Home Theater Hobby Dying?

[Movie2099]

This was a post over on AVS Forums posted by Art Sonneborn that I found very interesting. I wanted to post over here for those that don't use AVS Forums. I wanted to see what the Audioholic peeps think.

So many different people chimed in over on AVS about what they thought was a reason why the home theater hobby might be dying off.

Some examples are:

1-Cost
2- Kids today just aren't interested in the hobby
3- TV's-Soundbars-iPads, Phones vs dedicated home theaters

and many more.

Of course, some comments resulted in online disputes. For me personally, I don't think the home theater space is exploding like it did in the late 90's-early/mid 2000's. I think things have slowed down, production wise, and with the cost of entry point to build a dedicated home theater, more people are moving away from dedicated theaters and over to bigger TV's with sound bar systems. While watching all their content via streaming devices.

Looking forward to what people have to say!

 

[dolynick]

Bigger TVs and streaming content doesn't equate no home theatre. Just different means to the end. I'd also argue that soundbars, etc are essentially the same idea as yesteryear's home-theatre-in-a-box concepts.

I'd say that dedicated rooms with projector setups (since you seem to suggest that TVs don't count) were always a specialized minority within the general buying populace. Points 1 & 2 certainly play a factor as well. That minority is probably stagnant or shrinking.

At the same time, while finding a showroom to view before buying is getting harder, access to most gear (including a lot more budget stuff) is a lot more broad. If you're serious, you can order just about anything you want online and have it shipped to your door now. It means more research and relying on reviews, so there's a bit more of a leap of faith in purchasing and maybe that holds some people back.

 

[shadyJ]

I will say that I think kids today are less interested in movies than in years past. They seem to be more into either short-form entertainment or video games. I will also say that there was certainly a spurt of extra home theater interest when Covid hit, but that died down. I wonder how many people actually stayed into it as a hobby?

I will also say that I always found it weird to call home theater a 'hobby.' It's not really intended to be anything more than something you set up once and enjoy content with. I guess you can turn it into a hobby if you cycle through a lot of gear, but that has always seemed to be pretty bananas to me. The movies (or whatever content you enjoy) would be the hobby part, at least for any sane person, not the system itself.

 

[Movie2099]

I will say that I think kids today are less interested in movies than in years past. They seem to be more into either short-form entertainment or video games. I will also say that there was certainly a spurt of extra home theater interest when Covid hit, but that died down. I wonder how many people actually stayed into it as a hobby?

I will also say that I always found it weird to call home theater a 'hobby.' It's not really intended to be anything more than something you set up once and enjoy content with. I guess you can turn it into a hobby if you cycle through a lot of gear, but that has always seemed to be pretty bananas to me. The movies (or whatever content you enjoy) would be the hobby part, at least for any sane person, not the system itself.

I personally think home theater is hobby. I'm sure we could say it's split 50/50 on hobby/not hobby. I'm guessing there is a large population that buys their stuff and is fine with it for a very long time, vs the other half that have PC builders mentality, have to have every new thing once it comes out. Not so much the speakers, but all the extra toys that can go in the theater. A decent amount of people purchase a new Projector every time one drops (JVC/Sony), just check the classifieds on AVS forums and you'll see tons of previous Gen drop once those companies announce new projectors. K-scape is another one that's been hot. Since they announced SSD, the masses have been selling their "regular" HHD versions to get the new SSD versions. MadVR, when the new MadVR dropped, my goodness the market was flooded with the 1st version. Apple TV's, there are a ton of people that get the new iteration of the Apple TV every single year, even if they don't upgrade anything from the previous year. Because it's "new". I can't imagine too many people upgrade AV processors all that much. But I can see a mass amount of people upgrading AVR's every year to every other year.

For me, it's going to be a buy once cry once for 80% of my next home theater build. I think the only things I will upgrade more frequently would be the projector maybe every 5-8 years, unless I was able to purchase a nice Christie right away. Then I wouldn't need a projector for 15-20 years. haha. I suppose I would upgrade my Apple TV once, every 8-10 years. Possibly the seating, depending on how much it gets used.

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

I think a big factor in the decline in traditional home theater systems is a replay of decades past, i.e. cassettes vs. LPs, VHS vs. Beta, and streaming vs. CDs and Blu-Rays: To wit, to a significant portion of the population, convenience trumps quality. For them (as with cassettes and VHS), streaming quality and soundbars are “good enough.”

Plus, I think a HUGE factor is that setting up a HT system now is insanely complicated, what with the proliferation of 100+ page manuals. Soundbars sound decent, and are pretty easy to get working.

Plus, hardware manufacturers seem to make things less-and-less user friendly with new generations, at least Yamaha the brand I’ve been using for AVRs for most of the past 30 years. For example, I used to be able to see an icon on the AVR display that would tell me if a disc or streaming program was getting me 5.1. How, I have to punch a button on the remote to see that info. And don’t get me started on the older vs. newer remotes.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[TankTop5]

Covid pushed home theater a lot, we’re seeing a natural decline since mostly because the money has been spent by those who were interested. I just left a meeting for TV commercials were shooting and this very conversation with the marketing team.

 

[lovinthehd]

I just view my av gear as a means to an end, playing music/movies etc. I don't view it as a hobby particularly, altho have always been interested in what gear capabilities are and how people consume it and think about it. I do tend to think the youngest generation isn't particularly interested for reasons mentioned already. For me, it came out of an extension of my interest in solely audio to begin with, was glad when video was added to the mix and took some experimentation and shopping to get a good main setup and with all the extra gear, some extra systems, too. I don't have a dedicated home theater room, tho, just not that into it for the expense in my house (and am not moving/shopping again for one of those).

 

[TLS Guy]

I am going to cross reference I post I did on the Sound United sale thread, as I think it is germane to this discussion.

 

[cpp]

Sure I like my receiver back in the day. But why do they still make a AVR with a tuner, I never use it, ever. Like TLS noted, modular is the way to go, if you want a tuner, you buy the module, if you want to use headphones, you buy the module, if you want to use a Turntable you buy the module etc.. etc...

 

[Tankini]

Sure I like my receiver back in the day. But why do they still make a AVR with a tuner, I never use it, ever. Like TLS noted, modular is the way to go, if you want a tuner, you buy the module, if you want to use headphones, you buy the module, if you want to use a Turntable you buy the module etc.. etc...

They could get rid of all them sound fields, got a ton of them on my Yamaha that I don't use. All are set to off. I don't use the AM/FM tuner either. Not to mention how crappy the music that's put out over the air am/fm. Just with the censorship alone here in the United States. Much better internet radio Stations by the thousands that you can find some or I should say many that aren't censored.

 

[Mr._Clark]

. . . Plus, hardware manufacturers seem to make things less-and-less user friendly with new generations, at least Yamaha the brand I’ve been using for AVRs for most of the past 30 years. For example, I used to be able to see an icon on the AVR display that would tell me if a disc or streaming program was getting me 5.1. How, I have to punch a button on the remote to see that info. And don’t get me started on the older vs. newer remotes.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

This might be somewhat different than the point you're making, but devices that rely on one screen for all user interaction are a pet peeve. This seems to be a trend in everything from microwaves to vehicles.

In one of my vehicles, instead of having push buttons and dials to control the HVAC it is necessary to go through menus on a touch screen. In many devices, the menus include a plethora of options that are never really needed. Once a touch screen is put in place, the cost to add additional options via software is trivial, but it gets ridiculous in some cases.

I'm sure touch screens are less costly than dedicated buttons and dials, but the need to learn menus on every single device is tiresome.

 

[-Jim-]

I too have posted on this question before, and while I think the dedicated Home Theater as a hobby is in decline, I don't think it was ever mainstream due to the real estate, capital cost, and complexity of doing it right. I'm like most who have systems, but no dedicated Home Theater. (I have 4 systems - 3 at Home and one at the Family Cabin. I seem to put one together every time I want decent sound and a 55 inch or larger TV. Yes, I know I've got a problem...)

My solution is to not only make it modular, with improved streaming quality (both video and audio) so folks could add only what they want to their system, but it's all got to be wireless on non-proprietary software. Control by Apps on Tablets and Smartphones should be there too. I know it'll be a bit of a pain for some to find a wall plug where you want to plug in each of the speakers / subs. That way a newbie could start out with a simple stereo system, then add a Sub to get to 2.1, then a center, and then... Make it quality gear but not outrageously priced if it is ever to go mainstream. Do immersive for only the true hobbyists who have the time and resources to renovate their spaces.

Anyway, that's my vison of what's needed for the industry to survive and thrive.

 

[Tankini]

Yeah, not one home I've visited over the last 5 or so years has anything Remotely considered a surround sound setup. Big TV yes, DVD player yes. No Blu-ray player, think I remember seeing one had a sound bar with one of those 6" so called sub that came with the soundbar. Some of my friends think I'm nuts for spending what I have in my setup. When I tell them my setup is modest at best and tell them some spend two, three time or more, they stand there with a blank look. Tell them you spent 1k or more on a AVR, they'll ask, what's a AVR. Yeah it's fading out slowly.

 

[cpp]

Yeah, not one home I've visited over the last 5 or so years has anything Remotely considered a surround sound setup. Big TV yes, DVD player yes. No Blu-ray player, think I remember seeing one had a sound bar with one of those 6" so called sub that came with the soundbar. Some of my friends think I'm nuts for spending what I have in my setup. When I tell them my setup is modest at best and tell them some spend two, three time or more, they stand there with a blank look. Tell them you spent 1k or more on a AVR, they'll ask, what's a AVR. Yeah it's fading out slowly.

Pretty spot on. It seems, a lot of those normal people just enjoy their big screen TV's and soundbars and HBO MAX, Disney and Netflix movies and "marvel " at the sound they are getting. Like you noted, what AVR. As one told me, just to many cables.

 

[Tankini]

Pretty spot on. It seems, a lot of those normal people just enjoy their big screen TV's and soundbars and HBO MAX, Disney and Netflix movies and "marvel " at the sound they are getting. Like you noted, what AVR. As one told me, just to many cables.

Most don't even know about all of the settings on their TV.

 

[mono-bloc]

The interest in home theatre in australia is all but dead. I was in a local shopping mall the other week , Waiting for someone who was buying a now set of Clogs, So to kill time I found the last remaining Audio // tv // phone shop, still operating JB Hi-Fi.. Heaps of phones and computers, a few vinyl records, all over priced, And rows of flat screen TV starting with 75 inch and all the way to 90 inch, all makes and models together with cheap soundbars and small subs. So much for Audio gear, Nothing. Of cause someone asked if i was interested in a flat screen. I simply said one would not fit in my car, So he wandered off . I was wondering do they really sell all this cheap crap and do people actually buy it and transport it home..
I did ask if they stocked top load CD Transports. The answer was a complete blank look, with the reply. What are they. ??

 

[Movie2099]

With Best Buy getting rid of physical media and cutting their stores in half to just be "showrooms", I can see why people are just going with the TV soundbar combo. That's all that is being shown to them. You would have to visit a BB location that has a Magnolia center in them to actually see and test AVR's, speakers, projectors, etc... And with costs nowadays you can get a 70" TV and Soundbar for around $1000. When things are on sale. Not so much when you're talking projector, screen, cables, speakers, AVR, etc. where the entry point could $6k-$12k very easily.

 

[mono-bloc]

With Best Buy getting rid of physical media

It's much the same here in Australia, The state capital cities do have high-end stores, With NSW having a couple of HT specialist stores, Len Walis Audio, and Wave Train. Both located on the north shore of Sydney.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

HT/audio has ALWAYS been a niche market to begin with. I recall even back when I was in college/university in the early 1990’s, none of my friends or classmates were interested in HT like I was. It’s been the same since then.

It depends on the market. I saw some growth in HT with the custom home market.

HT spending also reflects the economy. With the current economic recession, it’s understandable to see a slowdown in spending. So HT spending goes up and down in cycles.

 

[cpp]

HT/audio has ALWAYS been a niche market to begin with. I recall even back when I was in college/university in the early 1990’s, none of my friends or classmates were interested in HT like I was. It’s been the same since then.

It depends on the market. I saw some growth in HT with the custom home market.

HT spending also reflects the economy. With the current economic recession, it’s understandable to see a slowdown in spending. So HT spending goes up and down in cycles.

Around my neck of the woods, Orlando to Jacksonville, I was in a dealer in Jacksonville recently ( a kayaking/fishing friend of mine) and asked about, how busy was he, well he did note that for those that had the $$$$$$$$$, the custom home market was moving in a decent direction, HT sales, not that much but smart home enhancements big time. He noted HT sales, were for those that just didn't care what it cost, sell the gear, set it up and thats it. HE noted 95% of the people they set up the equipment for didn't have a clue how to use it, and he noted, they get calls all the time for crazy fingers pushing the wrong buttons on the controls, TV's, projectors included..