A friend of mine opened a new store last year and it is doing well for him. He does work hard at making it work though which is something I see few store owners doing.

The industry certainly isn't the same as 20years ago but the shops willing to adapt and change will stay busy.

As for the board - we had a recent exodus of a small group of people and I hope they find a good place to call home. This isn't the first time it's happened and it won't be the last. The board carries on.

 

Yup, the board will carry on and there will be people who will always be around to give their input. Whether they be the old farts like Dukk or the new young guys, people will always be here. I knew it was time for change for me, so I changed. But you will not be able to take 20+ years of car audio out of me either, so I will be around when I have the time to be around.

 

The scene is just fine IMO.
I buy car audio, new and used. I sell what I'm done using. I outfit every car I own with audio equipment. I lend recommendations and in turn, sales to many of my friends who see and hear my car. And I'm still terrorising my neighbourhood.
I have no interest in competing, in any fashion.
The industry is going through change. As long as there's music, car audio will always be an industry. Whether you guys will be burping 156's with 2 10's, I dunno but all I know is it isn't as dire as you guys make it sound lol

Edit: I will say I agree with all the comments about money. We're talking about cars and money, things that are expensive and things that people don't want to waste. Downloading music and movies with Beats by Dre headphones or a command centre at home for Halo on XBOX is a much cheaper hobby. Definitely comes down to money.

 

Today, there are more things competing for people's attention...and money (of course).

I do notice less interest in car audio in general with my friends and car clubs I belong to.

 

then consider help reserecting car a new thread and topic fromold school to new school

 

In my country when someone buys new car even cheapest car they go to the audio system shop to install sub woofer. In my view Car Audio still to live more...

 

I only joined due to recent changes in my system.

Need to re educate after being away from car audio for 8-9 years since my current car is 11 years old.

I always liked the thrill of doing it "right" for SQ but I had little connection to car culture or the car scene.


My main passion is golf. Car audio is fun and challenging when there are new cars to build a system for. I am not one to lurk on a forum so jump right in. I may be here for another month or two until my current cars are done.

I'll definitely contribute or convey my experiences during my stay, but I'm sure from history, it'll start to fade off when there's nothing else to do to my current cars.

 

i got into my first car audio system back in the late 80s and I've been in and out of the scene ever since then. I've also been in and out of this forum for some time also and have seen a lot of changes in the content etc so I feel i might have something to offer.

In my opinion the big chase for the next big SPL number, or the next 5,000 + watt amplifier is part of what has forced a decline in what I call "car audio". IMHO making a pile of inaudible noise isn't car audio. I ran 1,000 watts TOTAL in my car back in the early 90s and broke the rear window so I'll never be convinced "car audio" required more than that. I won't disagree that SPL didn't keep some shops selling product but the true audio guys got older and moved on because in their eyes the industry moved towards a younger crowd that was more interested in running 2x6.5" coax speakers and 12x18" subs.

The most value I get out of a CAR AUDIO system is it's ability to be admired for being factory looking or stealth and incidentally, that's the part that has the least to do with selling audio product and the most to do with the skills of the shop doing the install...

I guess at the root of what I'm trying to say is that the great SPL race is what started the downfall of car audio as a whole due to the lack of appreciation of the great SOUND that we originally chased.... this combined with the increasing quality of factory optioned systems made it too much of a hassle.

 

problem is car audio is on the down part of the roller coaster right now.


most new cars come with a "premium stereo" so ppl do not upgrade speakers and H/U's

its more based on connectivitiy products that allow you to play your ipod or mp3 player in your car.

 

I won't disagree that SPL didn't keep some shops selling product but the true audio guys got older and moved on because in their eyes the industry moved towards a younger crowd that was more interested in running 2x6.5" coax speakers and 12x18" subs.
Unfortunately it is all about the biggest jewls especially in this industry. The louder and the more stuff has kept car audio going, and SPL drove that want...
The most value I get out of a CAR AUDIO system is it's ability to be admired for being factory looking or stealth and incidentally, that's the part that has the least to do with selling audio product and the most to do with the skills of the shop doing the install...
What is the point if you want it to look factory...I personally do not care that there are a $1500.00 pair of components behind the factory door panels, I would much rather see them...and as for SQ I personally like the way my home stereo sounds much better...I think this is why many people jumped on the SPL band wagon, it is less bias, gets the guys more bragging rights...See you blew out the back window with 1000 watts, imagine what you could do with 5 or 10,000 watts....