Hi everyone. We’re just getting started on The Ultimate Guide to High-End, covering the world’s best hi-fi, home cinema and display technology. It's on sale 31st July. A few selected hi-fi highlights to whet your appetite: we’ll have all-new reviews of CD players like the Audioresearch CD7 and Meridian 808.2i Signature Reference, amps including the Naim NAC252/Supercap/NAP250 combo, the Plinius Tautoro/SA Reference pre/power and Krell’s gigantic FBI, plus speakers such as the Martin Logan Vantages, Wilson Audio Duettes and KEF Reference 207/2s. We’ll also cover other high-end components, from £20,000 SIM2 projectors to Denon’s latest £10,000 two-box home cinema giants, and we’ll even be reviewing in-car audio, with top-spec systems from Audi, Jaguar, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and, with luck, Bentley. And of course, we’ll also have our regular feature in the front of the magazine where you all get to have your say. So tell us: what’s so special about high-end hi-fi? If you’re fortunate enough to be an owner, how happy are you with your system, and how do you justify spending the cash to yourself? And how much difference do you think buying high-end kit makes to your listening pleasure? As ever, I’m looking for quotes that try to describe the experience of listening to high-end kit, or try to convey the thrill of owning it. I’m going to put this same post up on the home cinema forum (modified to suit, of course!) but if any of you want to post comments on your home cinema kit on this thread too, fire away. The most interesting contributions will be published in our regular feature in the front section of the magazine. By the way, I'm off on holiday for a fortnight after today, so I won't be able to join in much on this one. I've no doubt my colleagues will more than make up for my absence! All the best, Andy
The Ultimate Guide To High-End is on the way – we need your help!
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[quote user="Tear Drop"]The problem with 'high-end' audio is that hardly anybody knows what it is.[/quote]
Didn't your listening school teach you "How to listen to High-end" then? ;-)
Didn't your listening school teach you "How to listen to High-end" then? ;-)
John Duncan
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Hi end audio for me needn't be expensive, that's the first biggest mistake to chasing your tail, hi end sound for me is sound you can listen to for hours without fatigue, a sense of realism, naturalness, presence.
I don't think you need to justify what you spend your money on to anyone, we all have hobbies and ours is audio, as long as we have paid our needs i.e food, mortgage, and don't get into debt over it then lets enjoy our hobby!!
I don't think you need to justify what you spend your money on to anyone, we all have hobbies and ours is audio, as long as we have paid our needs i.e food, mortgage, and don't get into debt over it then lets enjoy our hobby!!
How about high end being the top 5% ( or so) of all hifi? (not in terms of price but purely based on performance) Would be interesting to see how many cheaper models would get in amongst the heavyweights. Imagine a musical fidelity a5.5 rated higher than a Gamut or Levinson for example 🙂.
John Duncan
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[quote user="silly"]I don't think you need to justify what you spend your money on to anyone, we all have hobbies and ours is audio, as long as we have paid our needs i.e food, mortgage, and don't get into debt over it then lets enjoy our hobby!![/quote]
I quite agree. Some people spend inordinate sums on fashion, for example, and as anyone who knows me will attest, I just don't see the point in that. However, to be clear, I wasn't looking for moral justifications, so much as technical or emotional ones. For example, with my Meridian kit, I found the overwhelming cleverness of the system - its design, its ease of use, its adaptability, its resistance to obsolescence - to be almost as attractive (and therefore almost as much of a justification of its high cost) as the fantastic sounds and pictures it could generate.
You'll note I said 'almost'.
One other point, guys. We've all covered the 'What Is High-End?' point before, and in some depth. Can we try not to get too deep into that one again, please? I'd rather hear about the kit you've got and what you think about it than get bogged down in semantics.
I quite agree. Some people spend inordinate sums on fashion, for example, and as anyone who knows me will attest, I just don't see the point in that. However, to be clear, I wasn't looking for moral justifications, so much as technical or emotional ones. For example, with my Meridian kit, I found the overwhelming cleverness of the system - its design, its ease of use, its adaptability, its resistance to obsolescence - to be almost as attractive (and therefore almost as much of a justification of its high cost) as the fantastic sounds and pictures it could generate.
You'll note I said 'almost'.
One other point, guys. We've all covered the 'What Is High-End?' point before, and in some depth. Can we try not to get too deep into that one again, please? I'd rather hear about the kit you've got and what you think about it than get bogged down in semantics.
Because a lot of our readers are interested in it, Andy. I'm not talking about Sound-Off-style boom and bang kit: the B&O system in the Audi A8 is pretty serious stuff, and I'm intrigued by Naim's new system for Bentley, although I haven't heard it yet.
[quote user="JAXON5"]Imagine a musical fidelity a5.5 rated higher than a Gamut or Levinson for
example 🙂.[/quote]
No!!! I can't 🙂
How I would describe Highend? (in a broken English way as always!)
High end companys normally don't make a budget range . The components used are generally a lot higher quality that usually found in the mass market produced brand.
The main differnt normally will be pin point imaging, Natural bass (if you ever play the intrument, you will know what I mean) and Details.
The sound of them? I can only descripe as "glorious", once you own them...there is no turning back. It is the case of "finding downgrading from highend is harder than Upgrading from Budget - midrange eqipments.because High end HiFi give you the sense that being there! all is there between you and the bands is just fresh air.
example 🙂.[/quote]
No!!! I can't 🙂
How I would describe Highend? (in a broken English way as always!)
High end companys normally don't make a budget range . The components used are generally a lot higher quality that usually found in the mass market produced brand.
The main differnt normally will be pin point imaging, Natural bass (if you ever play the intrument, you will know what I mean) and Details.
The sound of them? I can only descripe as "glorious", once you own them...there is no turning back. It is the case of "finding downgrading from highend is harder than Upgrading from Budget - midrange eqipments.because High end HiFi give you the sense that being there! all is there between you and the bands is just fresh air.
[quote user="Andy H"]Point taken, but do you not think it would be better to let the car mags take care of that and stick to home hifi.[/quote]
We have quite enough car mags in this building able to do the 'how it goes round corners' and 'luggage capacity rear seats up/down' stuff - we'll just concentrate on how the in-car systems sound.
And when you get the likes of Bang & Olufsen, B&W, Dynaudio and Naim taking car audio seriously, we reckon it's time we did, too.
Mind you, it's nothing new - when I first started on these magazines we used to review in-car radiocassettes every month, and have an in-car special at least once a year.
We have quite enough car mags in this building able to do the 'how it goes round corners' and 'luggage capacity rear seats up/down' stuff - we'll just concentrate on how the in-car systems sound.
And when you get the likes of Bang & Olufsen, B&W, Dynaudio and Naim taking car audio seriously, we reckon it's time we did, too.
Mind you, it's nothing new - when I first started on these magazines we used to review in-car radiocassettes every month, and have an in-car special at least once a year.
[quote user="Thaiman"] Didn't your listening school teach you "How to listen to High-end" then? ;-)[/quote]
LOL. Wish the theory classes were supported with some practicals with these babies!
LOL. Wish the theory classes were supported with some practicals with these babies!
[quote user="thfcwestlower"]
I want a Vanman quote in the Ultimate Guide....
[/quote]
if i may reply on his behalf...
after dropping 70k on my new high end hi-fi i couldnt wait to get it home, drop a coin in the slot and immediately be transported to the front row at a Guns and Roses gig
I want a Vanman quote in the Ultimate Guide....
[/quote]
if i may reply on his behalf...
after dropping 70k on my new high end hi-fi i couldnt wait to get it home, drop a coin in the slot and immediately be transported to the front row at a Guns and Roses gig
If you switch your hi-fi on and your heart rate increases to 100bpm, then your listening to hi-fi. If you switch on your hi-fi and your heart rate increases to 160bpm, then you're listening to high-end!
High-end hi-fi is what we all aspire to, and most of us never achieve it. Sadly, the lucky one's do get the ultimate in emotional haven - the artist really is teleported into the room!
High-end hi-fi is what we all aspire to, and most of us never achieve it. Sadly, the lucky one's do get the ultimate in emotional haven - the artist really is teleported into the room!
The difference between high end and budget is night and day. Some people think I am insane buying speakers more expensive than a small family car but it's a lifetime investment from which I'll get more pleasure from than any Ford. The ART EMOTION Signatures is the best money I have ever spent. Truly breathtaking.
[quote user="thfcwestlower"]I want a Vanman quote in the Ultimate Guide....[/quote]
Don't think we can stretch to in-van audio
Don't think we can stretch to in-van audio
Quote - it's the closest thing to being there, a glass of wine and having Groove Armada in your front room is what it's all about
[quote user="JoelSim"]Quote - it's the closest thing to being there, a glass of wine and having Groove Armada in your front room is what it's all about[/quote]
Good one. Bet that makes it in the mag 🙂
Think Jaxon5! something snappy, with beginning, middle and end, come on.......well maybe tomorrow
Good one. Bet that makes it in the mag 🙂
Think Jaxon5! something snappy, with beginning, middle and end, come on.......well maybe tomorrow
[quote user="JAXON5"][quote user="JoelSim"]Quote - it's the closest thing to being there, a glass of wine and having Groove Armada in your front room is what it's all about[/quote]
Good one. Bet that makes it in the mag 🙂
Think Jaxon5! something snappy, with beginning, middle and end, come on.......well maybe tomorrow[/quote]
Well I didn't make it in last time :-(
Good one. Bet that makes it in the mag 🙂
Think Jaxon5! something snappy, with beginning, middle and end, come on.......well maybe tomorrow[/quote]
Well I didn't make it in last time :-(
[quote user="JoelSim"]Quote - it's the closest thing to being there, a glass of wine and having Groove Armada in your front room is what it's all about[/quote]
Doing so well until you mentioned Groove Armada...
Doing so well until you mentioned Groove Armada...
[quote user="Andrew Everard"]
[quote user="JoelSim"]Quote - it's the closest thing to being there, a glass of wine and having Groove Armada in your front room is what it's all about[/quote]
Doing so well until you mentioned Groove Armada...
[/quote]
Ah, but the bongo player, Patrick Dawes was on my course at Uni and we revised together for our finals. I was cooler than him then tho'
Obviously now he's in a rock band, and I'm a hifi nerd...
[quote user="JoelSim"]Quote - it's the closest thing to being there, a glass of wine and having Groove Armada in your front room is what it's all about[/quote]
Doing so well until you mentioned Groove Armada...
[/quote]
Ah, but the bongo player, Patrick Dawes was on my course at Uni and we revised together for our finals. I was cooler than him then tho'
Obviously now he's in a rock band, and I'm a hifi nerd...
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