Low Fi / Mid Fi / High Fi ?


Guys I would like to know what the imaginary guidelines are! It can't be price.Since there's alot of great gear that doesn't make you mortgage the house!And this Hifi sound thing...some refer to hifi as bad...what gives?LowFi is easy for me ,just about any audio component out of a big chain store(mass market).In a blindfold test does anyone think they would be able to tell the difference between this midfi or hifi thing? Or do we use this as a tool to feel better about spending so much money on this stuff.Is there a mystical book that puts these components in catergories?Please fellow audiophiles fill me and others in on this.

Thanks in advance!
gmood1
Used to be a standard but since this standard had been outperformed during mid to end 70's it became a market tool.
I don't really think it's a marketing tool, because these terms are almost never used in advertising. Hifi was a marketing term back in the early days of solid state stereo. (I remember my 30-something parents proudly bringing home a walnut cabinet thing.) If it's used with derision now, it's probably in reference to that kind of product.

Low-fi and mid-fi are used by some to describe any equipment they regard as not as good as their own. Many of these same people tend to put great stock in the cost of gear, so it is indeed very much about price.

Basically, these terms mean nothing, except to warn you away from the kinds of people who use them.
Hello,
Order a book from UHF magazine. They have a book describe very clear about this.
Ok,everything I have is better than what anyone else has--(YES!!!)--Now seriously folks: In today's market I would say most all the stuff CC has would be lo-fi. I would say Rotel,Sony,NHT, and the lke would be mid-fi. Then the expensive stuff would be higher-fi. AND,YES Mable, the high-er end does cost more. Someone may love their lo/mid-fi--but I'll bet we could sub. some really high end pieces; and they would love it that much more. --- I figure everybody knows this,Right?