Is Recency Bias fooling us all the time or manufacturers?

[Verig]

One thing I find fascinating and that I think suits the topic of this thread is the urge for the Meta technology in KEF speakers. It seems like many people can't wait for their favorite series of KEF speakers to get the "Meta-treatment", but can anyone, in all honesty, hear a difference that without a doubt is thanks to the Meta plates behind the drivers, or isn't it more likely that the new model is just voiced differently than the older version which causes the difference in sound?

Anything "meta... nano..." is of course marketing but here the upgrade is clearly audible, especially with LS50, so ok ok. With LS50 you can take a look at internal structure and crossover. If everything is the same then the driver itself does something differently. Then again is it just the "meta" part or a combination of things in the driver design, I don't know. "Just voicing" is not the case as LS50 measurements show objective problems. LS50 Meta is much better so it's an actual design improvement, not a matter of taste.
Kef Metas for peanuts? Yes please. Quite likely there will be some discounts, that is often the case. I'm one to buy last gen stuff.

Hifiman Nano, Stealth, Organic variants are a bit more vague in this regard. So is, say, going from beryllium tweeter to diamond.

 

[Oddball]

I upgrade when I feel I need to. Much of my system is 15-20 years old as these components perform very well even in present day, but I did add new stuff over time as well. Sometimes next generation of the product might be worth the upgrade, sometimes it might be more evolutionary. Everyone should decide for themselves if worth upgrade.

DSP and video processing chips are ahead in terms of processing capabilities compared to the demand of the software that would run on them. Dirac ART can apparently run on 4 year old chips. Storm PQ and bass management as well. Audy 32 even on older chips. Not sure about Anthem ARC, but their models are also couple of years old. I don't think we need better chips but better room corrections software.

 

[EERecordist]

That is a pretty large proposed generalization. It depends on the person. Country breakdowns, age breakdowns, budget breakdowns, ASR participante, high end minus science, audio professionals are first-level segments. My young DJ friends will have their DJ setup in their living room with bigger speakers than needed, but maybe they play them out at events.

Personally I look at my needs (and all the failed equipment on my repair bench) and add judiciously. I also have to digitize all my obsolete media, then I can sell the player gear for it.

Worldwide there is a trend towards density and rental housing. Usually common walls and floors are not well sound-isolated. So speakers and power are less an attraction. Of course it's no problem on 5 acres or more.

As others have said, it's a hobby, so not exactly rational. It has an element of connoisseurship, studied aesthetics.

I have known/know many women recording engineers and musicians. I have quite a few female friends in the analog synth/electronic music genres. The industry and industry publications are welcoming women. I think it would be interesting to see a female audiophile segment emerge. Will we see Herman Miller Eames lounge chairs sold in pairs and shown in pairs in architectural design magazines? Or will the audiophile culture just fade away?

All IMO, of course.

 

[Sal1950]

Answered NO.
Not in many years. It's been a long time since I replaced anything that didn't measure audibly better (my speakers), or
needed to be because of a failure or desired platform updates, (DRC & surround codec's, etc).