Mainstream audio is getting afraid

It's interesting, audiophiles praised CD when it was new (and hence expensive), and now they praise high end turntables and streamers, it's almost as if they feel that because they in the "haves" they want to feel special.
 
Those who claim they are "audiophiles" might consider to visit a self-help group. And once more I feel confirmed with what I wrote in my previous post. Why bashing people who wants to have nice things?
 
I think cheapaudioman is right on what he is saying in the section..think for yourself.
 
In my world, given my hearing is pretty much shot, I'm more interested in the design and aesthetics of audio devices. 😁. I'll just say my particular scorn is reserved for devices which look like they've been wrenched out of the cockpit of a B17 Flying Fortress ca. 1944 ✈️

There's another rabbit hole to consider 🐰😜
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cooky560 said:
It's interesting, audiophiles praised CD when it was new (and hence expensive), and now they praise high end turntables and streamers, it's almost as if they feel that because they in the "haves" they want to feel special.
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True audiophiles kept their records. CD praise was marketing. In truth any format can be audiophile. It depends on how well it is implemented.
 
cooky560 said:
I feel the whole "audiophile" thing is marketing, remember it's supposed to be about enjoying music, not chasing impossible numbers that you can't hear.
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Here we meet!
But please let people who can and want nice things do what they want. Simply accepting that others may have other priorities.
 
I'm not going to discuss this review specifically, but yes I feel mainstream audio is getting scared.

They've made their money from expensive items with huge profit margins. And yes, quite often needed to be expensive.

But more and more, it's possible to get great performance at astonishingly low prices. And low prices mean small profit margins, and that's not how the high end audio market is structured. And now, people are realising that, in some cases (not all), extra money doesn't buy you better performance. If even 25% of people who care about sound quality first realise that, then the high end market starts to shift towards being untenable.

But for many of these reviewers, it's not a question of them taking money. This is their job, their livelihood, and their relationship with the high end audio industry is symbiotic. To be fair, they have excellent presentation skills, and are entertaining to watch. But when people realise that a good delivery doesn't mean an accurate review of the sound quality you'll get, then they start to tune out, and these people's jobs are at risk. And that's the monetary incentive, not some bribe, or underhand payment.

Some high end audio being a rip off = the end to some of these reviewers. Fewer high end reviewers persuading us to unnecessarily part with cash = an end to some high end audio. Vicious circle.
 
Fender said:
Here we meet!
But please let people who can and want nice things do what they want. Simply accepting that others may have other priorities.
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I quite agree. There something to be said for the feel of having something expensive, something that looks great, and is designed well. Something that feels 'the business', and like it's built like a tank and could last a lifetime. Something to which you can aspire.

And this isn't (yet another) objectivist v subjectivist debate. There'll be objectivists who'll covet the best-measuring equipment, even when those measurements go far past what is necessary. And again, that's fine, if that's what you're after. Is it any different to paying thousands for a rare stamp which has a small flaw?

Each to their own.
 
Isn't it simple? Everyone does what he wants? Not patronize those buying budget things, which are indeed getting better and better over the last years, a fact no one can deny, and on the other side no one who grants himself more expensive things because he enjoys it?
 
Pytaniedodcf said:
If such advertising guy have to make this video, it only means that WiiM is a really great audio equipment !
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😊😊👍
They do.
A great Amp..
The sound of it amazes me every time again.

And think about what you're getting for such a great price..
The support,the app,.. praise for Wiim.
 
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When I was in my 30s, the best TV you could get was a standard definition PAL 32" CRT, and a good one would cost you £1,000.

You can now buy a 4K 55" OLED which is better in every single department, for £1,000. Or a 32" HD LCD for £120.

Our eyesight as a human race hasn't improved. In many areas you can buy the same quality for a lot less, or a lot better quality for no more. I just can't understand people who refuse to acknowledge this, and scoff at people who know they can get great performance at low prices. And equally, we all have areas where we like the nicest, shiniest things, even if they're not 'objectively better'.

Vive la différence.

But let's just be open and honest about which it is that we're talking about, I suppose.
 
One thing that's slightly off topic, but has always baffled me is that people who spend big money on a nice TV, rarely stop to think about the sound, they might buy a soundbar to go with that TV, but just as many use the internal speakers that come with the TV.

Surely if you've bought a big TV because you love watching TV or movies at home, you would also invest in a good audio system, as movies are just as much about sound as they are images.
 
D1N0 said:
True audiophiles kept their records. CD praise was marketing. In truth any format can be audiophile. It depends on how well it is implemented.
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I wouldn't go so far as to say any format, but I must admit I was recently incredibly impressed by just how good a well-recorded cassette sounds - especially type 4 tapes, but even high quality type 1 tapes, even without any Dolby Noise Reduction. Without comparing the cassette and the cd side-by-side, I could not actually tell which format I was listening to, and my hearing still goes up to about 16 kHz. Badly recorded cassettes definitely sound bad, though.
Back in the cassette's heyday, speakers were almost universally awful, so I wonder if our collective memories have partially misassigned the blame for the bad sound quality onto the format instead of the speakers. But seriously, I urge anyone with an interest in music, gadgets and fun (which is probably WiiM's target demographic), to hook up an old cassette deck to their hifi. I guarantee you'll have a blast.
 
es6rd6z said:
I wouldn't go so far as to say any format, but I must admit I was recently incredibly impressed by just how good a well-recorded cassette sounds - especially type 4 tapes, but even high quality type 1 tapes, even without any Dolby Noise Reduction. Without comparing the cassette and the cd side-by-side, I could not actually tell which format I was listening to, and my hearing still goes up to about 16 kHz. Badly recorded cassettes definitely sound bad, though.
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I fully agree. I'm probably biased because I bought my very first three head cassette deck just recently (I went with Yamaha, not Wiim because of Atze Schröder's Techie Ted's review) just for the fun of it. It's amazing how well some of my own 40 year old tapes are still sounding (Yamaha's Play Trim feature is of some help here). I also acquired a large amount of good quality used cassettes no longer loved by their former owners and again I was surprised how good some of the recorded material really was.

The biggest problem with cassettes has always been wrong bias and EQ settings, mismatched tape sensitivity and - consequentially - bad Dolby NR recordings. And that's just referring to HiFi decks, of course.

However, if you have been lucky enough to experience what a two-track reel-to-reel tape recorder at 15 or even 30 ips could perform like, back in the day, then you know how limited even the best cassette decks have been, in comparison. Great fun for me, still and much better than I had remembered.
 
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