CEA: Computers Becoming Main Audio Devices

  • by June 22, 2007
With Internet-sourced music on the rise, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), which has traditionally served the manufacturers and retailers of such products as TV sets, CD players and DVD players, released a study showing that 72%, or nearly three quarters, of U.S. online adults now listen to audio on their home computers instead of through those other devices.

The study, titled "Computer-Sourced Audio Consumption in the Home," found that 77% of these PC audio users listen to music on their PC an average of nine hours per week.

Of course, there were upsides for mainstream consumer electronics companies:

While acknowledging that Internet and digital files represent "significant sources of content," the CEA noted that "physical media remains the primary source of audio content among overall home PC audio users."

While 86% of home PC audio users are satisfied with the audio on their computers, more than one-third cited the need for better sound quality. And, when forced to choose between owning a large number of audio files and having a quality audio experience, almost half (47 percent) chose quality over quantity.

Only 9 percent of home PC audio users currently connect their PC to their home audio systems. "In the span of a few years, the PC has risen from an enigmatic beige box to what some consumers today might call the epicenter of infotainment in the home," said Steve Koenig, CEA's senior manager of industry analysis. "The next step is to allow consumers to see the benefits of connecting their PC to their existing home audio system for a more enjoyable home audio experience."

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