Is car audio dying?

[8ight]

[Jzzt]

Here in Miami things have definitely gone down, back then you would hear systems everywhere. Your car shaking at red lights, you sitting at bk and someone passes by with the music loud, etc. Now the only other place you will hear someone else playing their system is in local car meets. And most systems are low end kicker/rockford.

But you go on craigslist and holy crap is there good stuff for sale, not always cheap but it does prove that people have this stuff, although i dont know if they only use it in their basement or something, I guess its just where I live.

When I go to craigslist this is me looking for a rockford amplifier

keywords

rockford, rockfords, rocksford, rokford, rokford, rackford, fosgate, fasgate, fosgates, you would be amazed how many people misspell stuff, and even if they add an "s" sometimes to the end of the word means it wont show up in the results when your looking.

[Daniel J Blitch]

The generation of kids that surround my age group (18-25) Have all grown up with computers and electronics that have made them lazy as fuck... No one that I know wants to learn how to build a system but would rather me do it and let me worry about it when they fuck it up. I am sorry to say but the parents who let their kids play video games hours on end should be horse whipped. Go out and teach your kids something, if they don't want to then punish them. Our country is getting soft and we need people to start making changes in the right ways. There is nothing wrong with asking questions and getting help, that is what makes forums like this thrive, and it makes me happy seeing Steve Mead showing pictures of his son doing a lot of the work on his civic, that way in end he will be able to work on his own car and carry on the legacy. I know I am preaching to the choir with most of you guys on here... But go out and teach your kids something useful that they will have for the rest of their lives, we need to get away from the idiocracy that this country has that voted what we have in office.

[Smoove]

I think car audio is surely dying, another art killed by the "good enough" attitude of this generation. "Why would I buy all that when my stock sound is good enough?" "My stock system already has bass." "I don't need all that/don't know how to use it."

^^^^^ I agree. When simple stuff like adding 7" monitors started becoming something that came stock screwed this hobbie. But you will always have the die hard bassheads and people who want true SQ building systems. But remember there still some people we can convert. When I met my wife I had just blown a 10" sub. She didnt understand why I was in a hurry to replace it. She said stuff like "my rock station sounds fine without bass". After the sub was replaced and she got to drive the car daily she started to understand. Now she wants a better sub than the one 8" infinity sub in her daily driver. She says my car doesn't sound as good as yours. So now I get to upgrade. We just need to find a way to understand that stock radio isnt good enough

[8ight]

I think car audio is surely dying, another art killed by the "good enough" attitude of this generation. "Why would I buy all that when my stock sound is good enough?" "My stock system already has bass." "I don't need all that/don't know how to use it."

^^^^^ I agree. When simple stuff like adding 7" monitors started becoming something that came stock screwed this hobbie. But you will always have the die hard bassheads and people who want true SQ building systems. But remember there still some people we can convert. When I met my wife I had just blown a 10" sub. She didnt understand why I was in a hurry to replace it. She said stuff like "my rock station sounds fine without bass". After the sub was replaced and she got to drive the car daily she started to understand. Now she wants a better sub than the one 8" infinity sub in her daily driver. She says my car doesn't sound as good as yours. So now I get to upgrade. We just need to find a way to understand that stock radio isnt good enough

You can't show anyone in this generation what good is. I seek quality in everything I pursue, I am at an enthusiast level in all of my interests in hobbies. Everything can be done, everything can be improved, and you can do it if you get off your ass and learn. That is why I love this kind of stuff, it can't run out if you have the interest and drive.

[SkarredSierra]

in my opinion car audio is at somewhat of a decline right now. most of the reason for this is laws that are passed about sound ordinance that keep people from enjoying just an everyday pair of subs let alone a 150+ setup with thousands of watts. there are still millions of fans world wide but with police writing tickets like there is no tomorow for sound ordinances it discourages alot of people who are just starting. im not saying its acceptable to go out at 2 am and drive through town bumping as hard as you can but its ridiculous that i cant even enjoy the single 12 inch rockford in my wifes car without getting stared down by police. let alone the 2 10s i have in my blazer that hit over 125 db.

[DylanBunch]

You obviously werent at SBN

[Azagtoth502]

Dying? I don't know but I do know there are way too many nuthuggers & "experts" and so few willing to learn. For me that's what ruins it.

[Nophix]

No doubt the technology has advanced and the market has grown but it seems like less and less people are enjoying it.

Thoughts?

I know this is an old thread, but I actually found this forum looking for the same answer. However, here is my theory and observation.

In short, I would say its not just car audio, it's car CULTURE. While Wisconsin has never been a Mecca for audio, there were always old hot rods, muscle cars, tuned imports, and various combinations of "in-betweens" running around. Summer Saturday nights, car parks were filled with all manor of motorized creativity. High school parking lots were populated by anything from Mustangs to old 4x4's.

I owned a shop several years ago, before the economic crash. I sold out in 2004, and it was still going strong. It did so for a few more years, ultimately closing its doors in 2009.

Now, looking at the same parking lots, I get depressed. You see the random few imports, usually clapped out Civics with more Bondo than sheet metal, and that's about it. High School parking lots are filled with plain jane hand-me-downs, and kids are more concerned wtih their next XBOX or iPhone.

I like to believe the economy had something to do with it, but frankly, I don't think it holds true anymore. There is just no DESIRE there. No AMBITION. Why work on the car when you can be playing a video game? Why go out and socialize when you can do it over XBOX live or PSN?

Anyone remember the days when we would put the gaming systems IN the car? Those were the days.

[n8ball2013]

and play a racing game? pull up to the light with a friend playing next to you with the tires all screeching on the game and people looking around scared? ahh yes I remember well.