Brainstorm Thursday. Are we approaching the Audiophile Singularity?

With how advanced computers, materials and manufacturing processes are becoming are we heading toward a time when everything will sound great but kind of the same?

I can point to a number of brands which have lost their color in recent memory, but I can also point to a number which have not or which are pushing the envelope for distinctive sound signatures.

Speaker driver technology, subwoofers and better automatic room correction are not making things flat, but glorious, enabling modest systems to sound like giants.

I think there will always be some neutral point equipment dances around, and a variety of solutions especially in the speaker arena. I'm not worried about a singularity vanquishing variety any time soon.

Yup soon it will be like HD TVs. Except some will find all the detail and contrast irritating. Then digital signal processing options will take care of that as well. A little blur here, some softness there, some extra nice harmonics or contrast/dynamics and look ma, no tubes!

Even planting the best chip in our heads the brains would have different processing.

G

As long as there is a market for high end audio we will continue to see companies developing equipment that brings us closer to the "live" experience. I don't see that going away anytime soon since there are many people who appreciate that "live" experience in the comfort of there own homes. That said, the attack on the advancement of high end audio will continue by those who can't afford it or choose not to. It's been going on for a very long time. 

All the best     

I agree with djones51. Preamps/amps/DACs have achieved equivalence. Speakers remain the largest source of distortion and "coloration".