The death of Hi-FI ?

george daniel
george daniel Posts: 12,096
edited December 2007 in 2 Channel Audio
found this on another forum,,pretty good read

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/17777619/the_death_of_high_fidelity/print
JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
Post edited by george daniel on
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  • phipiper10
    phipiper10 Posts: 955
    edited December 2007
    Read it last night - while they focused on the technology and that being the driving force of these changes I think there really is another side to the story.

    There certainly seem to be a lot of "hi-fi" companies out there. It's not just Sony, Pioneer and Yamaha. There are a lot of younger companies involved that didn't exist 20 years ago.

    While the general population might fall into the first camp there is still a growing number of people interested in hi-fi, IMO.
    Analog Source: Rega P3-24 Exact 2 w/GT delrin platter & Neo TT-PSU Digital Source: Lumin T2 w/Roon (NUC) DAC: Denafrips Pontus II Phono Preamp: Rega Aria MK3 Preamp: Rogue RP-7 Amp: Pass X150.8 Speakers: Joseph Audio Perspective 2, Audio Physic Tempo Plus Cables: Morrow M4 ICs & Audio Art SC-5 ePlus, Shunyata PCs Misc: Shunyata Hydra Delta D6, VTI rack, GIK acoustic panels
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited December 2007
    The music industry has been turning out crap for years.....this is OLD news other than it's getting worse and worse.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited December 2007
    TroyD wrote: »
    The music industry has been turning out crap for years.....this is OLD news other than it's getting worse and worse.

    BDT

    Yep, That's what I walked away with Troy,,it's getting worse :(,I see a record cleaning machine in my future. Stay safe--george
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited December 2007
    Thanks bro! How you digging my Amazings? Take care of my boys!

    Well, I'd actually say that vinyl isn't exempt either. See, that is a popular misconception that if it's on vinyl, it's inherently better which is not so....there is just as much crap on vinyl as anyplace else (in terms of vintage). That said, the NEW vinyl remasters coming out is mostly remastered stuff and it's been my experience that it's usually better than the orignals

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited December 2007
    There's all kinds of good music available today and it has nothing to do with MP3.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited December 2007
    Very good article. It should be of little significance for audiophiles because compressed music is for the masses. Yeah, I know -- the music from some of our favorite bands is highly compressed. But if the music sounds like ****, why listen to it? That's contrary to the whole concept of an audiophile and the purpose of buying better gear. Good gear ain't gonna take the stink out of the ****.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • vonnie123
    vonnie123 Posts: 326
    edited December 2007
    Technology provides us with some great options. MP3s are wonderful for travelling, but for sure the 30GB player is not hooked up to the HT setup for hi-fi listening.
    [
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited December 2007
    Early B. wrote: »
    Very good article. It should be of little significance for audiophiles because compressed music is for the masses. Yeah, I know -- the music from some of our favorite bands is highly compressed. But if the music sounds like ****, why listen to it? That's contrary to the whole concept of an audiophile and the purpose of buying better gear. Good gear ain't gonna take the stink out of the ****.

    Yep,,thats why my cd collection is dwindling,and my vinyl is growing,,although at this years PF, Ted had some pretty damn good Sacd's
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • LuSh
    LuSh Posts: 887
    edited December 2007
    I think there is more better music out today (by a wide margin) then there was 20 years ago. This year alone I purchased roughly 30 CD's that's a record for me (no pun). I think the means in which one person must find the good stuff has changed. Some people insist movies today suck...I think there is a wider variety of movies today and along with the good stuff is a wider variety of crap; this applies to music directly.

    I also think the quality of CD has improved; most of the music I've purchased this year sounds fantastic on CD. TV On the Radio, The National, Kings Of Leon, Flaming Lips, Beta Band all had outstanding production quality; there was a real warmth to the albums. I actually thought 2007 was a poor year in comparison to 06 and what's up coming with 08...that's saying something.
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited December 2007
    Mainstream music is dead. What is growning is the availability of just FABULOUS indie stuff. Mapleshade records for example....I've not heard anything from them that sucked in either content or production. Get out there and be curious.

    Listen to stuff that you normally wouldn't...jazz, classical, bluegrass...there is a LOT of great stuff out there.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited December 2007
    Nothing new I haven't read. I'm waiting for people to stop ranting and begin doing something to address the issue.

    I'm not sure an answer will ever be had as such an answer will likely not follow the tail of a dollar . . .
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited December 2007
    Great read gd. Thanks for that one.
    I recently picked up the newest Christina Aguilera album Back To Basics and it has a little sticker in the CD cover that says "Recorded for Hifi", or something like that. I don't like all of her stuff, but that album really sings. Her voice is so open it's almost spooky. I'd recommend checking it out.
    Like you were saying TroyD, there is a lot of stuff that you wouldn't normally think of sound quality that has suprised me. I have been really thrilled lately with some country albums. They are just starting to be really well made.
    Jake
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  • B3Nut
    B3Nut Posts: 76
    edited December 2007
    Also, don't forget jazz on the ECM label...gorgeous recordings of often-jaw-dropping musicianship. If you like jazz piano trio stuff, anything by the Tord Gustavsen Trio is a must-listen, and the album "The Triangle" by bassist Arild Anderssen with pianist Vasillis Tsabropoulis and drummer John Marshall is simply amazing. Despite being distributed by a media giant (Universal) ECM recordings are universally superb, I've never heard a bad one.

    Todd in Cheesecurdistan
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  • phipiper10
    phipiper10 Posts: 955
    edited December 2007
    Don't forget

    http://www.playbackmag.net/

    And Mapleshade and Telarc for some quality stuff
    Analog Source: Rega P3-24 Exact 2 w/GT delrin platter & Neo TT-PSU Digital Source: Lumin T2 w/Roon (NUC) DAC: Denafrips Pontus II Phono Preamp: Rega Aria MK3 Preamp: Rogue RP-7 Amp: Pass X150.8 Speakers: Joseph Audio Perspective 2, Audio Physic Tempo Plus Cables: Morrow M4 ICs & Audio Art SC-5 ePlus, Shunyata PCs Misc: Shunyata Hydra Delta D6, VTI rack, GIK acoustic panels
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited December 2007
    LuSh wrote: »
    I think there is more better music out today (by a wide margin) then there was 20 years ago. This year alone I purchased roughly 30 CD's that's a record for me (no pun). I think the means in which one person must find the good stuff has changed. Some people insist movies today suck...I think there is a wider variety of movies today and along with the good stuff is a wider variety of crap; this applies to music directly.

    I also think the quality of CD has improved; most of the music I've purchased this year sounds fantastic on CD.

    Good points.

    I agree that the quality of CDs has improved dramatically over the past few years. I've said this before -- some of my best recordings are from indie artists who probably recorded their music in a small studio, i.e., some dude's basement.

    I really like how technology is leveling the playing field in that regard.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited December 2007
    The more old vinyl I buy the more I realize that the art of recording is dying.
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited December 2007
    madmax wrote: »
    The more old vinyl I buy the more I realize that the art of recording is dying.
    madmax

    Oh hell yeah!;)
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • amulford
    amulford Posts: 5,020
    edited December 2007
    I agree that new technologies are allowing alot more people to compose and produce without the influence of the mainstream executives.

    One of the newer I don't like about the new mainstream is the way they are way overdoing the recording levels. It takes the dynamics out and generally sounds like ****.

    The indie stuff can be incredible. Excellent talent...

    mp3's may be convenient, but I'd rather have the real recording...
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