[Audio & Musical Equipment] Are you throwing away unused equipment? Approx. 97% agree with 'Selling/Reusing', but only 20% take action

Surveying 'Sustainable Consumption' Awareness Among Audio and Musical Equipment Owners

Do you have audio equipment or musical gear sleeping at home around you?

How to handle unused equipment is a troubling issue for the owners. Many might feel, 'It's a waste to throw it away, but it's a hassle to sell it.'

Therefore, this time, in collaboration with 'OTORAKU,' a specialty shop buying audio, DJ equipment, PA equipment, and electronic instruments, we conducted a survey on 'Audio/Musical Equipment and Awareness of Sustainable Consumption and Reuse' targeting 250 men and women nationwide who answered 'I have experience owning audio/musical equipment' in a preliminary survey.

*When quoting the contents of this press release, we request the following actions: - State that the source is a 'Survey by NEXER Inc. and OTORAKU'. - Place a link to OTORAKU (https://otoraku.net/).

'Survey on Audio/Musical Equipment and Awareness of Sustainable Consumption and Reuse' Overview Survey method: Internet questionnaire Survey period: March 30, 2026 - April 6, 2026 Target respondents: Men and women nationwide who answered 'I have experience owning audio/musical equipment' in a preliminary survey Valid responses: 250 samples Questions asked: Question 1: When purchasing audio/musical equipment, have you ever been conscious of 'whether it can be used for a long time or be repaired'? Question 2: Please tell us the reason. Question 3: What do you think about the action of 'selling or passing on for reuse' instead of 'throwing away' unused audio/musical equipment? Question 4: Have you actually sold or passed on unused equipment for reuse? Question 5: Do you empathize with the idea of 'repairing and maintaining audio/musical equipment to keep using it for a long time'? Question 6: Please tell us the reason. Question 7: Did you know about the system where 'even broken audio/musical equipment can be routed for parts recycling or repaired for resale'? Question 8: If you knew about that system, do you think your choice of how to part with the equipment would change? Question 9: Please tell us the reason. *As a rule, numbers are rounded to one decimal place, so the total may not equal 100%.

50.0% Answered They 'Have Been Conscious' of 'Whether it can be used for a long time/be repaired' at the Time of Purchase First, we asked whether they have ever been conscious of 'whether it can be used for a long time or be repaired' when purchasing audio/musical equipment.

As a result, 'Yes' was 50.0% and 'No' was 50.0%. It shows that while some people are conscious of wanting to use it for a long time because it is an expensive purchase, an equal number of people prioritize other factors such as sound quality or design.

Reasons for answering 'Yes, I have been conscious of it': - Because I want to keep expenses down as much as possible. (Male in his 20s) - Since it's an expensive product, it's not good if it breaks or gets boring quickly, so I assume long-term use. (Male in his 40s) - Because I hate it when something I've grown accustomed to becomes unusable when it breaks. (Male in his 40s) - Because if I buy it, I want to make it a lifetime item. (Female in her 40s) - Because I buy expensive things and choose what I like, I assume I'll use it forever. (Female in her 50s)

Reasons for answering 'No, I have not been conscious of it': - Because I thought whether it produces the ideal sound is the most important thing over durability. (Male in his 40s) - Because I decided based on design. (Female in her 40s) - Because I want to use the latest technology without using it for too long. (Female in her 40s) - Because it will break eventually, and it deteriorates if used for a long time, so I'm thinking of replacing it. (Male in his 50s) - Because budget and functions were important, and I didn't have the mind to think about the future. (Female in her 50s)

As for the reasons for being conscious of it, many voices were raised regarding economic perspectives like 'because it's expensive' and attachment like 'I want to continue using what I'm accustomed to.'

On the other hand, looking at the reasons for not being conscious of it, there's a tendency to prioritize functional aspects and performance over durability, such as 'sound quality and design are top priorities' and 'want to use the latest technology.' It seems awareness is greatly divided depending on what is prioritized at the time of purchase.

96.8% of people...