What is it meant when audiophiles say some hi-fi products are just lifestyle products?

[MrReaper182]

I have the Naim Mu-So wireless speaker which I class as hi-fi as I brought it brand new for £900 a few years ago and it's by an audiophile brand Naim so why do some audiophiles say the Naim Mu-So and products like it not true hi-fi and are only lifestyle products? What does that even mean?

 

[jjbomber]

I have the Naim Mu-So wireless speaker which I class as hi-fi as I brought it brand new for £900 a few years ago and it's by an audiophile brand Naim so why do some audiophiles say the Naim Mu-So and products like it not true hi-fi and are only lifestyle products? What does that even mean?

It means they're jealous!

 

[MrReaper182]

It means they're jealous!

Jealous of what? When it comes to hi-fi the Naim Mu-So it might be the second most expensive hi-fi product I've brought (the Rega RS3 speakers were the first) but in high end hi-fi terms it's not very expensive. The audiophiles I've heard calling calling the Naim Mu-So and products like them lifestyle products and not true hi-fi have expensive hi-fi separates system. Some of them have Naim stuff in their hi-fi separates systems. I don't get it.

 

[Al ears]

Most so called audiophiles will consider anything that isn't a separates system is a lifestyle product and they are probably right.
you cannot get a realistic soundstage out of a box whatever the nice designers say.

 

[plastic penguin]

I've always associated "lifestyle" products to bank breaking price tags that don't perform anywhere near the price. B&O are the perfect example.

Never heard or read about the Mu-So being described as lifestyle.

 

[Gray]

I think it's a description for any product that seems to place more importance on convenience and / or tidiness than ultimate sound quality.

(The sort of product that's likely to be more desirable to females - where its fair to say that, for them, tidiness / compactness will always take priority over SQ.).

 

[WayneKerr]

Wot Al and Gray have said. Plus, just because it's got a Naim badge on it doesn't mean it's hi-fi.

It appeals to people who have a certain minimalist lifestyle who don't want the unsightly clutter of a separates system, therefore, a lifestyle product as opposed to true hi-fi = more style than true substance. It's basically a jazzed-up boom-box/smart speaker. A one-box solution which targets a niche in the market, nothing more.

 

[matthewpianist]

These things are 'lifestyle' products in that they combine as much technology as possible into an attractive looking space saving device. They aren't going to compete with a properly set up system with separate speakers, but they've improved so much that they offer surprisingly good sound considering their form. My Technics Ottava is in this class - it doesn't even start to compete with my main system, but it does a great job as a bedroom set-up whilst taking up little space.

 

[nopiano]

If you can’t see any wires then it’s lifestyle!! 😉

You described it yourself in your signature, Mr Reaper. A mains powered wireless speaker. Your Hi-Fi is the Rega gear.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

B&O are the perfect example.

Bose too, from what I've heard. It may be cynical, but some brands have awareness in the non-hifi world - awareness that some find impressive. I knew someone once who asked if I'd heard music on Bose speakers. When I heard some on his, my diplomacy chip practically melted...

 

[manicm]

If it means as few boxes as possible I'm a lifestyle product fan. My new soundbar, plus subwoofer, plus small streamer and ensuing cables has seen to that.

I will get a KEF LS50 Wireless 2 or such sometime. And it's lifestyle. And I don't care. And I'll have it in red or white. But I'll add a CD transport too.

 

[nopiano]

I will get a KEF LS50 Wireless 2 or such sometime. And it's lifestyle. And I don't care. And I'll have it in red or white. But I'll add a CD transport too.

They’re not lifestyle to me as they have more wires than normal speakers!!

 

[plastic penguin]

Bose too, from what I've heard. It may be cynical, but some brands have awareness in the non-hifi world - awareness that some find impressive. I knew someone once who asked if I'd heard music on Bose speakers. When I heard some on his, my diplomacy chip practically melted...

Yep, Bose fits the definition.

A friend of Mrs. P had a B&O system. Cost them thousands, although a broad soundstage it was hugely disappointed -- not worth the mega thousands they paid.

 

[plastic penguin]

If you can’t see any wires then it’s lifestyle!! 😉

You described it yourself in your signature, Mr Reaper. A mains powered wireless speaker. Your Hi-Fi is the Rega gear.

Don't mention cables... doh, just have.

 

[MrSinghsStereo]

it seems to me the the term lifestyle product was lazily coined by journalists .
the likes of Naim introduce one box solutions for the primary reason these offerings are a good way to be exposed to the brand which may lead to further purchases of the brand,
Personally I bought a meridian f80 in 2007 ( still have it today and its a brilliant product) and it started my long association with the brand.
obvioulsy one box solutions can also be helpful when the space is a premium.
My one box solution - the CH Precision i1 specced at £41,000 certainly did not perform like a lifestyle product !

 

[Kutusov]

To me, it just means a design that was thought to go along the rest of a living room, etc. It doesn't necessary mean less boxes as I would consider the Smart line of Advance Paris preamp and monoblocks to be a lifestyle design. I think the brand thinks that too. Smaller, cuter...

 

[Friesiansam]

Anything that is designed to be fashionable first and foremost and, all style over substance.

 

[Gray]

My Raspberry Pis are nostyle products.
(Substance over style).

 

[jjbomber]

Jealous of what? When it comes to hi-fi the Naim Mu-So it might be the second most expensive hi-fi product I've brought (the Rega RS3 speakers were the first) but in high end hi-fi terms it's not very expensive. The audiophiles I've heard calling calling the Naim Mu-So and products like them lifestyle products and not true hi-fi have expensive hi-fi separates system. Some of them have Naim stuff in their hi-fi separates systems. I don't get it.

Some of them have a sense of humour as well. As you say, you don't get it.

 

[matthewpianist]

There's an interesting group test of lifestyle products in the current edition of HFC. Certainly the review of the Technics is very accurate to my own experiences, in every respect.

 

[MrReaper182]

Okay I think I now understand what is meant by lifestyle product so thanks for all your answers.
I still think the Naim Mu-So is a hi-fi product no matter what anyone says, after all it's made by a audiophile company. I will always be a hi-fi separates person first (I love loving at hi-fi boxes on a hi-fi rack) but even us audiophiles like portable speakers after all we like to listen to music while in the shower or bath.

 

[Gray]

....after all we like to listen to music while in the shower or bath.

Speak for yourself on that....not for me 👍

 

[manicm]

They’re not lifestyle to me as they have more wires than normal speakers!!

4 wires for a complete system? Two power cables, one speaker interlink, and one HDMI cable. So the wire count is a bit high for an all-in-one, but still much fewer headaches. I'd still call it a lifestyle product, as many still throw the word 'obsolescence' at it, which gives me a big smile.

As opposed to the Audiolab 9000A amp, whose internal DAC cannot quite get the best out of the matching 9000CDT, well according to The AudiophileMan Paul Rigby? One can argue that any component using ubiquitous ESS dac chips are also lifestyle products.

I would call the Chord Mojo 2 more of a hifi product than some other DACS simply because Chord cares. They're doing their own DAC stuff, ditto Linn.

Until the rise and proliferation of CD players, many integrated amps had above average built-in phono amps to make the most out of turntables. Nowadays with streaming many amps throw in a DAC just for convenience.

So the lines are actually blurred IMHO. There's actually too much half-assery in hifi today.

 

[matthewpianist]

4 wires for a complete system? Two power cables, one speaker interlink, and one HDMI cable. So the wire count is a bit high for an all-in-one, but still much fewer headaches. I'd still call it a lifestyle product, as many still throw the word 'obsolescence' at it, which gives me a big smile.

As opposed to the Audiolab 9000A amp, whose internal DAC cannot quite get the best out of the matching 9000CDT, well according to The AudiophileMan Paul Rigby? One can argue that any component using ubiquitous ESS dac chips are also lifestyle products.

I would call the Chord Mojo 2 more of a hifi product than some other DACS simply because Chord cares. They're doing their own DAC stuff, ditto Linn.

Until the rise and proliferation of CD players, many integrated amps had above average built-in phono amps to make the most out of turntables. Nowadays with streaming many amps throw in a DAC just for convenience.

So the lines are actually blurred IMHO. There's actually too much half-assery in hifi today.

The ESS DAC chips sound very good, so why wouldn't manufacturers use them? Ditto the AKM chips Marantz appears to favour.

I would expect some further work from Chord and Linn based on the pricing of their products, but I don't see any issue with makers implementing off-the-shelf chipsets if the results are good.

 

[Gray]

The ESS DAC chips sound very good

I've got them in 3 standalone DACs and 1 built into a Cyrus amp.
At least as good as a Burr Brown I once tried.