Things I hate about Hifi

[Kenneth Fernandes]

You said that this is the only way that things could work - and unless you've heard every other combination (which you've haven't), you cannot say 'only' way. But back on topic please or rules will be applied.

Also, currently, there aren't any speaker plugs that are registered as a universal electrical connector, for connecting speakers to amplifiers, and are a Standard connector that's issued by a governing body in the industry, for mass adoption, like the RCA and XLR connectors already have.

 

[RTHerringbone]

I didn't see him project and kind of lifestyle in the 3 odd years I've been watching his videos. Like where are the gold chains and Ferraris? He states what the products cost, so should WHF also refrain?

WHF and all magazines are going to review products that many cannot afford. So I don't understand your comments at all.

His lifestyle is his lifestyle, as are ours.

Well different people perceive things in different ways.

You don't have to wear a load of bling and roll out of a Lamborghini to project a certain image, and my perception was always that he tried to convey a quietly confident sense of wealth. But whatever - the main point for me is that sure WHF and other sources will review some high-end kit, but they won't typically compare that against more modestly priced options.

The Huff guy to me always seemed to say "Yeah the WiiM product is great value at $200 and - coughs - IF I COMPARE IT TO MY $25,000 STREAMER, it punches pretty well". Felt to me like there was always a flex in the videos.

There's a lot of reading between the lines 😆 Let's just say I'm not compatible with him but I totally accept that we all see things in different ways.

 

[manicm]

Well different people perceive things in different ways.

You don't have to wear a load of bling and roll out of a Lamborghini to project a certain image, and my perception was always that he tried to convey a quietly confident sense of wealth. But whatever - the main point for me is that sure WHF and other sources will review some high-end kit, but they won't typically compare that against more modestly priced options.

The Huff guy to me always seemed to say "Yeah the WiiM product is great value at $200 and - coughs - IF I COMPARE IT TO MY $25,000 STREAMER, it punches pretty well". Felt to me like there was always a flex in the videos.

There's a lot of reading between the lines 😆 Let's just say I'm not compatible with him but I totally accept that we all see things in different ways.

You obviously did not watch his latest video entirely, because for better or worse he explains his financial situation. I actually appreciate the fact that he says things like 'if I compare so and so'. He's not a professional reviewer, he's not claiming to be.

 

[manicm]

You might re-evaluate that opinion if you saw his other channel. I think he spoke to the Queen in one.

Please provide the link to his other channel, and I will check it out.

 

[RTHerringbone]

You obviously did not watch his latest video entirely, because for better or worse he explains his financial situation. I actually appreciate the fact that he says things like 'if I compare so and so'. He's not a professional reviewer, he's not claiming to be.

I did watch it all and look - we aren't going to agree on this one, and that's fine.

I don't think the end to the video contradicts anything I've said and it didn't really make me empathise any more / less with his situation.

 

[nopiano]

Those are still radio music boxes in listening for hours together, like a background music playback at a hotel. Unlike hi-end audio setups at home that fully engulfs the listener in enjoying the ultimate audio experience for the whole track length, in full resolution, especially Hi-Res albums.

Well then we clearly have very different perceptions of realistic home listening. 🙂

 

[Kenneth Fernandes]

Well then we clearly have very different perceptions of realistic home listening. 🙂

And Hi-Fi music listening on Hi-end audio setups at home is one among them.

 

[Kenneth Fernandes]

There aren’t any high current air/water/insulation cooled cables that are mainstream, in connecting speakers to amplifiers, with a single copper extruded tube.
And so buying the whole audio system from the same brand with all the components including cables is the future, but are not currently sold to customers.

 

[RoA]

... the fact that 'Hifi' is mostly targeted at middle to high aged males. The average show visit will be ample proof. It's like god's waiting room in a male only club and quite a sad reflection on the hobby.

Head-fi on the other hand, whilst still mostly male orientated, at least attracts a largely younger audience.

Then there's 'home-fi'. These are life style systems which integrate nicely into the average home without being shrines to Hifi, taking up most of a living room. This is where females come more into the equation and to me, that is a good thing.

Some traditional hifi brands are catching on to it (to the dismay of die hard hifi enthusiasts which just can not cope with the trend). Others are still dabbling in traditional legacy stuff hoping their demographic will live a few more years.

 

[RoA]

Youtube videos reviewing a relatively budget product ... then some idiot replying in comments that he just bought the same manufacturers top product at x times the cost stating how much he likes it without context. What is the bloody point?

 

[Kenneth Fernandes]

All-in-one Streaming Amplifiers, don’t have a built in expandable SSD storage to download Hi-Res albums either from the brand’s dedicated downloading App for searching and downloading albums that’s encrypted and secure or externally over the internet like in HDTracks.com.
Currently, one would need to connect via Ethernet to a NAS or server or play via removable storage devices like USB’s, instead of the Streaming Amplifier’s internal storage.

Then Hi-Res monthly steaming services will become obsolete. As downloading albums is even more personal than just streaming.

 

[RTHerringbone]

There are many reasons why that's impractical and I'll start with licensing. I can't see a world where an actual Hi-Fi manufacturer wants to get involved with that at all.

I think you're stretching the realms of possibility with your dream vision of a single manufacturer providing everything from end to end.

 

[manicm]

There are many reasons why that's impractical and I'll start with licensing. I can't see a world where an actual Hi-Fi manufacturer wants to get involved with that at all.

I think you're stretching the realms of possibility with your dream vision of a single manufacturer providing everything from end to end.

It's absolutely not far fetched. Licensing apart, technically it should be easy to implement. To be able to save to a drive is nothing.

 

[RTHerringbone]

It's absolutely not far fetched. Licensing apart, technically it should be easy to implement. To be able to save to a drive is nothing.

Oh technically it's a doddle but "licensing apart" is doing a lot of legwork here - it's a fundamental requirement of the ability to distribute music and I personally think it wouldn't be commercially viable for each manufacturer to license music.

Current services like TIDAL, Qobuz, Spotify etc. work because they are hardware agnostic and so are open to a much broader user base. As soon as you create a technological barrier to the breadth of that distribution, all economies of scale are diluted and it likely drives up the cost per subscription.

 

[Kenneth Fernandes]

Oh technically it's a doddle but "licensing apart" is doing a lot of legwork here - it's a fundamental requirement of the ability to distribute music and I personally think it wouldn't be commercially viable for each manufacturer to license music.

Current services like TIDAL, Qobuz, Spotify etc. work because they are hardware agnostic and so are open to a much broader user base. As soon as you create a technological barrier to the breadth of that distribution, all economies of scale are diluted and it likely drives up the cost per subscription.

Hi-Res music albums searching and purchasing is a thing really over streaming! ☺️

 

[manicm]

Oh technically it's a doddle but "licensing apart" is doing a lot of legwork here - it's a fundamental requirement of the ability to distribute music and I personally think it wouldn't be commercially viable for each manufacturer to license music.

Current services like TIDAL, Qobuz, Spotify etc. work because they are hardware agnostic and so are open to a much broader user base. As soon as you create a technological barrier to the breadth of that distribution, all economies of scale are diluted and it likely drives up the cost per subscription.

I need to remind you that YouTube Music, Apple Music, Tidal and Spotify all enable downloads on cellphones for offline listening. To enable this on hifi components will not break their agnosticism, but admittedly will require perhaps some custom API work, but I still don't see that as a big deal. And actually licensing will be a non issue cos the music can be downloaded onto a non user accessible small disk drive of the component, to disable external transfer.

 

[RTHerringbone]

Hi-Res music albums searching and purchasing is a thing really over streaming! ☺️

Yes. And how many of those services are directly provided end-to-end by Hi-Fi manufacturers?

 

[RTHerringbone]

And actually licensing will be a non issue cos the music can be downloaded onto a non user accessible small disk drive of the component, to disable external transfer.

Even that surely still requires a license? All those other services you listed will hold the relevant licenses and rights

My understanding was that the poster was hoping for the Hi-Fi manufacturers to provide EVERYTHING. If not and it's effectively just a Connect type API through to a separate vendor who already has the rights, then it's a non-issue.

 

[Shrek]

it all costs money its expensive and never ending 🙄

 

[Amormusic]

I hate the cost of vinyl. It's sounds amazing on my system, but some of the pricing is just daft.

 

[Kenneth Fernandes]

Yes. And how many of those services are directly provided end-to-end by Hi-Fi manufacturers?

None really. Hi-Fi audio manufacturers rely on third-party audio streaming platforms like Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, etc. for use on their hardware.

Just like iOS, Google Play Store, Xbox and PlayStation, all are different manufacturers, and have their unique App user interface in searching and downloading games and apps from the same developer for use
across platforms.

So, Hi-Fi manufacturers too could develop their unique rich user interface to seamlessly search and download Hi-Res albums and tracks. That is connected to a central Hi-Res audio database and is accessible only to Hi-Fi manufacturers to integrate the API onto their hardware and to Studios to publish and upload the audio files.

 

[RJW232]

Components that are now more clever than necessary.
My current amplifier has software that is updateable (via a mini USB socket).
It's an amplifier - and amplifying is all it needs to do.
My previous amp (from the same manufacturer) did perfectly well without software for decades.

It enables the manufacturer to release products that are not finished yet....

 

[RJW232]

So, Hi-Fi manufacturers too could develop their unique rich user interface to seamlessly search and download Hi-Res albums and tracks. That is connected to a central Hi-Res audio database and is accessible only to Hi-Fi manufacturers to integrate the API onto their hardware and to Studios to publish and upload the audio files.

That database will only be filled with the boring stuff you always hear at HIFI shows....

 

[Kenneth Fernandes]

That database will only be filled with the boring stuff you always hear at HIFI shows....

It will be the entire millions of Hi-Res songs that’s now available and all new upcoming Studio Albums.
Also, an DAW integration to the datacentre for uploading music files for new and independent Artists, initially, before releasing a full Studio Album. 😋

 

[Dave_]

1. Trad Hifi itself

Over the years I've dabbled with 2ch separates, then separate 2ch and AV setups, and combining them by using the stereo pair as fronts in an AV setup, then finally actives from pro audio manufacturers, and over that time I've come to loathe the stacks of boxes, associated spaghetti and furniture, which the move to actives only partially solved (along with their other benefits)

But can't be doing with any of it anymore.

Hence the move to a active AIO setup which are wall mounted along with the TV, and I wouldn't go back.

2. Headphones.

They're irritating and uncomfortable and can't abide the "in the head" sound.

3. Audiophiles.

Years of exposure on forums has left me with utter contempt for the snobbishness, pretentiousness, idiocy, cluelessness and complete and utter bollox they espouse with regularity