I was just reflecting on my HiFi and some of the modern exasperations and it occurred to me that HiFi kit could and should be much less relatively expensive than it has ever been and, indeed, needs to be.
The first thought was that compared to when I was working in the business all the measuring equipment is almost negligibly cheap compared to then (1970s) and has spectacularly more power.
Processing and microprocessors also but what really got me thinking was a combination between a thread here about CDs v file based music, and on another yet more discussion about firmware updates breaking existing features and this sort of thing.
The kit I have enjoyed for the last 25 years was fairly expensive but it has lasted 25 years (and hasn't failed yet) without need of updates and I am still enjoying it every day.
I have some DSP speakers which sound great but I hardly ever use.
I have a drone which I don't use any more because almost every time I wanted to there was an update rigmarole which left me losing the will to live, updating but missing what I wanted to use it for.
I am fairly sure I could get better sound from several speakers nowadays, though maybe not much in my listening conditions far field, but the frustration would, if my past experience be anything to go by, very much greater than zero and the obsolescence would mean it is neither likely to last or be serviceable for as long. So it would need to be cheap because it would need to be changed more often, and it could be because most of the electronics are much less expensive than they used to be.
Would I really notice how much better it was by enjoying my music more? Probably not.
Am I just too old?
The first thought was that compared to when I was working in the business all the measuring equipment is almost negligibly cheap compared to then (1970s) and has spectacularly more power.
Processing and microprocessors also but what really got me thinking was a combination between a thread here about CDs v file based music, and on another yet more discussion about firmware updates breaking existing features and this sort of thing.
The kit I have enjoyed for the last 25 years was fairly expensive but it has lasted 25 years (and hasn't failed yet) without need of updates and I am still enjoying it every day.
I have some DSP speakers which sound great but I hardly ever use.
I have a drone which I don't use any more because almost every time I wanted to there was an update rigmarole which left me losing the will to live, updating but missing what I wanted to use it for.
I am fairly sure I could get better sound from several speakers nowadays, though maybe not much in my listening conditions far field, but the frustration would, if my past experience be anything to go by, very much greater than zero and the obsolescence would mean it is neither likely to last or be serviceable for as long. So it would need to be cheap because it would need to be changed more often, and it could be because most of the electronics are much less expensive than they used to be.
Would I really notice how much better it was by enjoying my music more? Probably not.
Am I just too old?