What is the future of hi end audio?

Mike

Mike

Audioshark
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What do you think is the future of high end audio?

Streaming
DSP
All-in-One Speaker Systems
Continuation of the DAC of the month club
FPGA chips being applied to more than just DAC's
Wireless
Headphones instead of speakers
....etc.


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Wireless DSP controlled all in one speakers…DACs built in. I don't trust streaming totally. I prefer to own a lot if not most of my content. Clouds are somebody else's property.
 
Mike said:
What do you think is the future of high end audio?
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First of all, let me say what I don't think is the future of high end audio and I will start with your list:

Streaming-I don't consider streaming high end audio. It's an all you can stand digital music buffet.

DSP-DSP is for people who love them some digital and can't quite get enough of digital so they convert their analog to digital also (assuming they have any). Also, they tend to have some really nasty sounding rooms.

All-in-One Speaker Systems-Again, these are for digital diehards.

Continuation of the DAC of the month club-This trend won't end, but I don't see it as the future of the high end.

FPGA chips being applied to more than just DAC's-FPGAs could have some interesting implementations, but I'm not willing to say FPGAs will be the future of the high end.

Wireless-Wireless is for people who don't know or don't care about the high end.

Headphones instead of speakers-Headphones are for people who live in apartments or who have angry wives that won't let them turn their stereo systems up past a whisper. Hopefully that isn't the future of the high end.

What I hope the future of the high end will bring to us is bleeding edge products that have had lots of their technology and sound quality brought down to a price that lots of people can afford. I don't see analog going anywhere until the last master tape has fallen apart. When that happens, we will be buying LPs that were cut from a digital copy of the master tape.

As far as I'm concerned, everything in our playback chains has improved over the years and the gear keeps on improving. What hasn't improved and has actually regressed over the years is the quality of the recordings and the quality of the artists making the recordings. Once we got away from 2 track and 3 track tape recordings made with tube electronics and tube microphones, the sound of our recordings has gone south. If you want to know how far we have regressed, go back and listen to pretty much any jazz recording from 1957 onwards (on vinyl or tape of course) and come talk to me after you have pulled out what remains of your hair.
 
has actually regressed over the years is the quality of the recordings and the quality of the artists making the recordings.
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I agree with most if not all of this post, but this line really stood out for me.
 
More than likely, the future will surprise us. Better gear, at lower prices, is a given. What is unknown is what new recording and playback technology will come around.
 
When quartz watch was invented late 60s and early 70s, everybody thought there was no future for the high-end mechanical watches anymore.
Because they are beaten in every way technically.
In fact, most highend watch brands went into a 2 decade long dark period (with few exceptions like Patek and Rolex).
Nobody thought they would ever come back and guess what? Starting from the mid 90s, the trend turned and most brands recovered and came back even stronger.

So don't lose hope guys, audiophiles as a group will always remain small but there's a future for everybody.:rolleyes:
 
Streaming is here to stay. I'm not particularly happy about it, but lifestyle trends are what they are.

On the subject of trends; I wouldn't be surprised if the $3,000 - $10,000 USD segment of Hi-Fi becomes highly thinned out as time moves forward. It'll bounce back, but not before taking a noticeable hit.

I also think we're going to see a lot more Hi-Fi related content on interactive outlets like Youtube.

I think the headphone market is here to stay for awhile. That said, I don't think we'll see a lot of crossover between the two markets.

On the upside, I think we're in for a lot of high value / high performance gear. And contrary to popular opinion, I don't believe the future of Hi-Fi is all doom and gloom. No, it may not be all sunshine and roses either, but I nonetheless look forward to what the future has in store. :)
 
Edward said:
DSP with powered speakers
All you can eat high resolution streaming
Ethernet/Wireless DACs
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This.
I can't see a future for the HiFI 'shrine' once this generation dies.
Active speakers with everything built in, DSP and EQ to correct placement/room issues .
Mainly lossless streaming as source.
Keith
 
Purité Audio said:
This.
I can't see a future for the HiFI 'shrine' once this generation dies.
Active speakers with everything built in, DSP and EQ to correct placement/room issues .
Mainly lossless streaming as source.
Keith
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So you think the Dac will remain outside the speaker?
 
I believe it makes sense to keep all the electronics inside the loudspeaker, dac per channel of active amplification, DSP used for crossovers and driver anomalies, clever new implementations such as Bruno's cardiod bass.
Keith.
 
Keith - this would be in stark contrast to those that believe in external crossovers. They would shutter at the thought of putting more electronics in the speaker.

http://www.psaudio.com/pauls-posts/bi-amping-pro-active/

Personally, I'm intrigued by this idea. I had a Doctor customer over the other day. He called and wanted to hear "Focal's". He and his wife loved listening to music and his friend told him he needed "Focal's". He came with his wife. They loved the Focal's, but he pointed at the Devialet and Aurender and said, "do I need all those boxes and wires?" I thought "oh boy, I better not show him separates!"

As we talked, it turned out he was an ideal customer for the Avantgarde Zero's and when I showed him pictures and discussed the concept, both him and his wife loved the idea. Avantgarde Zero XD demo will be taking place in a week or two.


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kiwi_1282001 said:
I don’t think there is a future for high end audio. Changing demographics mean this is a sunset industry.

At the heart of the issue are two often cited observations.
First, audiophiles are aging and second, numbers are not being replenished by younger generations.

Need evidence? Attend audio shows and check out all the dudes with gray hair – or no hair, or closer to home, ask yourself what percentage of people that contribute to the Audioshark forum are less than 40? Exact science such evidence is certainly not, after all not every US audiophile attends shows, knows about Audioshark or even cares to participate in such forums, but inexact as it is, the result I suspect would be indicative and in broad consensus with other surveys.

The MTV generation (1974-1985) has shown little interest in high end audio. The MTV generation not only has different priorities, but also a completely reprogrammed context in which decisions are made. Whereas the audiophile has his hardware fixed at his home, the MTV kid doesn’t own a home (he rents) and wants his music content to be as mobile as he is i.e. music anywhere and anytime. Witness the rise of the iPod and other digital mobile A/V devices. Since the MTV kid rents his home he is less likely to acquire audio racks stuffed with gear and large full range speakers. In their place is an iPod docking station, laptop or mobile device, streaming, perhaps some compact amplification and shock / horror satellite speakers – all functional sure – but not high end!
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Good thread and good response here. I am 54 and really only involved in "Entry Level HE" because I grew up watching my brother build Hafler, Heathkit, and Dyaco units on the kitchen table. Then my second brother took me to Soundex where my jaw dropped seeing the 7 foot Dunlaveys and such.

There is nobody that I work with including musicians, that have a decent stereo. Almost everyone I know listens to music on dirty little ear buds and an iPhone. When I talk Audio, I get blank stares. When they see pics of my gear, they have no clue.

I don't attend shows, because they never seem to have one where I live. But I do attend this full time show called "Audio Shark" and but for a few pcs of bang for buck gear, I don't see the Better Gear at Lower Prices kicking in as I read all the threads here. I see speakers that cost as much as a house, cables that cost as much as a car and THAT is what scares most people away from this hobby. Most people do not realize that you can put together a nice sounding setup for $1k or less. They see the price tags discussed on these forums, at shows, and even in what is left of B&M stores and they run for the hills. They also have no interest in seeking out and buying vinyl, let alone a physical CD.

Now, the MTV era is what messed up the brains of that generation and now their children. There was never a video of a band playing music, just 2-3 second clips of any one thing. That has embedded a 3 second attention span in most people a little younger than me and the next 2 generations. They cant even listen to a whole song half the time and when they do, they don't care it sounds like shit.
 
I think there are at least two inter-related questions here: will high-end audio continue, and if it does will it be at the "high-end" of audio in general (i.e., mainstream musical recording and distribution), or will it be a niche, perhaps luxury, market for those who prefer "fine" things. I don't think there is much doubt that the mainstream will move in the direction of streaming, quite possibly with the variation of end-users storing what they want in their own hardware. So if high-end audio continues in the musical mainstream, it will be digitally based, despite Mark's preference and feelings (and perhaps I should point out here that this is the reason I am all digital at this time, not because I think digital sounds better than analog, but rather because I don't find enough music that "moves" me in easily accessible and listenable analog formats). If it continues as a niche, luxury market, then who knows what the future will bring.
 
I personally think hi end audio will remain similar in choices, prices and division of users (analog vs. digital preferences....tube vs. solid state preferences, etc.) in the future as it is today. Sure, pricing will trend downward as tech becomes more affordable for some things but there will always be the super stars that command high pricing too.

In my opinion, the major phase shift of users that once had separates for example that have gone to single box units (think of people that gave away a Pioneer Receiver and turntable / tape deck to the thrift store once the volume control became noisy and scratchy for a Bose Wave Radio) for simplicity sake have already been lost and won't return to "high end". Also IMO, those that are into hi end now are NOT going to sell their Clearaudio Innovation or Pass mono amps (or give them to a thrift store) to trade toward a Bose setup because their wife wants a cleaner living space.

I believe there will always be folks that appreciate good sound and the good gear that is used to reproduce it. Those numbers of people that appreciate it will likely drop off as the older generation of current hi end users passes on and the newer users come aboard but I don't think once those older users do pass on that none will take their place. There will always be people that enjoy the finer things in life and music reproduction is one of them. The numbers of hi end users may be smaller in the future but I think their tastes and want for choices will remain similar as they are today and that includes the new folks that find vinyl records fascinating and want to actually listen to their records rather than just hang them on the wall for conversation pieces.
 
MikeCh said:
Also IMO, those that are into hi end now are NOT going to sell their Clearaudio Innovation or Pass mono amps (or give them to a thrift store) to trade toward a Bose setup because their wife wants a cleaner living space.

.
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That is exactly how I got the majority of the setup in my signature for next to nothing. It was too big and too loud and took up too much room, so my neighbor stacked it all in the garage for 2 years and bought a tiny receiver and speakers.
 
Shadowfax said:
That is exactly how I got the majority of the setup in my signature for next to nothing. It was too big and too loud and took up too much room, so my neighbor stacked it all in the garage for 2 years and bought a tiny receiver and speakers.
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I know what you are saying Brian. However, I think those that wanted to do just that (downsize for convenience or wife-sake) have already done that. Do you see yourself doing the same with that gear right now? I bet not, and I bet not because YOU do appreciate it and what it brings to the table.
 
Mike said:
Keith - this would be in stark contrast to those that believe in external crossovers. They would shutter at the thought of putting more electronics in the speaker.

http://www.psaudio.com/pauls-posts/bi-amping-pro-active/

Personally, I'm intrigued by this idea. I had a Doctor customer over the other day. He called and wanted to hear "Focal's". He and his wife loved listening to music and his friend told him he needed "Focal's". He came with his wife. They loved the Focal's, but he pointed at the Devialet and Aurender and said, "do I need all those boxes and wires?" I thought "oh boy, I better not show him separates!"

As we talked, it turned out he was an ideal customer for the Avantgarde Zero's and when I showed him pictures and discussed the concept, both him and his wife loved the idea. Avantgarde Zero XD demo will be taking place in a week or two.


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Sweet.

The most impressive demo I have heard so far is the Goldmund Anatta Wireless (unfortunately priced at $250K, loL) and I wait for an invitation to hear the ProLogos Wireless mk2. My pal has sold his firstborn to buy a pair of these at $70K retail. He traded in ALL his gear, including stuff in the attic, thousands of LPs, thousands of CDs, hundreds of Reel to reel tapes. I am talking about Acoustic Zen Crescendo speakers, Telos amps, Prism Titan dac, Turntables and phono-stages, EVERYTHING.

The Speaker IS the Source. Hehehehe.

His wife is as happy as a lark now that the living room has oodles of space and he is enjoying his music fed wirelessly from an Aurender N-10 to the ProLogos.

Works for him and I guess for others too. Let's see if he stays off the OCD path of the audiophile...
 
Shadowfax said:
Good thread and good response here. I am 54 and really only involved in "Entry Level HE" because I grew up watching my brother build Hafler, Heathkit, and Dyaco units on the kitchen table. Then my second brother took me to Soundex where my jaw dropped seeing the 7 foot Dunlaveys and such.

I don't attend shows, because they never seem to have one where I live. But I do attend this full time show called "Audio Shark" and but for a few pcs of bang for buck gear, I don't see the Better Gear at Lower Prices kicking in as I read all the threads here. I see speakers that cost as much as a house, cables that cost as much as a car and THAT is what scares most people away from this hobby. Most people do not realize that you can put together a nice sounding setup for $1k or less. They see the price tags discussed on these forums, at shows, and even in what is left of B&M stores and they run for the hills. They also have no interest in seeking out and buying vinyl, let alone a physical CD.
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Its not THAT far to the NYC show...

Oh and Didnt Andrew Jones of Elac make a big splash at RMAF with floorstanding speakers costing $558 a pair? Hell yeah, you can do very well with even $1K mixing new and used components.
 
Lest we forget..."half" of the high end segment is about Industrial design.

Some compnents are just eye candy and I also include cables and stands and even room treatments. Of course there is a imperative for at least a minimum level of sonic performance, but there will always be a place for the Industrial arts in living rooms and man caves.
 
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