What Is Old Is New Again
We lost touch with listening; but it seems we’re finding our way back.
We weren't sure there'd ever be a renaissance of people who truly listen to music. Can you blame us?
Things have gotten steadily smaller, thinner, louder, and cheaper ever since the late-80s and early 90s. Somewhere between dial-up internet and the iPod, we decided convenience was the same thing as progress.
And we collectively said, "Screw it, this is good enough."
We shrank music into MP3s, stole the songs from Limewire, and blasted it into earbuds until it became something you put on, not something you listened to.
In chasing convenience, we unwittingly built a dam between musicians and listeners, a rift in the unspoken contract between creator and consumer that left our emotional tanks empty even after listening.
But the dam, blessedly, appears to be opening.
In 2025, we're projected to see 46–48 million LP unit sales worth an estimated $2.4 billion. These are vinyl records, something that was invented nearly 80 years ago. Old technology by any man's measuring stick. And have you seen all the new CD players launched into the market this year? Color us surprised, but happily so.
We're not sure who struck first. Those raised on record sleeves or Spotify streams, but it doesn't matter. People are craving the real thing again. The physical *click* of a power switch. Flipping through album art as the amplifier warms up. Searching through lyrics to finally fill out that chorus you thought you knew. While many of us have always relished in the satisfaction of owning gear that has weight, literally and metaphorically, there's a new generation of listener just now embracing the magic.
One interesting place to look for proof is Taylor Swift, who sold 1.334 million copies of her latest album, "The Life of a Showgirl" in its first week. That's nearly 3% of the total projected vinyl sales this year IN THE FIRST WEEK.
We didn't see that coming from a modern pop star.
Even the streaming giant Spotify introduced a "lossless" tier earlier this year. Say what you will about its real-world quality, the fact of the matter remains, Spotify thinks its users care enough about high quality streaming to introduce it in the first place.
Naturally, as a manufacturer of higher-end loudspeakers, it's a breath of fresh air to see the younger generations sink their teeth into juicy high quality music.
In fact, the high-end audio market is projected for strong growth. According to some reports, from 2023 to 2032 the market is expected to hit a compound annual growth rate of 9.5%. We're seeing that here at KLH Audio with a surge of interest in large format speakers like our Model Fives and Model Sevens. The data can also be seen out in the open as more bars, restaurants, and cafes are built around the unifying mission of hi-fi listening, similar to the tradition of the Japanese Jazz Kissa bars.
It's interesting from the perspective of a company that has seen the ebbs and flows in the industry since the 1950s, and our parent company, Victrola, which has seen it since the early 20th century. It’s like watching your high school style make a comeback after a blissful 30-year hiatus. You always knew it was cool. Your kids didn’t. Now they’re asking to borrow your old gear.
We're cautiously exhaling knowing there's a future where the ritual of listening is just as important as access to music. A blending of the old guard and the up-and-comers, all rallying around a universal truth: we as a species love listening to music.
So, are we finding our way back to a time when folks sat down and listened to a record from beginning-to-end? There whispers in the wind that may be the case. Encouraging trends of people buying gear meant to deliver a listening experience, rather than pure convenience.
The real X Factor is whether or not this is a passing appeal to nostalgia, rather than a return to substance. To be sure, many folks in the KLH Audio family are members of a generation who remember the 'simpler' times of yesteryear. But, we're welcoming more and more people who are part of a generation who only heard the stories.
It's incumbent upon all of us to support and teach each other about the pride of ownership, the joy of permanence, and slowing down in a world that seems to speed up everyday.
Rest assured that we'll be here. KLH Audio has stood the test of time since 1957 and we'll continue to do so because we firmly believe in the power of music AND great listening equipment to help people have amazing experiences. We don't think this is a passing trend. We believe it's a return to something real and tangible.
Cheers to to the return of listening.
We were worried for a second that it might be lost.
