What never ceases to amaze me is how few people I know have even a basic 5.1 system considering how long they've been on the market, how inexpensive some can be and how much these people afford for other electronics, and that they try to sell these surround sound items along side the TVs which we know people are buying (new 4k have been marketing heavy, big screen <40" LED are almost ubiquitous and cheap at $500 or less). The stats here show how fast 4k is catching on and compared to the multi-year, older stats on surround sound, TVs are being turned over much quicker.
I understand your points but they are not really on topic (at least in relation to what started this discussion): i.e. if the OP might want to upgrade sooner than a decade ...
But I'll run with it ...
You know that we live in a bubble. Who we are freinds with, the towns we live in, the places we go ... we are the lucky ones who can afford this hobby ... when you look at the bottom third of the US a $500 system is quite an expenditure. You seem to like stats: ~25% of the US have a net worth under $13k and most of that is probably in material assets ... ~10% make less than 15k/year. ~9% make between 15-25k, and ~9% between 25k-35k. Not a lot of disposable income ... Day to day life may take priority over upgrading a TV.
Of those who can afford to keep up ...
People who value only 2 channel don't need to upgrade their systems often.
People who just want to watch a video and have a surround system because that was what they were supposed to buy won't upgrade often
People who value video and surround and get on the web to talk about it and constantly evaluate what's out there ... will most likely want to keep up.
The people in that last category are self selecting and it does not matter what percentage they are of the TV viewing public. It only matters that they care and value surround sound. If so ... the % likely hood they might want to upgrade if something new comes along is IMO fairly high. It might take years of thinking about it but the want will be there. Now, It's only IMO and I don't mind if yours is different.
I'm not as crazy as some, like those who build HT rooms out of bomb proof materials [ahem rrlev ahem ahem]
Some people have dreamed of owning a Corvette or Firebird since high school. I shake my head when I see a 50-60 something driving around in one but I realize it's a fulfillment of a dream. My theater is fulfillment of my dream ... feel free to shake you head ... I don't mind
BTW I'd have to put the HT much deeper to make it bomb proof ... maybe in my next build ...
