Audio Consumers: It's the Sound That Counts

Global listeners have become more sophisticated with their audio preferences and have higher expectations regarding sound quality, however, just one in four believe that their current systems are delivering the premium sound they desire.

According to research commissioned by CSR, 82% of those surveyed rate excellent sound quality as one of the most important features in home audio systems with 79% agreeing that the quality of sound is becoming more important than the appearance of devices.

Along with the desire for CD-quality sound everywhere, the research highlights a growing shift to streaming music from the internet, and a preference for easy to install systems that can be networked in the home and accessed through multiple devices, including smartphones and tablets.

The State of Play global snapshot of listener habits, commissioned by CSR plc, surveyed 2,000 music lovers across China, Germany, USA, Japan and the UK, to find out what drives the audio equipment choices of today and what will drive them in the future.

Anthony Murray

“Music is hugely important to consumers and a way many of us make a personal statement, manage our emotions and deal with the daily grind. The desire for quality sound, particularly in the home is not surprising, but the fact that consumers are seeking more from their existing home audio equipment is,” comments Anthony Murray, Senior Vice President, Business Group at CSR.

“While people historically liked to show off the look of their speakers, today they value sound. The fast pace of technology innovation is a key driver for this, because as technology has matured, consumer tolerance for anything less than superior clarity has diminished.”

As well as a shift towards digital, more control over music is a priority with 69% of consumers stating that they would listen to more music if they could control music as they move into different rooms. When asked what they would expect from their audio equipment in 10 years’ time, 72% of listeners want control over the music playing throughout their home using a mobile device, allowing them to effortlessly change the music they listen to as they move from room to room.

With great confidence in the future of audio, consumers still crave simplicity in setting up and using technology due to varying levels of technical confidence.

Key Stats

• 77% state that they would like to get better audio sound quality at home, with over half (54%) of listeners saying it would improve their home audio experience
• 65% think they could tell the difference between a $500 and a $50 set of headphones purely by the sound quality
• Three quarters (76%) of listeners have streamed music at home in past month
• 62% think that in 5 years’ time everyone will be streaming their music from the internet / CDs, vinyl and MP3 files will be obsolete
• CDs still mostly popular in Germany (80%), UK (76%) USA/Japan (66%), China (49%)
• Radio is most popular in Germany (84%), UK (80%) and USA (72%)
• China streams the most music from the internet (88%)