Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Exclusive Videos

Video Podcast: 2021 Recap of the Hi-Fi, Headphone and Home Theater Industries

The ecoustics contributors recap the year of 2021 for the hi-fi, home theater and headphone industries during a YouTube livestream.

Our first podcast of 2022 was live streamed on YouTube earlier this week and the debate gets slightly heated.

We recap 2021 and take a look at the trends in regard to headphones, vinyl, and home theater.

It should come as no surprise to people that have been following us all year that physical media is back. Vinyl continues to show record growth (pun intended), CDs have rebounded after a 20 year slide, and even cassettes on the are on the uptick.

Americans purchased 40 million new records in 2021. The most in 3 decades.

Interest in vintage audio and modern equipment that looks retro is another trend we expect to continue in 2022. McIntosh, JBL, Klipsch, Leak, and Wharfedale have all reintroduced updated versions of “vintage” components and the folks in Binghamton are backlogged with vintage repairs and restorations.

The past 2 years have been quite strong for the home theater segment and high-end audio, but we’re not sure if that level of demand is going to continue in regard to expensive two-channel components.

Home theater will continue to grow as consumers have not yet shown a willingness to return to their local AMC; Spider-Man and Scream are serious outliers at the moment.

Wireless headphones will continue to dominate in 2022 and beyond. Expect to see that segment grow to almost $27 billion over the next 5 years.

The downside for consumers of such demand is pricing is expected to increase in 2022 — not just a little, but a lot. We’ve already seen 30% price bumps just within the last six months and we don’t see any signs of pricing stabilizing this year as new COVID variants persist. Whether it’s due to supply chain issues, increased shipping rates, inflation, or greater demand, all pricing signals are pointing up.

Our advice: buy as soon as you can right now if the products you want are in stock. You may be kicking yourself later when pricing creeps up.

Remember to subscribe on YouTube and join our newsletter to stay up to date with all that is happening in the world of A/V.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Roundtable Group Discussion

The ecoustics team appearing in this episode include:

This episode is sponsored in part by Black Circle Radio

Credits:

Continue listening to all of our podcasts here.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

You May Also Like

Articles

You may not be able to build a real IMAX Theater in your home but IMAX Enhanced provides a different way to create an...

HDTV 4K & 8K TV

Sony says, "Cinema is Coming Home" but is that true or just marketing hype? Join us on the podcast and find out.

HDTV 4K & 8K TV

Sony's 2024 BRAVIA TV line-up includes 4K TVs sized from 43 to 85-inches featuring groundbreaking Mini LED and OLED technology.

Articles

Build a complete audiophile-grade stereo system around the Acoustic Energy AE1 Active Bookshelf Loudspeakers for under $4,000.

New Products

Store up to 1,600 4K movies on Kaleidescape's new Terra Prime movie servers with up to 96TB capacity.

Hi-Fi Components

T.H.E. Show SoCal returns to the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa for the second year in row from June 7-9, 2024.

Gift Guides

Whether enjoying music at home or on-the-go, you don't have to spend a lot to experience high fidelity sound.

Articles

How a tiny turntable restoration company called Vinyl Nirvana turned a new generation of vinyl listeners into the cult of Thorens.

Advertisement

ecoustics is a hi-fi and music magazine offering product reviews, podcasts, news and advice for aspiring audiophiles, home theater enthusiasts and headphone hipsters. Read more

Copyright © 1999-2024 ecoustics | Disclaimer: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.



SVS Bluesound PSB Speakers NAD Cambridge Audio Q Acoustics Denon Marantz Focal Naim Audio RSL Speakers