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When are speakers considered Hi-Fi and not Mid-Fi???

What determines the status of "Hi-Fi?" I was recently considering a pair of Klipsch Heritage Cornwall speakers. They get rave reviews, have almost a cult-like following, no longer have harshness from the horns, and are very resolving. Other than not reaching down too low into the bass as some speakers do, why are they not considered Hi-Fi? They can clearly reproduce the full range of sound with an incredible image and are not missing any capability in person or on paper. Seems when we follow a thread on here about most any speaker at any price there is always a contingent that feels to need to post that the certain speakers under discussion are Mid-Fi not Hi-Fi. I only use the Klipsch Cornwalls as an example to start. Budget is not an issue, and cost should not dictate. I was also looking at the Magnepan 20.7 for another example, and they are $13k more than the Klipsch, but low and behold someone within seconds pops up and says these are Mid-Fi speakers. I kind of bet I could ask about a Sonus Faber Aida at $130k and within a few seconds someone will pop in and call them Mid-Fi as well. When do we reach "Hi-Fi" these days? Is it simply an endless and baseless dick-measuring contest? Seems like it. If we were talking cars we always have the guy who brags about the 0-60 times of certain cars, but it's clear that the 0-60 time alone does not qualify a car to be a "supercar" as there are so many other things the car must have and do to make it into that class, and like speakers there is not always 100% agreement on what the factors are. When do we reach Hi-Fi status for speakers??? 

128x128dean_palmer
helomech
1,698 posts
 

I fully agree with @2psyop it’s all relative and a matter of your personal perspective. And keep in mind that much of what is dismissed as “mid-fi” on this and other forums produces better stereo sound than what 99% of the population has ever heard. 

bjesien
1,310 posts
 

It takes exposure to "quality" "properly set up" systems to be able to build a point of reference. If someone doesn't have the practice or trained ear it kind of becomes a series of judgements on top of marketing hype (or always is). 

After experience comes preference, and once you find your preference people will either agree or disagree with you. If every audiophile listened to 100 systems and rated them for 20 characteristics you'd have some people start picking apart the time of day and the power grid conditions.

There's no simple answer- Miller would argue he had hi-fi and the majority of people told him it was low-fi.    

mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,101 posts
 

Simple : there is no Hi-Fi without dedicated acoustic room....

Price tags means not optimal soundfield...

The only reason why people think otherwise, they had no personal experience of a room acoustically tailor made for specific speakers...I thought the same BEFORE i tune a room...

 

Small room acoustic obey other principle than great hall acoustic ...

retrocrownfan's avatar
retrocrownfan
134 posts
 

Sorry, but not a useful parsing. There are speakers under $1500 a pair that would embarrass most golden ear audiophiles in blind A/B test. HiFi vs MidFi is only about price and perceived brand value. Companies make ROI decisions based on volume of sales vs unit mark up. IAG in China has been a brilliant vertically integrated force with the market-changing products they engineer and produce under the venerable British brands they purchased.

pcrhkr's avatar
pcrhkr
276 posts
 

Whoever says Cornwall speakers are not Hi Fi needs better hearing aids. Many people supplement with high quality subs to makeup for the low-end issue. I guess all the rant about LS 50 bookshelf would apply too. All that matters is your happy with the sound. Don't let snobbery spoil your joy.

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