High Quality vs. High Cost

We have spent a lot of time talking about high-value car audio items in this newsletter. The products we talk about are the creme de la creme of car audio and as such, carry a price tag that could leave some a little breathless. However, we try to remain grounded and get just as excited about a car with a simple speaker upgrade or a classic component speaker and amplifier install. Any upgrade is better than the majority of factory fitted rubbish that is foist upon us by car manufacturers and any attempt to make your personal listening experience better deserves credit.
I recently visited a Hifi show in London. The show was created as an attempt to make a link between audio excellence and lifestyle. What it demonstrated is the alarming disparity between the ultra high-end hifi market and the man in the street. To me, much of the hifi industry aims way too high. I think there is a disconnect from where the mass market is and what manufacturer's want as a return for their efforts. Everyone I meet enjoys good quality sound but our references are all different. I feel that the hifi market has gone the way of the automotive industry. They focus all of their communications on the next great thing and leave those who simply want to enjoy a CD or some streamed music confused and worried. I am clearly not alone in this as demonstrated by this rant from someone within the industry itself as reported by Tech Radar:
click here to read it - It is quite astonishing.
Whether you have £500 or £50,000 to spend there are products that offer a great experience and will work reliably for a long time. It is easy to get sucked in to an endless cycle of upgrading and lose sight or rather the sound of the music itself.
Don't let this happen to you.
Until next month, listen hard and enjoy your tunes!
Carl
