Despite the periodic threads about downsizing, which sometimes get people claiming it is the new norm and predict doom for the higher end hi-fi market, the impression I had was that it was only a small proportion of people. With upgrading I think a lot of people just do it without saying anything at all on the forum until or unless they want to show their pride in a new step, or otherwise if they are seeking some sort of guidance along the way.
Regarding hi-fi dealers, it is relevant I think that hi-fi has always been very much a minority interest, but the same shops that sold hi-fi very often sold a range of other music playing systems at much lower prices which may well have made up a large proportion of their profit. (I’m speculating here.) It seems to me that the difference these days is partly that the non-hi-fi music listening market has shifted a lot to small boxes linked to phones or internet-connected wifi speakers etc, and sold in a multitude of places from apple shops to department stores and everything between, no longer needing the display space of hi-fi shops, no longer in people’s minds being associated with hi-fi. At the same time shopping has very much shifted to more online for these lower cost products. The result inevitably us a thinning of hifi shops
As for amount spent, certainly some of us spend more on hi-fi than many other people spend on cars, but then, certainly in my case, hi-fi gives me a lot more pleasure than a car which, whilst certain cars may be fun to drive, ultimately for getting from one place to another and one of several options.
I have 2 hifi systems. One main system in the living room and the other in the work/ study/ game room.
At the start when moving in the new house my old main system ( Hegel 160) got demoted to study room with the already used “ bookshelf speakers / focal aria 906”. Replacing my first youth set, the Cambridge azur 640’s. In 2023 i got the Nova for a more suitable set no longer needing the watts of the Hegel. Also due to size restrictions.
My Main set is an AVM 3.2 set ( replaced the Hegel) with SF Olympica Nova 3’’s.
The Main AVM set will be upgraded this summer with 3 options remaining: 4 set- Naim NC 300 series, stay with AVM and upgrade to 6.3 series or the Moon 700 North collection set. Thats a huge improvement and will be my max growth path. Beyond that only a needed naimFraim or equivalent. All 3 options are good but have a very different soundsignature. The SF will stay. But definitely seperates ( AVM offers a all in one unit but will go the separate route if AVM is chosen). MOON is just a 2 box solution but they are quite large.
For the study I will keep the Nova and the Naca5 cables..The Aria’s are the weaker link in this set but they are a lesser priority. Certainly not 2026.
So one more upgrade ( both size and quality for the livingroom) as well as keeping it to a all in one for the study.
