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In your opinion, what is Hi, Medium and Low end?

Hey All,

I am new to this arena and for all the reading and homework it seems like there is a lot of circumstance out there. It seems that the comment that I see the most is, “…see how it works with your system.” And while this is true about a great many things in life it seems that we are all trying to find a sense for balance for our budget. The other thing that I learned is the spending a lot will not always yield the desired result.

So…regardless of price, here is my question. In your opinion, if your were to put together a system (say something to do it all, as I don’t know about everyone else but I couldn’t afford one for music and one for movies and other activities) in the following three categories: as high medium and low; what would it look like?

Say maybe with the following categories:

1) Processor, Preamp & Amp OR Receiver
2) Sources (CD, Phono or whatever)
3) Cables (Speak, Interconnect and whatever)
4) Power and related products
5) Other tweaks

Did I miss anything? Please feel free to add. :D

There are no motives hear but to learn, I have just bought a bunch of stuff that make me happy and I am just curious or maybe trying to prove that I am not on crack. ;-)

Cheers,

Blu
blu_audio
chazro's avatar
chazro
635 posts
 
Interesting thread, allow me to muddy up the waters a little more!;) My system consists of:
Arcam Cd23
Audio Research LS15
Audio Research PH3
Linn/Lingo/Ittok
Ortofon Blaupunkt
Music Reference RM9
Spendor S100

+ Video equipment, racks, cables, recorders, etc. Here's the thing, I've never been able to decide whether my system is upper mid-fi or lower hi-fi!!!! Not something I've lost too much sleep over;) but I like to think that I can have "moments" with my system just like Mr. Porter can on his (lovely post btw).
jax2
3,031 posts
 
Dcstep - I've referred over to HeadFi on occasion, but, as you know, discussion there is of all things headphone. Though I appreciate headphones, and related amplification, for what it can offer, I am not a fan of listening that way unless I have to. For me headphones have never rendered an as emotional and as visceral an experience as the illusion a good system creates within a room. So the conversation there tends to not interest me as much, though definitely the membership is younger there than here. I found, in my limited experience there (I think I even have a user ID), that my musical tastes were not as close as the stereotype you might find here (and that may have to do with age?). Bottom line is that I find I have more common ground to participate here. Not age-related, but I have a similar aversion to AudioAsylum, where I find the discussion is so gear-intensive (aside from "music asylum") that it doesn't interest me to participate as much. I think this is a nice balance here.
dcstep
1,518 posts
 
Head-fi is a great community of music lovers of all types. There are so many members that a frenzy can start rather quickly, but it's well moderated and the participants generally know their stuff.

I prefer my speaker rig, but the only thing really missing with either my AKG K701 or Ultimate Ears Triple.fi 10 Pros is the slam of the soundwave against my chest. Super musicality, deep bass, sweet soaring highs and huge dynamics are all possible with cans for less than $1500, excluding sources.

Dave
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,753 posts
 
What I have found is that high end audio occurs out of authentic intention, not price or anything else, although there are rare pieces that are dirt cheap that also get 'elevated', like the Radio Shack Lineum speakers from a few years ago (although Tandy bought out Lineum for a reason...). Put another way, if there is no intention to be high end the price won't make it that way.

It is also powerfully evident that you have to trust your own hearing, but inside of that is the problem of not having heard everything. Its no wonder that high end audio has such a hard time making its way with the younger set. That has to come from inspiration, like it did for nearly everyone on the 'gon.

Most of the people working for me are involved in the local music scene, so in our case we have made some inroads. I often to go to music shows and meet kids that know all about Atma-Sphere. I realize that this is only a local phenomena, but its a start...
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