I'm leaving high end audio...

I flipped through a recent Stereophile issue, no deep dive, but see that they have considerable coverage of several under $10k products, including: new NAD integrateds, an Audio Note integrated, Emotiva, new JBL speakers, Eversolo speakers, LAiV monoblocks,J. Sikora Aspire, Onkyo Icon A-50 Integrated, Wattson Emerson Digital network streamer, and the HiFi Rose RD160 D/A processor. A few of these were short new product announcements, but several were extensive articles, some with a full set of measurements. More ink was devoted to these products than what most would consider the high priced stuff. Whether that's enough or whether the content suits us is subjective-we all have our own opinion- but the volume of coverage of less expensive vs more expensive gear is easily ascertained. For me, the big publications deserve some of the criticism that's come their way, but I can't fault their effort to cover lower cost gear. One caveat-if someone is looking for coverage of the very bottom of the range-sub $1,000-you are likely left to the YouTubers-good luck.
 
What's Hi Fi caters to the entry level for the most part. Future Audiophile does a mix of ranges you can certainly see some entry level, they've even reviewed Fozi and a good amount of Chi-fi.

I don't know how many of you are on social media there are a good number of younger guys getting into audio. Vintage is still going strong. These guys are shopping thrift or online marketplaces to see what they can find and put together. It's almost like a brag to put a system together for little investment. There is hope, I think I mentioned in an earlier post that those starting with Wiim some are upgrading and finding it worthwhile. There's a section of the hobby that likes to tinker, I can't believe the crap speakers they are taking the time and money to re-foam and restore.

What we are exposed to shapes our opinions would account for the various responses.

With brands like Fozi and other Chi-fi you can get into audio cheap. Look at the Yamaha 301 or Dayton Audio HTA 100 or 200, various NAD, this is decent sound with features for not much money either. When I started out getting a receiver was the primary goal. I think those getting into audio have more options these days than I was aware of 50 years ago. It's not all doom and gloom just because there's 6 figure price tags for those willing don't mean the hobby is going to hell.
 
Mr Peabody said:
What's Hi Fi caters to the entry level for the most part. Future Audiophile does a mix of ranges you can certainly see some entry level, they've even reviewed Fozi and a good amount of Chi-fi.

I don't know how many of you are on social media there are a good number of younger guys getting into audio. Vintage is still going strong. These guys are shopping thrift or online marketplaces to see what they can find and put together. It's almost like a brag to put a system together for little investment. There is hope, I think I mentioned in an earlier post that those starting with Wiim some are upgrading and finding it worthwhile. There's a section of the hobby that likes to tinker, I can't believe the crap speakers they are taking the time and money to re-foam and restore.

What we are exposed to shapes our opinions would account for the various responses.

With brands like Fozi and other Chi-fi you can get into audio cheap. Look at the Yamaha 301 or Dayton Audio HTA 100 or 200, various NAD, this is decent sound with features for not much money either. When I started out getting a receiver was the primary goal. I think those getting into audio have more options these days than I was aware of 50 years ago. It's not all doom and gloom just because there's 6 figure price tags for those willing don't mean the hobby is going to hell.
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I do think part of the reason why you see so many videos on cheap chi-fi is they AGGRESSIVELY push to content creators and offer them things to make videos and such.

I think I'm up to email #9 or something like that from Fosi in the last month or so trying to get me to make content on them.

Clearly they are barking up the wrong tree with me. LOL
 
While I'm on a coffee fueled roll, LOL I have to hand it to brands like Yamaha, Marantz, now Rotel and NAD was always in there, for offering products that start with a few hundred and goes up from there. The difference being a complete line. Yamaha for example, I mentioned the 301 integrated that sells for about $399 then the line stair steps up to their separates for about $10k each. The Yamaha analog integrated amps are excellent.
 
Mr Peabody said:
While I'm on a coffee fueled roll, LOL I have to hand it to brands like Yamaha, Marantz, now Rotel and NAD was always in there, for offering products that start with a few hundred and goes up from there. The difference being a complete line. Yamaha for example, I mentioned the 301 integrated that sells for about $399 then the line stair steps up to their separates for about $10k each. The Yamaha analog integrated amps are excellent.
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By the way, this strategy is called "market stratification", meaning get the MAX each is willing to pay from all levels of consumers, from plutocrats to paupers. It's a strategy that works for many types of merchandise.
 
Mikado463 said:
AS for Brick & Mortar I'm lucky to have within a 45 min drive one of the best in the North East, Overture Audio and they're located in 'tax free' Delaware !
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Terry is a wonderful person. I did business with him a long time ago. Is he still active or did he sell to someone else?
 
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Terry retired about 10 years ago Gordon. Like you I go back with him to his days along the Philly Main Line in the 80's
 
I visited a couple Magnolia (Best Buy certain locations) over the years, can't say the Logan stats were ever properly set up.
 
Kramer64 said:
I don't really understand all the angst over ultra high priced gear. If someone wants to make it and someone wants to buy it, doesn't impact me and its not my business. I've heard some of the half million dollar speakers and $300k dacs, etc., and I think they sound great. But the delta in sound quality between my system and the ultra gear is very small relative to the delta in price, so I'm happy. It also seems that there are more choices in high quality, lower cost gear than ever before. Its not like the ultra gear is replacing lower cost offerings. I was at the Toronto show recently. Saw a handful of near million dollar rooms, but many more filled with relatively affordable gear that , to my ears, was quite impressive. And the Canadian dealers were great to visit with-living up to the Canadian reputation for friendliness. I'm betting the same will be true of CAF.

I've not experienced dealers or reviewers insisting that I have to pay what a house costs to get a good system, but if I did, I can choose as I see fit. Even the big magazines devote considerable effort to covering lower cost gear. They deserve a lot of criticism for how conflicts of interest are treated-as do lots of YouTubers-but its a bum rap to suggest they only cover ultra priced gear.

I also understand, sort of, that there is an undercurrent between certain dealers on some of the forums. If some participants accept undisclosed goodies as a quid pro quo for favorable posts, that's reprehensible in my book and I hope its exposed and names are called. A bigger problem for me is the incivility often found on forums. Keyboard courage can be tempting to us all but casually referring to someone as an "idiot" or a "nitwit" says much more about the accuser than the target. None of us are perfect-I'm certainly not-but this should be easily solved by the application of basic manners. That stuff destroys reasonable discussion and I wish forum moderators had zero tolerance for it, but the folks who own the forums have every right to run them as they see fit-participation is not mandatory. Even the ASR types, who can be very difficult, are just people who have a different opinion about audio. Doesn't make them evil.

Of what has been discussed, I do lament the disappearance of brick and mortar stores. Makes it tough for those of us who live in audio deserts and makes the shows really important for many of us. Looking forward to CAF and the chance to listen to great gear and visit people who have climbed down the same rabbit whole as me.

Just my thoughts.
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Agree with everything.

I have been chastised by some morons on the Steve Hoffman forum for saying that dacs, amps and music players sound different as well as usb cables and rca/xlr cables. They all say its expectation bias and psychoacoustics and you can't trust your ears at all. What total BS. They get nasty even when I have done double blind tests and pass. They say it is all in my head when I say something is unbearably bright or lush and warm. Really bright gear makes my left ear hurt and ring.
 
Mechnutt said:
Agree with everything.

I have been chastised by some morons on the Steve Hoffman forum for saying that dacs, amps and music players sound different as well as usb cables and rca/xlr cables. They all say its expectation bias and psychoacoustics and you can't trust your ears at all. What total BS. They get nasty even when I have done double blind tests and pass. They say it is all in my head when I say something is unbearably bright or lush and warm. Really bright gear makes my left ear hurt and ring.
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While I agree that such a position betrays ignorance on the part of those who deny the efficacy of components such as ICs, PCs, dacs (and even amps? Are you kidding?) to those who actually have considerable real-world experience and who recognize just how myopic that entire ideology really is, I have to wonder why you’d bother to contest the point with that crowd. It strikes me as akin to preaching non-violence at the Coliseum when Caesar and the spectators just want to see someone get eaten.
 
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