All that is wrong with "HiFi"

[Amir]

Perhaps there and with loudspeakers lacking sensitivity and having lower-than-4-Ohm impedance dips.

The audio market will respond with what people want to buy. I don't know if there is a 'problem' with 'HiFi' as much as a problem with audiophiles not knowing what they want and driving the market on that basis.

Not knowing what you want is as much an issue as lacking a reference to guide you. Do you carry a steady notion in your head of the sound you seek, or do you have a reference against which you can compare what is before you?

It can take a while (years) to learn or discover one's preferences that will stand up over time. Do you have an idea of what you want and take time trying to find it? Or, do you discover what you want by going through different systems and components until you hit on it? I suspect the latter is the case for many. If you allow others to tell you what you want (dealers, media) you may find yourself bouncing around from gear to gear.

The most important question for every audiophile is “what exactly I need?” .
I think it takes minimum 5 years to find the right answer.
Finding the answer is not easy and In this way Magazines and industry are not helpful.


There are many audiophiles who (even after 30 years) change their expensive equipments every 6 month and claim the new equipment is better.

 

[Rensselaer]

Perhaps there and with loudspeakers lacking sensitivity and having lower-than-4-Ohm impedance dips.

The audio market will respond with what people want to buy. I don't know if there is a 'problem' with 'HiFi' as much as a problem with audiophiles not knowing what they want and driving the market on that basis.

Not knowing what you want is as much an issue as lacking a reference to guide you. Do you carry a steady notion in your head of the sound you seek, or do you have a reference against which you can compare what is before you?

It can take a while (years) to learn or discover one's preferences that will stand up over time. Do you have an idea of what you want and take time trying to find it? Or, do you discover what you want by going through different systems and components until you hit on it? I suspect the latter is the case for many. If you allow others to tell you what you want (dealers, media) you may find yourself bouncing around from gear to gear.

I agree Tim, it does usually take years to get to a point that you can put together a satisfying system ( usually for a lot less money than spent getting to that point). Why is that?

Why is it that whenever someone here tries to share an insight learned the hard way on this (and nearly every other website or magazine about our hobby that I have ever read) someone, who probably unwisely invested in the error the insight was given to prevent themselves, argues vociferously against it. Although it might make he who spent unwisely feel less stupid in reality all it does is confuse those looking for answers and leads to their also making expenditures that might not be wise (see number 49 above).

The OP asked if the search for “detail” (with or without negative feedback) has made music reproduction equipment, “less musical”? To me, he is asking if vintage equipment has really been improved with all the developments in this hobby of late.

Yes, one could assume he is talking about any piece of equipment used in this hobby, and there is a lot of devices for sale today that I personally doubt value in, but I think rather than arguing whether or not diamonds on the surface of a speaker cone improve the sound so much that the cost is worth it, that he is instead asking us to stop for a moment and consider whether or not we agree with the direction the hobby has taken, and why.

 

[Hydrology]

I can write a book on the sonic issues that too much feedback can introduce. Suffice it to say that it is best to only use as much as is actually needed.

Perhaps you should, then you can spend the money on the more expensive products that seem to offer the sound you are wanting.