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I wonder why we don't have a lot of women in this hobby


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I'm not trying to play American Taliban. I was thinking about it more from a purely pragmatic point of view, i.e., what effect (if any) this might have on women (or gay men for that matter) who presumably we want to be a part of the hobby, or in the case of the vendor, as potential customers?

This is interesting, so I did a little research. If the premise is correct that traditional female sexuality sells more product to heterosexual males than do alternative, more informative modes of advertising, there's a huge potential market waiting for advertising directed at groups with other preferences - if it's good for the goose......

 

But the best current research available on the subject suggests that "...[v]iolence and sex never helped and often hurt ad effectiveness" on memory, attitudes toward the product, and buying intention, per a 2015 meta-analysis by Lull & Bushman at Ohio State called Do Sex and Violence Sell? A Meta-Analytic Review of the Effects of Sexual and Violent Media and Ad Content on Memory, Attitudes, and Buying Intentions, looking at 53 experiments with 8489 subjects. They found that "...[a]s intensity of sexual ad content increased, memory, attitudes, and buying intentions decreased. When media content and ad content were congruent (e.g. violent ad in a violent program), memory improved and buying intentions increased." The authors of another study concluded on the basis of their observations that "...if you're trying to sell a lawn mower or a new sofa with nudity and sex, you're doing your product a serious disservice".

 

So those who think that ads with sexy women straddling speakers do not sell more audio equipment (even to men) than purely informative ads are most probably correct. The ads most likely to motivate buying are those in which the content and the presentation are consistent, which (I gather) means that informative ads with key specs and clear images of the product are far more likely to sell audio gear than are pictures of sexualized models of either gender and any apparent preference. Now if I could only get my wife to wear poly album liners for me.......

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This is interesting, so I did a little research. If the premise is correct that traditional female sexuality sells more product to heterosexual males than do alternative, more informative modes of advertising, there's a huge potential market waiting for advertising directed at groups with other preferences - if it's good for the goose......

 

But the best current research available on the subject suggests that "...[v]iolence and sex never helped and often hurt ad effectiveness" on memory, attitudes toward the product, and buying intention, per a 2015 meta-analysis by Lull & Bushman at Ohio State called Do Sex and Violence Sell? A Meta-Analytic Review of the Effects of Sexual and Violent Media and Ad Content on Memory, Attitudes, and Buying Intentions, looking at 53 experiments with 8489 subjects. They found that "...[a]s intensity of sexual ad content increased, memory, attitudes, and buying intentions decreased. When media content and ad content were congruent (e.g. violent ad in a violent program), memory improved and buying intentions increased." The authors of another study concluded on the basis of their observations that "...if you're trying to sell a lawn mower or a new sofa with nudity and sex, you're doing your product a serious disservice".

 

So those who think that ads with sexy women straddling speakers do not sell more audio equipment (even to men) than purely informative ads are likely to be correct. The ads most likely to motivate buying are those in which the content and the presentation are consistent, which (I gather) means that informative ads with key specs and clear images of the product are far more likely to sell audio gear than are pictures of sexualized models of either gender and any apparent preference. Now if I could only get my wife to wear poly album liners for me.......

 

Waitaminnit: You mean you folks *don't* associate music with romance? (Leaving aside the poly album liners - my gosh, at least spend a little on something nice! ;) )

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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I don't enjoy tinkering and I don't like comparing stuff. I only do so when something breaks and costs too much to get repaired.

 

 

 

I tried ripping a couple of my CDs using the .wav format in Foobar 2000 and I thought they sounded better played as CDs on my Yamaha Blu-ray/SACD/CD universal player. I also admit I like playing my physical formats (Blu-ray, 24/96 DVD, SACD, HDCD, CD, etc.) more than playing digital files on my computer and Teac DAC. So perhaps she just likes playing her CDs as CDs?

 

Anyway, I wouldn't have the patience to rip all my physical formats to my computer, it would drive me totally bonkers.

 

I'm sure I don't like many things, you wife does, so it is hard to generalize. I don't like cell phones or remote controls for example. I mostly select an album to play and turn on the system, and when that ends select another album. For TV, I select what TV programs to watch a week in advance using the TV Guide on-line, and print out the sheet. So all I mostly do is select the correct input and adjust the volume. None of that requires a remote control.

 

Update: Personally I just can't see myself ever ripping anything to my computer from any physical format that suffers no wear with play. I understand some do it for the iTunes database, etc. or as a safeguard in case their home catches on fire. But it just looks like at lot of work to me.

 

I think in general, many of the peculiarities of high-end audio as a hobby have very little to do with the music itself. I came of age listening to cassette tapes on car stereos and I didn't enjoy music any less then than I do now. My "love of music" alone would not have motivated me to systematically rip, organize and archive thousands of CD's. At least those efforts are appreciated when, on that rare occasion, a CD in regular rotation gets scratched and I'm able to burn a clean copy :)

 

How are people (regardless of gender) introduced to high-end audio nowadays? My introduction to high-end audio was pure happenstance while shopping for a car stereo as a teenager. I wandered into a listening room at a local retailer and heard Pink Floyd's Money through a pair Polk Reference Series speakers and the seed was planted.

 

I do wonder just how effective the hifi marketing is that shows women models with borderline-orgasmic expressions listening to headphones or standing / sitting next to hifi gear. As a guy, these sorts of photos have always seemed weirdly awkward to me, so if not me, I wonder who the target demographic is exactly, e.g.:

 

hmhe400i_d1.jpg

 

For someone reason the guy image doesn't get the pleasure-face treatment:

 

hmedx_1.jpg

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Waitaminnit: You mean you folks *don't* associate music with romance? (Leaving aside the poly album liners - my gosh, at least spend a little on something nice! ;) )

When she's been especially nice, I let her wear the original dust sleeves from Kind of Blue and Time Out. And when I've been especially nice, she wears one or the other.....

 

b0204.gif

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When she's been especially nice, I let her wear the original dust sleeves from Kind of Blue and Time Out. And when I've been especially nice, she wears one or the other.....

 

b0204.gif

 

When I'm very, very good, I can make love to "Take Five." ;)

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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Judging by a cross-section of folks here, a fair number of potential customers who are men are gay. I haven't asked, but I would think some of them might find this kind of thing off-putting too, if not laughably gratuitous.

 

I find it not irritating or offensive, but just null; i.e., it doesn't influence me one way or another.

 

Probably like straight guys would see an advertisement with a hunky guy - not interested in any way.

John Walker - IT Executive

Headphone - SonicTransporter i9 running Roon Server > Netgear Orbi > Blue Jeans Cable Ethernet > mRendu Roon endpoint > Topping D90 > Topping A90d > Dan Clark Expanse / HiFiMan H6SE v2 / HiFiman Arya Stealth

Home Theater / Music -SonicTransporter i9 running Roon Server > Netgear Orbi > Blue Jeans Cable HDMI > Denon X3700h > Anthem Amp for front channels > Revel F208-based 5.2.4 Atmos speaker system

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I didn't want to derail an excellent thread, but one of the photos kind of creeped me out. WTF?

 

004.png

 

But, 'she' did catch your eyes, yes?

 

Think women love music as much as men. Just that most of them tend to be less obsessed with the high fidelity bits. And, if you want (most of) them to immediately lose interest or ignore you, by all means please vocalise your viewpoints of DSD vs PCM, or why cables cannot make a difference and PSUs do.

 

Women also like riding bicycles. Most tend to pay attention to how a bike looks, in terms of shape/colour/ornaments. And, may be possibly more interested a rider (or two).

 

Why? Possibly because (most) women are more sane than (most) men.

 

It is arguably more sane to just want things to work the way things are supposed to work. Not better, not with a taller/darker/deeper soundstage, and, not louder.

 

And, truth be said, quite a few women (whom we know individually) also do not really want to know how much time/money men spend on CA stuff. Which is kind of okay. Perhaps this is why some of us are not much into publicly declaring the value of our assets.

 

BTW, isn’t this a rather risqué conversation we are having here?

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Why? Possibly because (most) women are more sane than (most) men.

You've been talking to my wife again, haven't you? She once told our sons that humans can be born with a brain or with a phallus, but not both.

 

(That doesn't deserve a smiley of any kind.)

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[ATTACH=CONFIG]27873[/ATTACH]

 

For someone reason the guy image doesn't get the pleasure-face treatment:

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]27874[/ATTACH]

 

Hah! Yep, how typical/cliché.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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Women don't want to keep tinkering with equipment and I have several come into my house and say I would not dare touch any of that equipment . Afraid of blowing it up . Lol .

 

I actually like this because then I can control the music volume and the type of music being played . All the time .

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I have several come into my house and say I would not dare touch any of that equipment .

 

Shower more.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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Women don't want to keep tinkering with equipment and I have several come into my house and say I would not dare touch any of that equipment . Afraid of blowing it up . Lol .

 

A friend of mine supposedly once did blow up her then-boyfriend's amp.

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A friend of mine supposedly once did blow up her then-boyfriend's amp.

 

In any particularly interesting fashion, or the normal way?

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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