Is High-End Audio Obsolete?

Psycho Sonny · 3 Jun 2014 at 00:12

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1527138/is-high-end-audio-obsolete

Absolutely brilliant read especially parts like this:

The threshold where the law of diminishing returns kicks in is so low these days, it makes we wonder what the purpose of high-end hi-fi is anymore—aside from maximizing profits.

Technology is a great equalizer. The transition from analog to digital audio has had many ramifications, but the main one is simple and obvious—it's incredibly cheap and relatively easy to perform essentially perfect digital-to-analog conversions and vice versa. A $99 Blu-ray player is all the transport you need to feed studio-quality uncompressed audio to a receiver that outperforms even the very best gear from the 1990s. It's a great time to be an audiophile on a budget.

It's possible to get fantastic stereo sound—I'd even say audiophile sound—from a $250 pair of speakers connected to a $20 amplifier using a smartphone for the sound source. I know, because I have exactly such a system in my kitchen—a pair of Pioneer SP-FS52 towers connected to a Lepai LP2020+ amplifier with a retired iPhone acting as the source. In many ways, it sounds almost as good as my system from two decades ago—one that cost and weighed over ten times as much!

After reading that I'm thinking all I need for a decent hi-fi setup is a lepai amp and some decent floorstanders (like his pioneers which can be driven by the lepai).

may as well forget about a headphone amp and just use what i'm using now tbh, basically all upgrades will have minimal improvements.

rids57 · 3 Jun 2014 at 00:42

Psycho Sonny said:
may as well forget about a headphone amp and just use what i'm using now tbh, basically all upgrades will have minimal improvements.

Not true, upgrades do suffer from the law of diminishing returns but only once you've got up to a certain level. It's that level that is becoming cheaper to reach and if you don't have a decent headphone amp you may not have reached it yet.

abbotsmike · 3 Jun 2014 at 00:51

I don't think it will ever be truly obsolete, as there will always be those who want the very best. The fact that an average family saloon can hit 60 in 9 seconds and go on to 150mph hasn't killed off the supercar, they've just had to do more to stay desirable.

It is as you say, now much easier to hit a 'good' level for most people. Once I have my own decent sized place, i intend to spend a few hundred on a mid range surround sound system, but I won't feel the need to spend more than that, because even at that level it will sound very good.

Rroff · 3 Jun 2014 at 02:00

I would certainly say its easier to get fantastic and hifi sound quality these days a lot cheaper that will satisfy all but the most hardcore audiophile.

I don't think high end hifi is obsolete but things have certainly changed around a bit.

dacads · 3 Jun 2014 at 09:37

Well those little amps will do it for a small setup played at moderate levels. Reiterating what's been said above there's always going to be a niche market of hifi lovers but for the average user they won't feel the need to splash out thousands as a few hundred will get a good enough setup

TwsT · 3 Jun 2014 at 09:58

Don't forget the aesthetics of it either. Some of the high end Audio stuff is beautiful to look at, as well as listen to.

Rroff · 3 Jun 2014 at 13:10

True that I've often spent over the odds just because one option is better to look at and/or has obviously had a higher level of craftmanship in the design.

roadie · 3 Jun 2014 at 16:09

Coincidentally I have a Lepai for sale in the Audio & Visual classifieds if anyone is interested in testing one out?

Rozzy85 · 3 Jun 2014 at 16:25

If you mean that technology has reached a level where even budget stuff is good enough the yes, it is. You could buy some high end gear and it'll be good for life now (given that it lasts that long). Your ears are only going to get worst with you not noticing the lost of higher frequencies over the years. Audiophiles in general are a bit nuts and can convince themselves something sounds better thanks to the placebo effect so they'll always be a niche market for it.

abbotsmike · 3 Jun 2014 at 18:44

Also convenience comes into it a lot I think. Just had a wander round currys as it was a better choice than the traffic or the office, and spent a few minutes listening to the sonos play 1,3 and 5. I plan to get a system at some point anyway, btu even the play 1 sounds really good at low levels for such a little box, especially considering it's effectively on a shelf in a warehouse!

mrk · 3 Jun 2014 at 19:08

My own personal stereo hifi setup cost less than 4 figures with everything included, that's amp, speakers and headphones - All one needs to have suitable setup to cover all hours of an average day.

I think to a degree that posting is right. In the analogue days you needed to spend a lot to get what I guess we could call "desirable" sound and you would see distinct classes from low end to medium and then high whereas now those classes are for all extents one. But then you have to ask what is desirable? Every brand outputs sound in a different flavour and like crisps some people like certain flavours. That doesn't make the ones they don't like worse, just different.

I've only just recently got my setup into the all digital realms and am absolutely loving it. It's modern and convenient and offers the freedom to connect whatever modern device I want whether it's wired or wireless without compromising the original music source quality and on that front the posting is right. High quality audio, desirable audio, is well within reach for far far less than what people used to have to pay if they wanted that before the digital revolution went mainstream and it will only get cheaper still.

spacedskunk · 3 Jun 2014 at 20:15

In a sense high end anything will always be desirable to people who want and can afford the higher end - if you note most high end audio equipment usually always looks distinct, well made and is made of premium materials.

If you're going off a technical aspect then yes, the gap between mass produced affordable equipment and high end is much less now and that is the same with most electronic things - it just doesn't have the desirability of the best.

dowcow · 3 Jun 2014 at 21:44

Depends on the volume you want to play your music at too. I live on a farm in the middle of nowhere, and a £20 amp with some £250 speakers isn't going to cut it when I want to play some Pink Floyd. Those sort of systems might do when listening to 90% of modern music, but listen to some classical or a decently mastered copy of some older music and you'll find the limited range too.

A guy I know recently told me he had a decent stereo he built years ago, but was now in storage. He now listened to a fairly decent ipod dock or computer speakers or something like that and over the years had convinced himself it sounded good and he enjoyed it. Then he heard the music he had with him played on my system, and admitted he had forgotten what it sounded like coming from large speakers. You don't just hear the bass, you feel it. The room comes alive with the energy of the music, and he left with a new determination to get his stereo setup back again.

dacads · 4 Jun 2014 at 11:01

Rozzy85 said:
If you mean that technology has reached a level where even budget stuff is good enough the yes, it is. You could buy some high end gear and it'll be good for life now (given that it lasts that long). Your ears are only going to get worst with you not noticing the lost of higher frequencies over the years. Audiophiles in general are a bit nuts and can convince themselves something sounds better thanks to the placebo effect so they'll always be a niche market for it.

This is true for many products tbh as generally you get what you pay for. So buy something cheap you may end up regretting it due to poor quality / customer service etc where as if you splash out like it's Christmas then you will have peace of mind that the product is of solid build quality and the customer service will/should be brilliant if a problem arose. Instead of buying lots of cheap gear and upgrading all the time it could actually end up cheaper just buying expensive gear from the word go as you will probably be set for many years.

TALON1973 · 4 Jun 2014 at 17:09

Floorstanders for going loud ......Headphones for detail . A £300 pair of headphones will sound a lot better than same price floorstanders. It depends what your after tbh

you can build a good £300 seperates system if you look around 2nd hand tho

technology has moved on, but I like the build quality and feel of what I buy tbh , and the fact it a brand I can trust if things go wrong

also you need to factor in hd music .......which , if Apple ever get of there backside , will kick off big time soon . you need the right equipment to play that stuff. and I can tell the sound difference easily between mp3 320 kps and a good hd version

and don't get me started on vinyl v cd

mrk · 4 Jun 2014 at 17:25

Not always. You can get £300 floorstanders that have little difference to £700 ones all because they're not as expensive a brand. I know because I have a pair and it was one of the buying factors after spending weeks reading reviews then another few days demoing a range in stores.

TALON1973 · 4 Jun 2014 at 17:46

mrk said:
Not always. You can get £300 floorstanders that have little difference to £700 ones all because they're not as expensive a brand. I know because I have a pair and it was one of the buying factors after spending weeks reading reviews then another few days demoing a range in stores.

But I think theres a difference there in brand or brand name ..... I got a graham Slee headphone amp , had no idea who the company was before coming across them by chance . I'd heard a few musical fidelity amps in my local audio-t but I bought blind and on reviews . Glad I did mind . Build quality is awesome and the sound superb.

novaenough · 4 Jun 2014 at 18:11

spacedskunk said:
In a sense high end anything will always be desirable to people who want and can afford the higher end - if you note most high end audio equipment usually always looks distinct, well made and is made of premium materials.

If you're going off a technical aspect then yes, the gap between mass produced affordable equipment and high end is much less now and that is the same with most electronic things - it just doesn't have the desirability of the best.

This sums up my thoughts pretty much.

I think it's totally acceptable - and very helpful - to advise people on purchases. As long as they understand what they're buying and can afford it and are happy to spend the cash then why not.
As had already been said, you can get a much better system for a lot less money now than before, I would hate to think that it will mean that the choice of 'higher quality' gear will be reduced as someone has deemed it unnecessary.

kedge · 5 Jun 2014 at 08:51

Psycho Sonny said:
The threshold where the law of diminishing returns kicks in is so low these days, it makes we wonder what the purpose of high-end hi-fi is anymore—aside from maximizing profits.

You have to take into consideration that there are different budgets for different incomes so there will allways be a way to sell to the those with lots of money to spend.

Ace Modder · 5 Jun 2014 at 11:51

I have a £300 set of tannoy floorstanders connected to an Onkyo £250 amp.

The sound quality is amazing. I especially love the mid and high tones, especially with speech when watching a movie.

I always planned to get a dedicated AMP which I haven't done yet and also get 2 small rear speakers. But to be honest I'm not sure I will actually bother. Mainly because the front floorstanders are hardwired into my living room and to do the same with additional speakers will be a right PITA.

I don't watch much TV/Films anyway, normally listen to music and that only uses front 2.1 sound. I may get a sub but that is about it.