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Is h-fi cheap or expensive
- Thread starter Yorkshire Mouth
- Start date
Hi-Fi is cheaper when comparing like to like, considering global supply chains/labor and technological advances.
Hi-Fi is more of a luxury in the context of how cost of living has risen faster than household income.
Hi-Fi is more of a luxury in the context of how cost of living has risen faster than household income.
DSJR
Major Contributor
In the UK, I've found the mid area you entered (Axis/Audiolab/Epos 14) seems to have given way somewhat to the used market now. Some dealer chains still market gear in that price range but the kind of dealers I worked for back then, have shifted severely up-market - KJ West One being one (I worked for the first incarnation from '74 to '82 and returned for a few months in 98 at the current location, now substantially refitted and very exclusive and 'posh' indeed - back in the 70s, the air pollution was so high and no filtration/air con in the Wigmore St location, you needed to dust the gear twice a day to even begin to keep it clean).
High-end Hi-Fi Shop in London | KJ West One | Hifi Store
KJ West One carefully select the world’s finest audio equipment to satisfy our customers demand. We aim to be the premium hifi location.
www.kjwestone.co.uk
Here's the site of a more local audio salon to me, unashamedly Naim, Accuphase and Dynaudio fans, but they now do Wiim as well, which surprised me hugely - The price-list pages may make for an interesting comparison of UK made products such as Rega priced here when compared to the US for example -
Signals | Hi-fi For Grown Ups | Audio Dealer | Felixstowe, Suffolk
We supply & install goosebump inducing audio systems to Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire & beyond. Transform your audio experience today.
signals.uk.com
My view of what sounds good, call it HiFi, is based on what I've bought my stuff for. With that in mind, I consider it a cheap hobby. Used Wharfedale Diamond 220, $80, Luxor 7082A amp $110, a Yamaha 12 inch sub $60. Topping E30 DAC plus Spotify streaming.Also, one can buy a measurement mic for $100 then measure and EQ for a nice FR. Plus I have other speakers and amplifiers. Nothing crazy expensive, but decent good basic stuff.
Of course it has cost some $ but not much and besides I can always, if I want, sell that stuff and go plus or minus zero money wise.
Otherwise, good sound for a reasonable amount of money, yes, it is absolutely possible to get. Even IKEA sells it! :
audiosciencereview.com
...and Google has good (low SPL though, you can't get everything for that price) speakers:
audiosciencereview.com
So-called High End on the other hand, oh boy. Wtf is that about?!
Of course it has cost some $ but not much and besides I can always, if I want, sell that stuff and go plus or minus zero money wise.
Otherwise, good sound for a reasonable amount of money, yes, it is absolutely possible to get. Even IKEA sells it! :
Ikea SYMFONISK Picture Frame Speaker Review
This is a review and detailed measurements of the Ikea SYMFONISK picture frame speaker designed by Sonos. I purchased it a couple of days ago from Ikea store for US $199. Their website said they had 42 in stock so they are planning to sell a lot of them. That said, there was not a single...
audiosciencereview.com
...and Google has good (low SPL though, you can't get everything for that price) speakers:
Google Nest Audio Speaker Review
This is a review, teardown, detailed measurements, listening tests and EQ of Google Audio Nest "smart" streaming speaker. It was kindly drop shipped to me by a member. List price is US $99.99 but I see it as low as US $65. While not very unique in its looks, the Nest Audio nicely fits in the...
audiosciencereview.com
So-called High End on the other hand, oh boy. Wtf is that about?!
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And the secondary market is now huge with all the online marketplaces.
JeremyFife
Major Contributor
The HiFi I *want* is expensive (because of speakers mainly).
I think the set-up I have now is not expensive, but my significant other thinks it's a huge amount of money.
Does that help?
Good HiFi now is pretty cheap (WiiM mini+ Edifier MR4 ... less than £200), probably a lot cheaper than it has been.
It still depends on the individual though.
I think the set-up I have now is not expensive, but my significant other thinks it's a huge amount of money.
Does that help?
Good HiFi now is pretty cheap (WiiM mini+ Edifier MR4 ... less than £200), probably a lot cheaper than it has been.
It still depends on the individual though.
Cheap and expensive aren't really universal measurements.
IE:
if an amp you want is $1000 and you can only scrape up $500, it's expensive.
If an amp is $1000 and you have $5000 to spend, it's "cheap".
It's all relative.
I'd be more inclined to look at the qualities you want in something and then at the costs.......
IE:
if an amp you want is $1000 and you can only scrape up $500, it's expensive.
If an amp is $1000 and you have $5000 to spend, it's "cheap".
It's all relative.
I'd be more inclined to look at the qualities you want in something and then at the costs.......
Less expensive now than previously, but it all depends on one's income whether something is cheap or expensive - it's all relative - for most of the sums of money we are speaking of.
Or: High relative to absloute necessity for living? Cheap for amount of pleasure received?
Or: High relative to absloute necessity for living? Cheap for amount of pleasure received?
The irony is most of us treasured the quality of music, celebrating at a young age through purchases of nice playback gear and ritual group listening . Now most youth need or care about is a phone and cheap headphones for non stop private retrenchment.
Definitions , these definitions. As I see it: Ok HiFi, not many hundreds of $. Good HiFi on the other hand, then only speakers or speakers sub combo , passive or active, new or used at least $1000. That if you want good HiFi, not just ok or mediocre HiFi. Anyone else agree with that?
If you also want speakers with high SPL capability. A high SPL and at the same time with low distortion plus good FR so add ...hmm.. at least, $1000.
Please note, these costs are only rough estimates.Feel free to argue for or against what I said. Nothing set in stone.
If you also want speakers with high SPL capability. A high SPL and at the same time with low distortion plus good FR so add ...hmm.. at least, $1000.
Please note, these costs are only rough estimates.Feel free to argue for or against what I said. Nothing set in stone.
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If you shop carefully, today's "fi" is both higher and a lot cheaper, thanks in part to commodity-priced computing power (including DSP!) and high-performance amplifier ICs. Even Bluetooth speakers: Earlier ones could have peaky frequency responses, while newer ones look more deliberately designed. I noticed the change with Sony and JBL products, even $14 novelty speakers.
You can get transparent amp and DAC for a few hundred new. Computer or phone as a source.
After that it just depends how fancy you want to get with the loudspeakers. They and the room are what will determine ultimate fidelity. A grand spent wisely on the used market will get you some ten grand speakers. High end sound for under £1500.
No way you could do that back in the 1980s. Not even remotely close.
After that it just depends how fancy you want to get with the loudspeakers. They and the room are what will determine ultimate fidelity. A grand spent wisely on the used market will get you some ten grand speakers. High end sound for under £1500.
No way you could do that back in the 1980s. Not even remotely close.
How high?
Two drivers for simply diy desktop speakers (bassless, appropriate subs will be required) costs about 1000 each
KRAKATOA Quintuple 18" Point Source Full Range
... in the spirit of ASR fun, for those looking for an active full range speaker, a new one just released: https://www.bassboss.com/catalog/krakatoa-quintuple-18-powered-point-source 4-Way quintuple 18” powered co-axial point source full range Full-Range single axis point source. Vented...
www.audiosciencereview.com
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HalSF
Active Member
When the rhetoric of high-end audiophilia with its overweening notions of the Absolute Sound and luxe pretensions took over and displaced prosaic, commodity notions of hi-fi, it created a framework in which sound quality was indexed to higher and higher prices as if MSRP itself was being applied objectively and scientifically by audio brands. “What is your budget?” was treated as the primary and essential savvy question you needed to start with. Meanwhile the whole invidious vocabulary of mid-fi and budget and affordable and entry level was created both to attract new customers and create FOMO upgrade fever, and to spread the idea that reasonable cost was a slightly sad compromise.
“Cheap or expensive?” is a bit of a binary trap. Great sounding hi-fi can be both inexpensive and yet require a certain amount of serious spending for minimal excellence and performance, especially on the transducer side, but the siren call of luxury and great expense is upselling hype and should be ignored by most people.
“Cheap or expensive?” is a bit of a binary trap. Great sounding hi-fi can be both inexpensive and yet require a certain amount of serious spending for minimal excellence and performance, especially on the transducer side, but the siren call of luxury and great expense is upselling hype and should be ignored by most people.
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With these specs:How high?
Two drivers for simply diy desktop speakers (bassless, appropriate subs will be required) costs about 1000 each
KRAKATOA Quintuple 18" Point Source Full Range
... in the spirit of ASR fun, for those looking for an active full range speaker, a new one just released: https://www.bassboss.com/catalog/krakatoa-quintuple-18-powered-point-source 4-Way quintuple 18” powered co-axial point source full range Full-Range single axis point source. Vented...
18HTX100 8Ω - Triaxials - B&C Speakers
www.bcspeakers.com
I think most people would consider it good potential for high SPL.
_____
Addendum to my #30. For less than $1000 and you get these:
Kali Audio LP-6v2 (Second Wave) 2-Way Studio Monitor Review
Kali Audio LP-6v2 2-Way Studio Monitor Review
www.erinsaudiocorner.com
...or these:
Elac Debut Reference DBR-62 Speaker Review
This is a review and detailed measurements of the Elac Debut Reference DBR-62 bookshelf speaker. It was kindly purchased new and drop shipped to me for testing. The DBR-62 costs US $600 a pair from multiple sources/dealers. The DBR-62 comes in black and walnut finish or the distressed Oak and...
audiosciencereview.com
And those speakers may well be considered "good" HiFi.
terryforsythe
Major Contributor
That system looks to me like it provides very good performance, especially for the price.
Barrelhouse Solly
Addicted to Fun and Learning
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One thing I've noticed, and I bought my first hifi setup in 1965, is that audio equipment, especially the electronic stuff, has gotten cheaper. My first setup was all used mono equipment: Fisher tuner/preamp, Brociner 25 watt power amp, Rek o Kut turntable mounted on a piece of 3/4" plywood, and a Fisher acoustic suspension speaker. It cost close to $300 IIRC. It might have been a bit less. The amp had an "outstanding" (for the time) S/N ratio at full power of 60 dB. My current desktop system includes an Ayima A07 amp, SMSL SU-1 DAC, and Pioneer SP-BS22-LR speakers that cost a bit over $200. There's been some inflation in the last 60 years and my desktop components were all bought new. I got a break on the speakers, $69 for the pair on sale at Fry's. No turntable, no radio tuner. All of these have been reviewed here and got strong recommendations from Amir. The system sounds great to me. The only thing I miss is that the preamp had adjustable loudness contour. It also supported a variety of EQ curves for different brands of 78s.
I thought people would understand plain English. I guess now all cleared.If you really agreed, you should have put the word "great" in quotes
kemmler3D
Master Contributor
I would have to disagree...
I sold some B&W DM2000s which were maybe not "great" but quality mid-tier speakers in the 80s, $1300/pr at the time, using the US BLS inflation metric, that would be $3800.
Today that will nearly get you a pair of LS60s, (I paid more, sad, but you can find them near $4K) which blow them out of the water and a few miles inland to boot.
I think debating inflation metrics is fine but you do need to be specific as to why it's not appropriate for the discussion at hand. They're just aggregates of specific price trends over time.
In this case the inflation metrics are only good for comparing audio to the aggregate prices of other goods. If you compare audio to audio I think it's obvious quality has become much, much cheaper over time. An un-adjusted $200 will get you a much better DAC today than it ever did in the past... so really there's been deflation in audio.
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