End of Hi-Fi (again)
Posted by: Chris Metcalfe on 10 December 2003
According to the Independent, Britain's best newspaper written by Martians, and with input from Pioneer's John Bamford (formerly of Audiophile magazine!)
http://news.independent.co.uk/digital/news/story.jsp?story=470821
Don't worry though - they describe Richer Sounds as a 'specialist hifi dealer...'
http://news.independent.co.uk/digital/news/story.jsp?story=470821
Don't worry though - they describe Richer Sounds as a 'specialist hifi dealer...'
Posted on: 10 December 2003 by jacques (JD12)
""Separates have become marginalised. The only person who would buy them is the sort of guy who'd buy a Morgan sports car instead of an S-class Mercedes."
Totally agree
Jacques, french morganeer
Totally agree
Jacques, french morganeer
Posted on: 10 December 2003 by Linds
Fascinating thoughts...?
There are some fascinating thoughts in there though, although this isn't one of them: "There are DVD players that make CD players sound pathetic". Quote from Pioneer dude.
Richer Sounds are separates-crazy, hence their "Free Cotton Buds" to anyone who can't hear the clear sonic superiority of separates vs mini/midi/mici systems.
Quote: "An iPod stores thousands of tracks in its digital memory and fits into your pocket. This Christmas it costs £250". I've never listened to an iPod, so can't say whether it's good or bad. The reason I bother with 'separates' is for the sound quality and resultant pleasure. As I've upgraded (and I've got plenty to do yet...), the better it sounds, the more I use it, the more I enjoy. Frankly, such media articles merely point out the strength of "gimmick and gadget" mentality. For many, obtaining the "latest gadget" has a far stronger drive than the resultant "performance" achieved.
Many people on this forum have proven satisfaction with old kit and have quoted using speakers and amps which are 10+ years' old and are still superb...!
So "DVD players are set to become the most popular electrical gift with high-street chains selling them for as little as £30"? BUT YOU NEED an amp and headphones/speakers to listen to it though. Before you know it, YOU'VE GOT A BLOODY SEPARATES SYSTEM!!!!!!
!!! There's always money somewhere for the next upgrade... !!!
There are some fascinating thoughts in there though, although this isn't one of them: "There are DVD players that make CD players sound pathetic". Quote from Pioneer dude.
Richer Sounds are separates-crazy, hence their "Free Cotton Buds" to anyone who can't hear the clear sonic superiority of separates vs mini/midi/mici systems.
Quote: "An iPod stores thousands of tracks in its digital memory and fits into your pocket. This Christmas it costs £250". I've never listened to an iPod, so can't say whether it's good or bad. The reason I bother with 'separates' is for the sound quality and resultant pleasure. As I've upgraded (and I've got plenty to do yet...), the better it sounds, the more I use it, the more I enjoy. Frankly, such media articles merely point out the strength of "gimmick and gadget" mentality. For many, obtaining the "latest gadget" has a far stronger drive than the resultant "performance" achieved.
Many people on this forum have proven satisfaction with old kit and have quoted using speakers and amps which are 10+ years' old and are still superb...!
So "DVD players are set to become the most popular electrical gift with high-street chains selling them for as little as £30"? BUT YOU NEED an amp and headphones/speakers to listen to it though. Before you know it, YOU'VE GOT A BLOODY SEPARATES SYSTEM!!!!!!
!!! There's always money somewhere for the next upgrade... !!!
Posted on: 10 December 2003 by skraft
I once thought that hifi was dead - it was 1983 or so.
I had grown up a hifi crazed kid with a father who reviewed music for an underground rag. Our house was full of musicians passing through, playing unplugged (and sometimes plugged) in our living room. I used to spend entire days at the coop in harvard square flipping through the bins, looking up obscure numbers in thick booklets, talking with fellow obsessives.
Then something strange happened. I just lost interest. At first I thought it was the music. Punk took over. And I didn't like the punk recordings. But I still liked the concerts. So it wasn't really the music.
Only later did I realize that it was the CD that turned me off of audio for a decade! This little convenience took the music away. It may not snap, crackle, and pop! And CDs were easily transported, they made cleaner tape mixes, etc. But they really didn't make music - especially back then.
It wasn't until the late 90s that I encountered a system that made me want, really want to listen to recorded music. It was Naim of course. And I immediately bought some boxes.
I listen to more music and go to more live music than ever. I also own an ipod - it's pretty crappy, but it makes the time pass on the airplane.
If all this means hifi is dead, then good riddance. Let's listen to some music!
I had grown up a hifi crazed kid with a father who reviewed music for an underground rag. Our house was full of musicians passing through, playing unplugged (and sometimes plugged) in our living room. I used to spend entire days at the coop in harvard square flipping through the bins, looking up obscure numbers in thick booklets, talking with fellow obsessives.
Then something strange happened. I just lost interest. At first I thought it was the music. Punk took over. And I didn't like the punk recordings. But I still liked the concerts. So it wasn't really the music.
Only later did I realize that it was the CD that turned me off of audio for a decade! This little convenience took the music away. It may not snap, crackle, and pop! And CDs were easily transported, they made cleaner tape mixes, etc. But they really didn't make music - especially back then.
It wasn't until the late 90s that I encountered a system that made me want, really want to listen to recorded music. It was Naim of course. And I immediately bought some boxes.
I listen to more music and go to more live music than ever. I also own an ipod - it's pretty crappy, but it makes the time pass on the airplane.
If all this means hifi is dead, then good riddance. Let's listen to some music!
Posted on: 10 December 2003 by ianrmack
skraft-
great post.
i wonder.....would you be, by any chance, Sue Kraft - audio writer, Ayre CX-7 advocate and apparent "Flat Earther", too?
if so, i enjoy your articles.
cheers,
ian
great post.
i wonder.....would you be, by any chance, Sue Kraft - audio writer, Ayre CX-7 advocate and apparent "Flat Earther", too?
if so, i enjoy your articles.
cheers,
ian
Posted on: 10 December 2003 by silklee
I wonder how Naim is doing as a company in terms of profitability. Do they release annual financial statements?
Posted on: 10 December 2003 by Paul Stephenson
NAIM has grown approx 45% in t/over the last three years and we have made a few bob!! we have re-invested much more though.........for the future, which we are quite happy about.
I am not surprised to see some Japanese companies not selling seperates(if you can call them that) why would any one bother with them in the first place.
I think Rotel and in the past Marantz have produced some pretty good value kit, but not with the performance that many here would be happy with.
I am not surprised to see some Japanese companies not selling seperates(if you can call them that) why would any one bother with them in the first place.
I think Rotel and in the past Marantz have produced some pretty good value kit, but not with the performance that many here would be happy with.
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by kuma
quote:
Originally posted by Paul Stephenson:
NAIM has grown approx 45% in t/over the last three years and we have made a few bob!! we have re-invested much more though.........for the future, which we are quite happy about.
You guys have done a great job with the intro of new series attracting new comers including myself.
It must have been a touchy issue not to piss off your long-time Naim loyalists.
It's been a real eye opener and I am pleased how CDX2/XPS2 accidentally worked so well in my non-Naim system.
Now.. if you could include balanced outs on your preamp...
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by Mick P
Chaps
Most people who work do not really have time for liesure and even fewer have the time to sit down and actually listen to music. Therefore we cannot be suprised at John Bamfords comments about home cinema and DVD.
However, there will always be "audiophiles" and these people will alway be prepared to spend money on top end products, so whilst the overall number of black boxes being sold may decline, the top end will remain bouyant.
Another factor to consider is that the Baby boomers are now retiring and they have more assets and disposable income than any other age group. They also will have time on their hands and will buy the stuff which they have always wanted. They have grown up with good quality 2 channel Hifi and still want it.
This is why Harley Davidson is doing well, the middle aged market is spending its money on certain consumer items. More of them are buying second homes and want it kitted out with good stuff, Hifi included. They don't want the old second rate interiors you associate with caravans.
Good top end Hifi will always find a market.
Regards
Mick
Most people who work do not really have time for liesure and even fewer have the time to sit down and actually listen to music. Therefore we cannot be suprised at John Bamfords comments about home cinema and DVD.
However, there will always be "audiophiles" and these people will alway be prepared to spend money on top end products, so whilst the overall number of black boxes being sold may decline, the top end will remain bouyant.
Another factor to consider is that the Baby boomers are now retiring and they have more assets and disposable income than any other age group. They also will have time on their hands and will buy the stuff which they have always wanted. They have grown up with good quality 2 channel Hifi and still want it.
This is why Harley Davidson is doing well, the middle aged market is spending its money on certain consumer items. More of them are buying second homes and want it kitted out with good stuff, Hifi included. They don't want the old second rate interiors you associate with caravans.
Good top end Hifi will always find a market.
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by Paul Stephenson
Kuma, glad the kit is working for you!
We respect our customers and we really do listen to what they say positive and negative, we work flat-out to make sure our products perform. Music comes first at Naim thats we we have so much in common with our customers.
We respect our customers and we really do listen to what they say positive and negative, we work flat-out to make sure our products perform. Music comes first at Naim thats we we have so much in common with our customers.
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by kuma
quote:
However, there will always be "audiophiles" and these people will alway be prepared to spend money on top end products, so whilst the overall number of black boxes being sold may decline, the top end will remain bouyant.
Unless a company wants to stay in a cottage industry, it's inevidable they need to get into HT market for growth.
I agree that hi-end is not going to *die* out per se, but the population would stay fixed or stay small.
Plus, too many other entertainment options ( like travel ) for them to spend their time and money on, too.
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by Mick P
I agree that there is more choice of hobby / liesure activities, you also have to remember that overall, there is more disposable income flowing around.
Regards
Mick
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by Matt Gear
<quote>
Pioneer - the king of separates
</quote>
Hilarious!
Matt
Pioneer - the king of separates
</quote>
Hilarious!
Matt
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by Tom F
quote:
The only person who would buy them is the sort of guy who'd buy a Morgan sports car instead of an S-class Mercedes.
Unless one is the dictator of a small South American regime, I can't see any good reason to own an S-Class.
quote:
Good top end Hifi will always find a market.
There is probably little to doubt about that, but the issue is probably more significant for the budget and mid-market ranges.
Sadly, this looks like there might be a decline in the number of small specialists too (see Pink Triangle et al). The chap on the street won't care, mainly because he doesn't know of any brands beyond the likes of Sony or Pioneer. Instead, what he wants is a plasma TV with internet connectivity (gets rid of the PC) connected wirelessly to surround-sound speakers and the ability to listen to it through the house.
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by kuma
quote:
Originally posted by Mick Parry:
I agree that there is more choice of hobby / liesure activities, you also have to remember that overall, there is more disposable income flowing around.
Mick,
Disposal income isn't necessarily the issue for that segment to grow.
I think it's the unawareness of hi-end audio itself is the problem even amongst the older affluent.
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by Chris Metcalfe
Good post Mick, particularly the bit about the baby boomers - the ones who haven't already popped off through their bad habits!
One thing not mentioned though, is that of course in a DVD system you actually need more boxes - player, multichannel amp, 6 speakers minimum and a large TV screen. Personally I haven't got the space for that lot.
It's a shame such articles aren't more balanced, with an alternative view from Naim etc.
Interesting article also by Alvin Gold in HIFI+, in which he reckons that there is no reason for 2-channel sound to predominate, that the reasons for multi-channel being despised are historical (i.e. quadraphonic in the 70s), that DVD-A 'has the smell of death about it', and that SACD is being bought in large numbers by classical enthusiasts - the same demographic who drove CD sales in the early 1980s.
One thing not mentioned though, is that of course in a DVD system you actually need more boxes - player, multichannel amp, 6 speakers minimum and a large TV screen. Personally I haven't got the space for that lot.
It's a shame such articles aren't more balanced, with an alternative view from Naim etc.
Interesting article also by Alvin Gold in HIFI+, in which he reckons that there is no reason for 2-channel sound to predominate, that the reasons for multi-channel being despised are historical (i.e. quadraphonic in the 70s), that DVD-A 'has the smell of death about it', and that SACD is being bought in large numbers by classical enthusiasts - the same demographic who drove CD sales in the early 1980s.
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by Geoff P
People in general are working longer hours, fighting through lousy home commutes, grabbing a quick hour or so of family interaction and getting ready for the next days work, aswell as fitting in all the necessary weekend family tasks etc.
For a large chunk of the people at work, including us so called "baby boomers" who are only approaching retirment, rather than enjoying it, this way of life has been programmed into us to the point where it is almost subconsious.
The result is the feeling we must always "be up and doing something" which turns such pastimes as sitting down and appreciating music into a guilty pleasure.
I have occassions when I can become "still" and really immerse myself in the music experience to the point where the idea of going to bed gets put off and put off.
Other times I just can't get to that state. I find myself distracted by idle thoughts which don't have to be work related, it's just that the brain somehow can't switch off. When this happens the pleasure derived from the music is frustrated. You listen to a favourite recording but only in a superficial way. You become guilty of thinking forward to the next track rather than really listening to the one that is playing.
This has built up as society has evolved, so that for the vast majority of younger generations the norm is to experience as many transitory pleasures as possible to show you are really part of today's fast moving world.
When I was young this was referred to as "St Vitus Dance" basically the inabilty to keep still.This explains the success of the "quick fix" music solutions that range from piped "music to work to around the house" to the jog free portable CD for "music to run to" to the Apple I-Pod "for music to tune out the rest of the office". Is it any wonder what the people writing here view as HiFi is losing ground. It is not conveinient, it is'nt a "background pleasure" since it is too expensive to be treated like that and requires commitment from the listener to derive any real level of satisfaction, something that is almost alien to the way we survive life today.
Sorry for the diatribe, regards
GEOFF
For a large chunk of the people at work, including us so called "baby boomers" who are only approaching retirment, rather than enjoying it, this way of life has been programmed into us to the point where it is almost subconsious.
The result is the feeling we must always "be up and doing something" which turns such pastimes as sitting down and appreciating music into a guilty pleasure.
I have occassions when I can become "still" and really immerse myself in the music experience to the point where the idea of going to bed gets put off and put off.
Other times I just can't get to that state. I find myself distracted by idle thoughts which don't have to be work related, it's just that the brain somehow can't switch off. When this happens the pleasure derived from the music is frustrated. You listen to a favourite recording but only in a superficial way. You become guilty of thinking forward to the next track rather than really listening to the one that is playing.
This has built up as society has evolved, so that for the vast majority of younger generations the norm is to experience as many transitory pleasures as possible to show you are really part of today's fast moving world.
When I was young this was referred to as "St Vitus Dance" basically the inabilty to keep still.This explains the success of the "quick fix" music solutions that range from piped "music to work to around the house" to the jog free portable CD for "music to run to" to the Apple I-Pod "for music to tune out the rest of the office". Is it any wonder what the people writing here view as HiFi is losing ground. It is not conveinient, it is'nt a "background pleasure" since it is too expensive to be treated like that and requires commitment from the listener to derive any real level of satisfaction, something that is almost alien to the way we survive life today.
Sorry for the diatribe, regards
GEOFF
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by adamk
Yeah great article.
Richer Sounds.....specialist HiFi dealer - yeah only for the What Hi Fi low end stuff.
Dixons !!! - Do me a favour
Pioneer 'King of Seperates'- Blimey
Lets be honest - most of the population are not interested in 'sound quality'. Richer, Dixons, Pioneer et al are 'quality' as far as they are concerned. Anyone interested in Sound quality has taken the trouble to go and audition specialist Audio Kit at independant dealers and made an informed decision on that basis.
Maybe I'm old school - I don't want to download 2000 tracks onto an I-POD - I want to look at cover artwork, track listings, production details etc.
The Jap audio industry has a vested interest in keeping inventing new formatts and components - CD in the 80's opened their eyes to the way you could suddenley create a demand for a new 'must have' player - it was easy to fuel demand for crystal clear digital sound as beneficial over crackly old records.
It's exactly the same with DVD over VCR.
I am not convinced by Home Theatre - I have enough trouble with swmbo about 2 speakers in my lounge, let alone subwoofers, rears etc.
Again being a cynic, the industry would suddenley see the sense in promoting '5 speakers are better than 2' wouldn't they.
Its the same old doom mongers who wrote off vinyl in the 80's - what is currently enjoying a renaissance at present ??
Richer Sounds.....specialist HiFi dealer - yeah only for the What Hi Fi low end stuff.
Dixons !!! - Do me a favour
Pioneer 'King of Seperates'- Blimey
Lets be honest - most of the population are not interested in 'sound quality'. Richer, Dixons, Pioneer et al are 'quality' as far as they are concerned. Anyone interested in Sound quality has taken the trouble to go and audition specialist Audio Kit at independant dealers and made an informed decision on that basis.
Maybe I'm old school - I don't want to download 2000 tracks onto an I-POD - I want to look at cover artwork, track listings, production details etc.
The Jap audio industry has a vested interest in keeping inventing new formatts and components - CD in the 80's opened their eyes to the way you could suddenley create a demand for a new 'must have' player - it was easy to fuel demand for crystal clear digital sound as beneficial over crackly old records.
It's exactly the same with DVD over VCR.
I am not convinced by Home Theatre - I have enough trouble with swmbo about 2 speakers in my lounge, let alone subwoofers, rears etc.
Again being a cynic, the industry would suddenley see the sense in promoting '5 speakers are better than 2' wouldn't they.
Its the same old doom mongers who wrote off vinyl in the 80's - what is currently enjoying a renaissance at present ??
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by Jason Milner
Hmm, if I was a cynical old b@stard, I'd have to suspect that Mr Bloomfield just noticed that multi-channel sales were booming vs Stereo, & cobbled together the first few quotes he could find to "support" his idea that as a consequence high quality stereo is dead.
Shame really, as there's plenty of scope in his quotes for a more thought provoking article on modern life choices / convenience vs quality etc that he could have gone for. Instead the quotes he's thrown together seem to contradict themselves in turn, somewhat weakening his argument. Just a few examples that raised my eyebrows...
"resigned to seeing separates go the way of the gramophone" seems to imply that they're a dying breed, but this year I've seen more high quality record players released than any year I can remember. Is he actually implying this as a sub-text, or could he maybe have missed that point?
Mr Poynter, the teacher that sold his stereo seems, well, poorly educated. Why sell the separates he prefers then buy a single unit that only "probably" does the job?
Why is the fact that the likes of Pioneer will stop selling stereo amps in a couple of years bad news for anyone that's spent decades "cultivating" a stack stereo exactly? Surely most such people will have already evolved past the mass market by now? I know Pioneer have come out with some good kit over the years (seem to remember the A400 was excellent VFM at the time), but by & large they've hardly been at the cutting edge of quality hi-fi...
As for Mr Bamford, well, I don't know where to start. I mean what's he trying to say with that with the car analogy? I assume he means that Morgan / Separates buyers are Luddites, deserving only contempt or perhaps pity as the rest of the enlightened DVD / S-Class move forward into the brave new world?. How exactly does that tally with the general thrust of the article that "all in one" systems are selling because they are really cheap (£30 DVD player anyone...) while the S-class is pretty much the most expensive production car in the world? Meanwhile Morgan is a classic example of a company that's stuck to its guns and survived because the buying public still want what they're selling - not exactly the best metaphor for the "dying" hi-fi industry, but not a bad one for a quality manufacturing industry with a dedicated "fan" base?
Many of the quotes themselves are interesting (JB excepted), if mis-placed in the context of the article. It looks like buying trends are changing dramatically, which could lead to an interesting story if a half decent journalist ever got hold of the idea...
Shame really, as there's plenty of scope in his quotes for a more thought provoking article on modern life choices / convenience vs quality etc that he could have gone for. Instead the quotes he's thrown together seem to contradict themselves in turn, somewhat weakening his argument. Just a few examples that raised my eyebrows...
"resigned to seeing separates go the way of the gramophone" seems to imply that they're a dying breed, but this year I've seen more high quality record players released than any year I can remember. Is he actually implying this as a sub-text, or could he maybe have missed that point?
Mr Poynter, the teacher that sold his stereo seems, well, poorly educated. Why sell the separates he prefers then buy a single unit that only "probably" does the job?
Why is the fact that the likes of Pioneer will stop selling stereo amps in a couple of years bad news for anyone that's spent decades "cultivating" a stack stereo exactly? Surely most such people will have already evolved past the mass market by now? I know Pioneer have come out with some good kit over the years (seem to remember the A400 was excellent VFM at the time), but by & large they've hardly been at the cutting edge of quality hi-fi...
As for Mr Bamford, well, I don't know where to start. I mean what's he trying to say with that with the car analogy? I assume he means that Morgan / Separates buyers are Luddites, deserving only contempt or perhaps pity as the rest of the enlightened DVD / S-Class move forward into the brave new world?. How exactly does that tally with the general thrust of the article that "all in one" systems are selling because they are really cheap (£30 DVD player anyone...) while the S-class is pretty much the most expensive production car in the world? Meanwhile Morgan is a classic example of a company that's stuck to its guns and survived because the buying public still want what they're selling - not exactly the best metaphor for the "dying" hi-fi industry, but not a bad one for a quality manufacturing industry with a dedicated "fan" base?
Many of the quotes themselves are interesting (JB excepted), if mis-placed in the context of the article. It looks like buying trends are changing dramatically, which could lead to an interesting story if a half decent journalist ever got hold of the idea...
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by Linds
Time for music
Fact of the matter is at we as music enthusiasts use a proportion of our leisure time to enjoy music. This is provided to us by good quality kit.
I have to wonder how much the 2,000 track iPods are really used to provide musical pleasure.
During a team-building day, some dude at work claims to have (at home) the largest music collection of anyone in his department, with some 3,000+ mp3 files. Funny how his spare time is NOT spent listening to music. Quantity not quality....
!!! There's always money somewhere for the next upgrade... !!!
Fact of the matter is at we as music enthusiasts use a proportion of our leisure time to enjoy music. This is provided to us by good quality kit.
I have to wonder how much the 2,000 track iPods are really used to provide musical pleasure.
During a team-building day, some dude at work claims to have (at home) the largest music collection of anyone in his department, with some 3,000+ mp3 files. Funny how his spare time is NOT spent listening to music. Quantity not quality....
!!! There's always money somewhere for the next upgrade... !!!
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by Derek Wright
Many years ago the popular electrical entertainment device was a single box/coffin like object called the Radiogram, amid much much hoopla the radiogram was split into multiple boxes called "seperates". Alongside the radiogram customer was a small band of enthusiasts with "hifi" they were not affected by the "seperates" industry apart from perhaps encouraging the hifi manufacturers to add an element of design into the external appearance of the hifi kit.
The radiogram/seperates industry is really a sub set of the domestic furniture market, bought by the majority and hardly ever used after the boxes have been in the house for 6 months. They are a tick box item for the newly setup home. They probably are hardly ever upgraded.
To sum up - we have seen these type of changes of fashion in the furniture industry before - so what....
Derek
<< >>
[This message was edited by Derek Wright on THURSDAY 11 December 2003 at 20:45.]
The radiogram/seperates industry is really a sub set of the domestic furniture market, bought by the majority and hardly ever used after the boxes have been in the house for 6 months. They are a tick box item for the newly setup home. They probably are hardly ever upgraded.
To sum up - we have seen these type of changes of fashion in the furniture industry before - so what....
Derek
<< >>
[This message was edited by Derek Wright on THURSDAY 11 December 2003 at 20:45.]
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by RogerH
Geoff has just opened my eyes to what's just happened to me. I have just recovered from that workaholic illness in which one of the symptoms was feeling guilty if I actually sat down to some music. Two things have happened to me in the last few months and I suspect they are related. I have accepted redundancy (so that's the rat race taken care of) and I have bought some Naim kit (before the money stops coming in). The result of all this? Well I've got to spend some time planning for the next ten years before I can retire but I am enjoying my music (without the guilt) for the first time since I was a spotty schoolkid taping a rubber onto the arm of my Garrard SP25 turntable to stop it from jumping all over my scratched LPs. OK, so I don't know where my next upgrade is going to come from but, for now, the stress has gone and music is back where it belongs. Long live HiFi even if I won't be able to afford it anymore!!
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by kuma
quote:
Originally posted by Linds:
_Time for music_
Fact of the matter is at we as music enthusiasts use a proportion of our leisure time to enjoy music. This is provided to us by good quality kit.
I have to wonder how much the 2,000 track iPods are really used to provide musical pleasure.
During a team-building day, some dude at work claims to have (at home) the largest music collection of anyone in his department, with some 3,000+ mp3 files. Funny how his spare time is NOT spent listening to music. Quantity not quality....
!!! There's always money somewhere for the next upgrade... !!!
hmm... personaly, I'd take tunes out of mp3 or cheap radio if that was only thing available to me.
Having tunes is better than not having any.
Posted on: 12 December 2003 by silklee
quote:
Originally posted by Mike b:
.....treble to rip your ears off. ......
Yesterday I popped by at a dealer’s shop. There was this guy there using a pioneer DVDP. The dealer’s normal demo CDP is the CD5. I was finding the words to describe the sound until I read this posting.
Anyway the guy was proud to announce that the pioneer can play ANYTHING you throw at it. DVDA, SACD, etc
Posted on: 12 December 2003 by Chris Metcalfe
hockman said: 'A good hi fi can enhance your enjoyment, but how much more so is really subjective.'
This is very true, actually. Much better that people should listen to a huge variety of music from the internet, DAB etc than their three Dire Straits and one Ben Sidran LP on the LP12/Ittok/Asak/32/250/saras in 1982.
But outside the quality middle ground, I'm sure as many of the mp3 generation are missing out on decent sound now as there were older ones who only had radiograms or music centres to play their Mozart LPs in the 70s. Always will be.
This is very true, actually. Much better that people should listen to a huge variety of music from the internet, DAB etc than their three Dire Straits and one Ben Sidran LP on the LP12/Ittok/Asak/32/250/saras in 1982.
But outside the quality middle ground, I'm sure as many of the mp3 generation are missing out on decent sound now as there were older ones who only had radiograms or music centres to play their Mozart LPs in the 70s. Always will be.
Posted on: 12 December 2003 by herm
quote:
Originally posted by Tom Alves:
As my wife says "Size isn't everything"
Well, she's just trying to be kind.
Herman