I've noted on several threads that there are references to Mid Fi vs. Hi Fi, but I doubt there is much agreement on what qualifies a system as Mid Fi vs. Hi Fi.
Strange; although I agree with all of the previous descriptions, I will attempt to give one. Mid Fi is mass produced, and the top end of Mid Fi can sound very good. When you go beyond this point, the price escalates, for many reasons, and the sound becomes more refined. The law of "Diminishing returns" also kicks in. Since many people can not hear what is a much larger price differential than an audible one; they disavow the distinction. The bottom line is, "What ever definition that floats your boat" is just fine
"Components primarily designed to meet the needs of audiophiles and music-lovers are worthy of the appellation "high-end," no matter what they cost. The much wider range of products whose genesis lies purely in the need of their manufacturer to fill a gap in their product line or attack a previously unoccupied niche in the market, or even just to flesh out their business plan, are "mid-fi" by definition. It's as simple as that. The next time you find someone equating the words "high" and "end" with "high-priced," or feeling that low-priced is automatically equivalent to "mid-fi," remind them that it ain't necessarily so."
if i use duct tape on my remotes can i still be hifi? only have spent about 50ooo dollars on this stuff? so i can enjoy the white album? all these labels are confusing me. i don,t know who i am anymore. i.m gonna upgrade. ha
I don't think that Hi Fi, Mid Fi or Low Fi can be defined in a way that very many would agree, but since I've seen it referenced several times I figured I'd ask what it means to different people. I hadn't really considered that my speakers were anything but Hi Fi, but after seeing what level of gear is available they just might fit the bill.
I guess I might consider my Focal Chorus series speakers Mid Fi because they are technically a "budget" line of speakers.
Also, it might be reasonable to consider Mid Fi to be having a home theater receiver rather than a dedicated two channel amplifier.
Anyone feel free to correct my interpretation, but I think mid-fi is those brands which used to be above the big box stores, but were not top shelf components. A few years back one might have considered Rotel, Adcom, Vincent, some Marantz, low end Paradigm, low end B&W, low end PSB, stuff like that. Nicer than what Best Buy sells, but not the most expensive stuff at a full fledged high end shop. The lines are getting quite smeared though by some of the aforementioned companies coming out with spectacular sounding products at previously unattainable prices, and some of the higher end companies bringing lower cost products to the big box stores.
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