How come Hi Fi and av gear keeps on improving by leaps and bounds every year according to reviews but somehow my current crop of gear abelt more features ect ect doent really sound any better than stuff i had 5 years ago? Or is it just me and my rose colour'd specs???????
Continious improvement?
- Thread starter admin_exported
- Start date
Frank Harvey
Well-known member
- Jun 27, 2008
- 567
- 1
- 18,890
Or is it that you imagine your previous equipment sounded as good?
As with all things, you buy something new, it improves on what it replaces, and you're happy for a while. Eventually you become accustomed to the sound of your now not so new toy and feel like a change. You buy another new toy to replace your previous new toy and everything's rosy as you enjoy the improvements. Then after a while you become accustomed to it, and it doesn't seem to sound any better to you than what you had previously.
Example? After being spoilt by some stunning looking BluRay discs, DVD looks like VHS.
As with all things, you buy something new, it improves on what it replaces, and you're happy for a while. Eventually you become accustomed to the sound of your now not so new toy and feel like a change. You buy another new toy to replace your previous new toy and everything's rosy as you enjoy the improvements. Then after a while you become accustomed to it, and it doesn't seem to sound any better to you than what you had previously.
Example? After being spoilt by some stunning looking BluRay discs, DVD looks like VHS.
Well thats just it my post was a question rather than a statement. Although i dragged my pioneer 2011 downstairs the other day and in fairness in some ways it sounded better than my current onkyo much tighter bass i thought! although not as reveiling!
Frank Harvey
Well-known member
- Jun 27, 2008
- 567
- 1
- 18,890
I didnt quite mean that lol! Put it this way. ive reading hi fi press for 20 odd years now and ever year there a new king of the stereo amps in for arguments sake the £300 segment thats better than last years model so if you accumalate 20 or so years of slight improvments that should relate to a gob smacking differnce these amps should by now sound like they were made by god himself. where as my mates 15 or year old rotel amp sounds not a lot differnt to the currunt crop of budget amps!
I think most improvements are really rather small, but inceremental. With very few exceptions, hardly any equipment redefines its market sector, and there are very few duff products out there, so the difference between the average and the special is relatively small.
It's a problem we grapple with all the time as reviewers - some of the differences are the result of the equivalent of microscopic examination, but such is needed given the generally high standards on offer these days.
It's a problem we grapple with all the time as reviewers - some of the differences are the result of the equivalent of microscopic examination, but such is needed given the generally high standards on offer these days.
Andrew Everard:
I think most improvements are really rather small, but inceremental. With very few exceptions, hardly any equipment redefines its market sector, and there are very few duff products out there, so the difference between the average and the special is relatively small.
It's a problem we grapple with all the time as reviewers - some of the differences are the result of the equivalent of microscopic examination, but such is needed given the generally high standards on offer these days.
Yes i can imagine its a hard job! Sometimes when ive auditioned gear its dammed difficult to decide which is best. Very easy to tell that gear sounds differnt but better?
I think most improvements are really rather small, but inceremental. With very few exceptions, hardly any equipment redefines its market sector, and there are very few duff products out there, so the difference between the average and the special is relatively small.
It's a problem we grapple with all the time as reviewers - some of the differences are the result of the equivalent of microscopic examination, but such is needed given the generally high standards on offer these days.
Yes i can imagine its a hard job! Sometimes when ive auditioned gear its dammed difficult to decide which is best. Very easy to tell that gear sounds differnt but better?
Indeed. Not sure I explained that very well, but it is Sunday and the brain is running a bit slow this morning
Hi.. I am thinking that if manufacturers would listen to this suggestions, it may be possible to create all audio devices upgradable like computer CPU in future. If it has been practically done before, for imagination, my receiver can be easier upgraded from Dolby D EX to Dolby True HD, from DTS-ES to DTS HD, and even screen panels, jacks, and electronic parts can be replaced without spending lot of money.
A combination of best components from various brands in one receiver would also, for instance, produce the most desirable performance machine.
Just my imagination..
radovantz (not radovan who was captured recently)
A combination of best components from various brands in one receiver would also, for instance, produce the most desirable performance machine.
Just my imagination..
radovantz (not radovan who was captured recently)
I feel your pain. When it was released my Arcam A65+ was a 5 star product. 6 years or so on, the reader rescue in the latest issue singles out the A65+ as needing to be changed as it's now rubbish!!
:-(
Does make you wonder how a piece of kit becomes crappy over time.
:-(
Does make you wonder how a piece of kit becomes crappy over time.
Talking about 5 star, i would like to share my opinion to the Editors. What Hi-Fi is the most influence guidance in the world. The ratings help me purchase the best products for the money. But i am worry that my collection would be no longer 5 star products in future.
For record, there was a competition between KEF and Monitor Audio floorstanding speakers last year. Both speakers are 5 stars in the begining, but later, one of them was loosing a star right after the competition. I feel sorry to anyone who had purchased the loosing product.
In my opinion, maybe it is more practical of using different colour of stars between new and old products, rather than pulling a star by newer rivals. Newer rivals with 5 stars ratings can be coloured by orange, or green, without downgrading old rivals.
just my opinion
radovantz
For record, there was a competition between KEF and Monitor Audio floorstanding speakers last year. Both speakers are 5 stars in the begining, but later, one of them was loosing a star right after the competition. I feel sorry to anyone who had purchased the loosing product.
In my opinion, maybe it is more practical of using different colour of stars between new and old products, rather than pulling a star by newer rivals. Newer rivals with 5 stars ratings can be coloured by orange, or green, without downgrading old rivals.
just my opinion
radovantz
John Duncan
Well-known member
- Jan 8, 2008
- 2,034
- 30
- 19,720
As stated above, improvements are small bordering on miniscule, and there's only five stars to play with. Buy excellent four star products in the first place, then you won't have to worry about them being knocked off their pedestal. And be grateful that Moore's Law does not apply.........
professorhat
Well-known member
- Dec 28, 2007
- 992
- 22
- 18,895
And if you like the sound of your system, does it matter that one of the components has lost a star? It just means you're aware that, if and when you upgrade, you should be able to find something which further improves the sound.
Similar threads
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram