Future of Hifi

[shado]

Now some manufacturers are starting to incorporate Wifi and DACs into a 1 box solution what is the future for hifi?

Miniaturization - damn it I had to check the dictionary to spell this!

Style.

So how small can a one box of tricks be - Remote control size, Credit Card etc

Speakers that look like pictures, hang on wall, digital photoframes that transforms from picture to speaker like opening blinds etc. Could you have active versions or would it have to be electrostatic?

See I have an active imagination. Almost as bad as all readers on WHF anniversary taking part in a global system survey, playing a piece of music at a certain time on their systems and describing how it sounds and listing their components to aid all enthusiasts and guiding newbies pros and cons of their systems. Not only an appreciation of music but of the equipment that fuels it.

HIFI STATEMENT

 

[JamesOK]

Up until very recently Ive totally ignored the likes of digital music via iTunes and mac, and spotify. Whilst I still am not really a fan of needing a computer screen on just to play my music, I do quite like the iPod remote to control iTunes through the DAC on my amp.

To me, this is likely the future, digital music whether it be spotify or itunes, through a reasonable remote control where you dont need to have your keyboard and mouse to control the music.

I cant really see one box setups taking over, as I am no expert but would assume youre never going to get as good quality jammed in to a small space when compared with 2 or 3 separate boxes.

I also dont see the CD player dying a death any time soon, as no matter what quality of DAC I have heard, the equivalent CD player always edges it in my opinion.

 

[DavieCee]

The future:-

HD to download/rip and store to (and backed up of course).

Control station either hard wired or wireless which plays the music/movies, remote controlled. HDMI connections to TV/Monitor for visuals and digital optical to DAC for sound.

DAC to amp to speakers.

That's the seperates option. Obviously companies will integrate boxes for a simplified solution but that makes upgrading more difficult and expensive.

 

[the record spot]

The future? More "cloud" based in time - high quality streaming a la Spotify, but with hi-res/HD Audio capability. Likely premium charging initially, but prices coming down. Less proliferation of multi-component systems as per traditional hifi to date, more compact solutions, trickle down technology delivering higher quality reproduction in smaller audio hardware solutions. Higher quality integrated (in-wall) speaker systems mean less of an impact in domestic settings.

 

[AEJim]

the record spot:The future? More "cloud" based in time - high quality streaming a la Spotify, but with hi-res/HD Audio capability. Likely premium charging initially, but prices coming down. Less proliferation of multi-component systems as per traditional hifi to date, more compact solutions, trickle down technology delivering higher quality reproduction in smaller audio hardware solutions. Higher quality integrated (in-wall) speaker systems mean less of an impact in domestic settings.

I'm not convinced by the in-wall option - it sounds great when done well, we spent a long time making ours sound like the traditional "box" speakers, but the UK in particular doesn't accept it on the whole. CI is popular in the US where construction methods make the process a lot easier, but in Victorian UK terraced houses it's a lot harder to implement and people just don't like carving their walls up.

On the digital front - definitely how it's going, media servers were tried years back but never caught on but that kind of system is starting to become a reality for many now and I expect that to continue. I'm not sure of the "Cloud" systems that Apple in particular are trying to gear us up to - people like to own their music and video, renting it online and having no hard copy doesn't appeal for now - I'm sure Apple will market it well enough to catch on though...

 

[Anonymous]

To debate this we should probably replace the term 'hi fi' with 'audio playback'. The two do not always go hand in hand.

We have already seen 'audio playback' become an application of the computer and network.

Apple's vision is increasingly towards what the IT industry calls 'convergence' - of technology and function on a single device, system, network or medium.

IP telephony is another example.

What is clear is that now that 'audio playback' has entered this realm we will see continuous change and development.

Examine home cinema amplification for a moment - This is a relatively new field compared to hi-fi. Products and technologies have developed at astonishing speed.

The mobile phone is another such example. How many of us will be using current generation iPhones in five years time? - Not many, I expect....and while mobile phones often include digital cameras, for instance, I find the results of these 'cameras applications' to be vastly inferior to those offered by a proper camera.

(Actually, I recently sought out and purchased for my father the antithesis of the iPhone, a large, loud mobile phone designed for a niche market...those who need an easy to use phone that provides no functionality beyond this core use...)

Many, but crucially, not all of these new technologies can improve as opposed to detract from audio quality. The key is probably to make choices that avoid needless compromise to audio quality (if that's your goal!)

Jack of all trades...

 

[Anonymous]

Echoing the words of AEJim, the long term future appears to be having personal roaming profiles and playlists and accessing media via 'the cloud'. Even the kids of today will probably not fully embrace this concept, as even with downloads we get the sense of ownership and 'the cloud' means we rent the media and it appearswe lose ultimate control of what we can do with it.

I think digital amplification is a given in the next few years. I audtioned the Lyngdorf TDAi2200 recently and, even though I did not go for this in the end, it was immensely impressive. I went for Naim incidently who colour the sound in their own unique way.

At the end of the day it has to end up as soundwaves so we can hear it, so Speakers will still be required to do the same thing, but technology could favour something like putting some kind of wallpaper up that acts as a speaker giving a immersive sound stage.

On a nearer term objective, I just hope we can download full-res (CD quality and more) audio at the same price as an MP3. Personally i think the price model of MP3 downloads is far too expensive; I can buy a CD for cheaper most of the time.

 

[AlmaataKZ]

the record spot:The future? More "cloud" based in time - high quality streaming a la Spotify, but with hi-res/HD Audio capability. Likely premium charging initially, but prices coming down. Less proliferation of multi-component systems as per traditional hifi to date, more compact solutions, trickle down technology delivering higher quality reproduction in smaller audio hardware solutions. Higher quality integrated (in-wall) speaker systems mean less of an impact in domestic settings.

that's my thinking as well.

in terms of music distribution - cloud adn pay per view is what may bring hi-rez to mainstream, as this way the record industry keeps the revenue stream long-term

in terms of kit - smaller, more integrated boxes with easy control and computer-like networking and intergation

speakers - ths is where I am not sure as quality sound reproduction has strong links to physical dimensions of speakers

 

[idc]

Internet based music with either downloads or streamed music to expand massively. Tone controls to make a comeback. A decline in high cost 'audiophile cables' and 'tweeks'.

 

[basshead]

unless 'hi-fi' companies speed up their adoption of new technologies and incorporate wi-fi and usb connectivity (for the masses, and cheaply)..... 'hi-fi' may just become even more of a niche market and prices will rise, meaning less people can afford a 'hi-fi' sound. i feel that the youth of today (me being one) care more of connectivity and convenience than of overall SQ, just look at the popularity of mp3's.

also... i am the only person i know with a stereo amp, all of my friends use home cinema amps for music, because they have USB connectivety and they can use their tv as a monitor for choosing tracks.

hi-fi will become less of a specialist device for a specialist task... and will become just another thing connected to everything else. onece cheap mini systems (50quid or less) all havi wi-fi then this will be plenty for most people... pick a ssong on youtube on your iphone/ipod touch, play it wirelessly over the home wi-fi network through the mini system, easy peasy.

 

[idc]

Jaxwired has some interesting threads which talk of the US market being dominated by home cinema and finding traditional hifi is getting harder. The same is happening here, but not to same extent, yet.

 

[the record spot]

basshead:
unless 'hi-fi' companies speed up their adoption of new technologies and incorporate wi-fi and usb connectivity (for the masses, and cheaply)..... 'hi-fi' may just become even more of a niche market and prices will rise, meaning less people can afford a 'hi-fi' sound. i feel that the youth of today (me being one) care more of connectivity and convenience than of overall SQ, just look at the popularity of mp3's.

also... i am the only person i know with a stereo amp, all of my friends use home cinema amps for music, because they have USB connectivety and they can use their tv as a monitor for choosing tracks.

hi-fi will become less of a specialist device for a specialist task... and will become just another thing connected to everything else. onece cheap mini systems (50quid or less) all havi wi-fi then this will be plenty for most people... pick a ssong on youtube on your iphone/ipod touch, play it wirelessly over the home wi-fi network through the mini system, easy peasy.

I don't think it'll be that long before connectivity and performance (higher quality audio) will be with us. Spotify can already be had on the mobile phone and it's VERY good if you have a good signal (this is the 320kbps premium service which I tried for a while). So we already have "cloud" music provision. The problem is probably more to do with achieving good quality connections more consistently and not suffering the "drop-out" problems that seem to bug so many users currently.

As for the speaker solutions I was referring to - I was probably thinking of going forward in time fifty years or so and what we might have then. I suspect the product lines will have changed substantially, but by the same token, if the oil's near to running out, better think about dusting down those gramophones...we might be needing them. Obviously, this opens up the whole "shellac v. cylinder" debate all over again.

 

[basshead]

i remember watching an episode of the gadget show a few years ago... they had a demo of a flat speaker that pushed out sound in one direction only.. meaning that you could have them aimed at you and play music as loud as you like and no one else in the room could hear the music at all,. it was also mentioned on the show that they could be used in cars, so that each person could listen to different things, or in pubs with multiple screens playing sports, each section of the pub having comentary/sound from for each different screen ....

does any1 else remember this, and know if any further progress was made with them? maybe not 'hi-fi' as such but could change how people listen to audio

 

[shooter]

I quite like having Hi-Fi in the room. Theres something quite nice sitting late of an evening supping on a red and being illuminated from the Hi-Fi.

I'm a big fan of speakers also and don't have a problem with them either. I think if you do you may as well sell up and go travelling around europe with an iPod. Urgh.

Hi-Rez streaming probably not 16 bit 44.1 kHz.

 

[Anonymous]

im a hifi purist, but only till tmw, when i will add my new 50in plasma, my blu-ray player, avr, humax foxsat, centre speaker, subwoofer, and lots of cables..

it looks alot better now, less cluttered, but i couldnt do without my home cinema gear, no matter how pure i feel without it..

 

[the record spot]

You've never been pure Max!

 

[Anonymous]

the record spot:You've never been pure Max!

...

 

[the record spot]

Eh? All I can see is pure, driven.....ooh I see what you did there you tyke!

 

[Anonymous]

the record spot:Eh? All I can see is pure, driven.....ooh I see what you did there you tyke!

today is arthurs day , so i ..

 

[Andrew Everard]

maxflinn:today is arthurs day , so i ..

...post pictures that take about a month to load.

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew Everard:
maxflinn:today is arthurs day , so i ..

...post pictures that take about a month to load.

 

[shooter]

the record spot:The future? More "cloud" based in time

Sooner than you think RS.....

Clicky.

 

[the record spot]

Aye aye! Not a bad price at £3 a year too. Though Spotify's been at the game for a while as well - I think the whole centralised repository can be done in several ways, though they're all similar, but the pinnacle will be when they've got HD audio streaming IMO. Got to start somewhere though and smart move by Pure into the bargain I think.