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what is a high end component ?

the term "high end" is used to connote excellence of construction and sound.

yet there is no clear description or definition of the term.

sometimes the word is used in the context of marketing, advertsing to increase the probability of a sale.

it is hard to establish a benchmark for or an objective standard for quality of construction.

i have a suggestion for evaluating the aspect of sound quality.

i believe that high end is synonymous with minimal distortion. the question is how to define distortion, as it is multi dimensional and how to measure it.

in addition, an algorithm or equation combing the types of distortion would need to be developed to arrive at a quantitative rating.

i suspect however, that listening is the key and that ultimately it would be useful for expert listeners to judge distortion by listening, or failing that to evaluate a component or stereo system and assign the label high end or not high end. yes there will be disagreement. yes this is not scientific. it would be interesting to see if say 75 % of alistening panel could agree.

otherwise what we are left with is the term being heavily influenced by price of component, manufacturer and appearance.

any ideas
mrtennis
mrtennis OP
3,295 posts
 
an unbiased opinion is not an oxymoron. here's why.

there is knowledge and there is opinion.
if there is evidence and no pre judgment. having experiences and then having an opinion as a result of an experience is not bias.

example: if i don't like a food, never having eaten it, it's a biased opinion. if i have eaten a food 10 times and don't like it, it is hardly biased.

if i look at an amp and don't like it before listening to it, it's a biased opinion.

if i listen to an amp, in the context of a stereo system, 50 times and then don't like it, it is an opinion based upon some evidence. that's hardly biased.
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1markr
594 posts
 
Back to the question...

If you can't buy it at Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Circuit City, then it's high end....;)
mrtennis OP
3,295 posts
 
et's reconsider the question of bias.

bias entails prejudging.

if i say i don't like certain solid stae amps and specific solid state preamps and i have auditioned each of these for hours and hours.

i have evidence for my opinion. it is not biased even if someone likes one of the amps or pre amps i do not.

i have formed an opinion based upon listening. if i say i do not abarnd x solid state amp without listening to it. that is a biased opinion.

is there no difference between forming an opinion based upon experience and forming an opinion based upon no experience ?

if all opinions are biased, what value are they and what is the point of having a discussion if the substance is biased opinions ?
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