All that is wrong with "HiFi"

This is a subject that has driven me crazy, especially since the obsessive drive for more "detail" has risen to insane proportions. But the departure from "musically correct" reproduction didn't begin there.

No. It actually began with the use of high feedback in the pursuit of vanishingly low harmonic distortion. This inturn led to the focus of designing solely by numbers as a dominating criteria instead of listening to what truly sounds good, and what doesn't. This has proven to be a mistake time and time again, but few have seemed to learn from it.

What I hear when I listen to the majority of modern hifi components and systems is a bright, hard and fatiguing presentation, often bordering on severe stridency while being harmonically distorted and/or threadbare, and noticeably lacking in musically engaging qualities. What you end up with is an over-hyped sonic microscope that is overly detailed and brutally revealing of everything that is wrong with the recording.

The problem compounding this is that nearly all of the so-called hifi components that I have heard over the last 40 years clearly displays one or more of the above traits to the level of distraction, especially since the majority of them often possess distorted and/or unrefined high frequencies. You may not be able to hear it as well as I do, but I am really sensitive to it.

To sum up this rant, I would like to say that I am looking to form a conglomerate of audio-oriented manufacturing associates with the goal of producing more musically correct components at reasonable prices.

 

Personal audio can mean several things. Are you guys referring to headphone listening?

 

Personal audio can mean several things. Are you guys referring to headphone listening?

Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org

www.head-fi.org

 

Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org

www.head-fi.org

Ok, thanks. Yeah, there's nothing wrong with a good headphone system. If that's young peoples' idea of high end audio, nothing against it.

In my youth I listened mostly via headphones, and my first serious system about 35 years ago was a headphone system (Stax).

 

Ok, thanks. Yeah, there's nothing wrong with a good headphone system. If that's young peoples' idea of high end audio, nothing against it.

I wonder if portability is a factor when young folks select a setup. These young ones follow trends (not that we didn't, of course). They need an influencer who is into music and a decent setup (headphone or otherwise). When it becomes cool, it becomes prevalent.

Doesn't it also depend upon the music they listen to? The stuff may be produced by the musicians at home. They may or may not care about "good sound quality." And sometimes it is about following their favorite artist. I was interested to learn that some swifties buy albums they never play. It is about the merch.

 

I 'm not sure, I tried to get to the bottom of that and all I learned was 'it does not matter, the music is the same' ..where soem of the music is produced really well...

What i see most is indeed youngsteres buying albums to have something to hold on to, not that it ever gets played...weird phenomenon IMHO

 

...a classical performer and music prof recently told me first year students pretty much listen to YouTube/mp3s for everything. They don't know how to listen and what to listen for. And they were juried to get in, and have musical ability/talent. It's unclear what it is they are tuned into, but it seems clear to me, they have to learn some new skills, and unlearn some bad ones to be successful musicians. Probably true of most endeavors.

 

Anything can be used as a reference, once objectives are understood ..!

 

...a classical performer and music prof recently told me first year students pretty much listen to YouTube/mp3s for everything. They don't know how to listen and what to listen for. And they were juried to get in, and have musical ability/talent. It's unclear what it is they are tuned into, but it seems clear to me, they have to learn some new skills, and unlearn some bad ones to be successful musicians. Probably true of most endeavors.

I've had the unpleasant experience of hanging around with academia and their unprepared life skills students. Nothing surprises me regarding their approach to anything. I really hate to generalize but it was frightening! I was asked to be part of a project until I respectfully removed myself...

 

I always find that experience interesting and try to enthusiasmate students...how else can a human being grow into life?

 

I always find that experience interesting and try to enthusiasmate students...how else can a human being grow into life?

Admirable that you attempt to inspire. I had more life skills when I was 12. I reluctantly withdrew from the project because I didn't want people to think I was part of academia. (SAD) Unfortunately the young adults that I met needed a whole lot more than just enthusiasm. I find European young adults more mature than American students...

 

...a classical performer and music prof recently told me first year students pretty much listen to YouTube/mp3s for everything. They don't know how to listen and what to listen for. And they were juried to get in, and have musical ability/talent. It's unclear what it is they are tuned into, but it seems clear to me, they have to learn some new skills, and unlearn some bad ones to be successful musicians. Probably true of most endeavors.

That doesn't surprise me at all. I know a decent number of professional classical musicians, and not one is too interested in high end reproduction. They just connect differently than us, more anticipating and filling in regarding performance, and SQ doesn't seem to matter so much for that.

 

That doesn't surprise me at all. I know a decent number of professional classical musicians, and not one is too interested in high end reproduction. They just connect differently than us, more anticipating and filling in regarding performance, and SQ doesn't seem to matter so much for that.

For them it is the actual performance. I know this as I am a professional musician as are my 3 children, yet we do it for fun.

 

The millenia old game of old people complaining about the youth. Nothing new here, always the same.

 

...damn Beatles haircuts.

Actually, I think my friend had a more difficult challenge with new students emulating poor technique in YT vids, than the listening acuity, although both were noted.

 

...a classical performer and music prof recently told me first year students pretty much listen to YouTube/mp3s for everything. They don't know how to listen and what to listen for.

The last sentence may be true, but it is unrelated to the first.

 

...a classical performer and music prof recently told me first year students pretty much listen to YouTube/mp3s for everything. They don't know how to listen and what to listen for. And they were juried to get in, and have musical ability/talent. It's unclear what it is they are tuned into, but it seems clear to me, they have to learn some new skills, and unlearn some bad ones to be successful musicians. Probably true of most endeavors.

There is a lot of musical talent at the New England Conservatory in Boston. The student orchestras are great; some of my most memorable live performance experiences have been with them. I have also experienced excellent young soloists in their early Twenties with them, in Beethoven's 3rd piano concerto and the second cello concerto by Shostakovich. Wonderful, thrilling performances.

When I visited an excellent piano recital with students at the conservatory in Graz, Austria, the professor told us how much demands had risen. What used to be the final exam piece in the past was now the entrance exam for acceptance in the school.

 

There is a lot of musical talent at the New England Conservatory in Boston. The student orchestras are great; some of my most memorable live performance experiences have been with them. I have also experienced excellent young soloists in their early Twenties with them, in Beethoven's 3rd piano concerto and the second cello concerto by Shostakovich. Wonderful, thrilling performances.

When I visited an excellent piano recital with students at the conservatory in Graz, Austria, the professor told us how much demands had risen. What used to be the final exam piece in the past was now the entrance exam for acceptance in the school.

When my ex graduated from Zurich conservatory, I was at free student concerts every week. They were all very talented and concerts were often as good as anything I paid to go see. Zurich also has a bar run by the Jazz school. Again free concerts of very talented youngsters and their teachers.

 

A few pages back there was mention of the Tom Evans Mastergroove being repaired by Mend It Mark on Youtube. Apparently Tom Evans has made a copyright claim and had the video taken down. Mark has made a rather amusing video about it:

And that, I submit, may be the real problem with hi-fi today.

 

A few pages back there was mention of the Tom Evans Mastergroove being repaired by Mend It Mark on Youtube. Apparently Tom Evans has made a copyright claim and had the video taken down. Mark has made a rather amusing video about it:

And that, I submit, may be the real problem with hi-fi today.

This was really entertaining. He is talented with his video making skills.

Thank you for sharing.

 

I’d like a piece of MIM's upcoming legal fees

This was really entertaining. He is talented with his video making skills.

Thank you for sharing.

Enjoy them while they last.