Where does "MidFi" differ from "HiFi" or "LOFI"?

MidFi is almost a derogatory term relative to HiFi being an elitist term. There’s obviously never going to be a consensus on a definition.

I don’t think price should be the primary factor. Is budget minded gear automatically excluded from being HiFi? Can too many features exclude a product from being HiFi?

My system is absolutely HiFi if judged by any normal person, but is nowhere near the upper echelons within the HiFi community.

Examples:

I think my Pathos Classic One Mkiii qualifies as HiFi. It is a basic integrated amplifier with separate preamp and power amps within a single chassis.

I think my Denafrips Ares II DAC may be borderline MidFi because of its price point, but is only a DAC and does not include extras like headphone amplifiers and such.

I think my Focal 836v speakers may be borderline MidFi because they are not hand made. They were the top model in the “production line” products.

At the risk of offending some, maybe HiFi starts when you start to pay attention to things like cables because they make a meaningful difference.
 

Andrew Robinson review soundbars. He does it really well though, but still....

@mceljo i am very confused about what you wrote

"I don’t think price should be the primary factor" and then:

"may be borderline MidFi because of its price point"

so which one is it?

"may be borderline MidFi because they are not hand made"

how on Earth is HANDMADE a requirement? 

@grislybutter - A confusing post for a confusing topic I guess. I don’t know that I can clarify, but will try to add context. 
 

I don’t personally think that a specific price point is a fair way to define what is MidFi vs. HiFi, but it’s always going to part of the discussion.

My DAC is the entry model for Denafrips and with retail price around $1,000 US would be disqualified from being HiFi based on these factors.

My Focal speakers are the top of the assembly line products, but with a retail price around $3,000 when the company has a flagship speaker that retailed for $180,000  it seems like my speakers are on the entry level of the spectrum.

As is all things audiophile, it’s all relative.  I don’t know anyone personally with a better system than mine, but it’s not hard to find single cables that retail for more than my entire system.  
 

I think HiFi should be defined more by intent than price point, but there’s always a point where that perspective loses its validity.

@mceljo 

I think HiFi is an accomplishment. Not gear, not cables. not dollar amounts. It's the sound that takes you out of the moment.