.
I have met many audiophiles with tiny music collections which to me makes no sense.
I have over 7 TB on my server and its growing every day.

Here is this weeks suggestions:
Rodney Crowell- The Houston Kid - Try Highway 17 and the Rock of my Soul.
He is Roseann Cash's husband and Johnny Cash's son in law

Popular
try
Ed Sheeran X Wembley Edition - I'm a mess and Bloodstream but its all good
Your kids will know this for sure
Click to expand...
 
BendingWave said:
I love music that is how I got into this business to begin with and I really don't like audiophile music.

I have met many audiophiles with tiny music collections which to me makes no sense.
Click to expand...
Well, I stopped trying to make sense of what others including audiophiles, do/like, a long time ago.:)
I also got into the biz due to love of music, but mainly live music (primarily classical/jazz/acoustic, but some amplified/rock etc too)...and how many systems failed to remotely recreate that semblance of realism. To each their own of course. I also find when wandering the halls of audio shows, that much of the demo music seems more apt for an elevator or maybe inducing a coma, but again, I also understand tastes and preferences vary. Others may not like my wide dynamic range "live" sounding music preferences.

BendingWave said:
When I do shows I do my absolute best to not play any of the same stuff over and over. I love to play music period. I play all kinds of music and I am always listening to new things to find more that I like and of course that sounds good.
When I do shows it seems that all people ask for is the same stuff over and over that I personally try to avoid.
Click to expand...
Speaking of which, there is a show in Feb 2019 near your back yard. Would be a pity if you were not there. Would love to hear your music with those Gobels, as I'm sure would others travelling in from afar.
Seen quite a few good words about them, but nothing beats the "live" experience.:)

cheers,

AJ
 
AJ Soundfield said:
Well, I stopped trying to make sense of what others including audiophiles, do/like, a long time ago.:)
I also got into the biz due to love of music, but mainly live music (primarily classical/jazz/acoustic, but some amplified/rock etc too)...and how many systems failed to remotely recreate that semblance of realism. To each their own of course. I also find when wandering the halls of audio shows, that much of the demo music seems more apt for an elevator or maybe inducing a coma, but again, I also understand tastes and preferences vary. Others may not like my wide dynamic range "live" sounding music preferences.


Speaking of which, there is a show in Feb 2019 near your back yard. Would be a pity if you were not there. Would love to hear your music with those Gobels, as I'm sure would others travelling in from afar.
Seen quite a few good words about them, but nothing beats the "live" experience.:)

cheers,

AJ
Click to expand...

I am about 3 hours from the show in Florida. I have a brand new showroom which is now functioning and the speakers work well in. We are doing Axpona 2019 and RMAF 2019 and we will be at MOC in Munich in May.
I was approached about the Florida show but there wasn't a room that was available that would make sense for my products so I passed. You are certainly welcome to take a ride if you would like to visit.
Best regards,
Elliot
 
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