High end audio - common now?

This sub forum was obsolete the day it was started.

Quote:

Originally Posted by epocs 

Anyone here feel like high end headphones and amplifiers are becoming so common now that a subforum like this is almost obsolete?

 

It seems like most the discussions on the regular headphone forum are about headphones that cost over 800 dollars (T1, ED8, HD800, LCD2, HE6, PS1000, etc).

 

I felt like in the past, it was only select few people who had the rare higher end Stax, R10s, and others, but now with this huge influx of headphones around 1000+, it's like what once was the acceptable high end hd650 selling for 400 is now upgraded to a new level of headphones all over 1000 dollars.

I think the definitions are changing, and if they're not they should be. Those headphones that you mention are commonly being used in low to mid fi component chains. As such discussions become muddled, and tend lack clarity. The knowledge and experience of the listener is also a key factor.

This was a project Jude wanted to install to separate truly reference gear. The founders of this site was mostly DIY and hobbyist that had found gear/designs, cables, tubes, opamps, etc. that are product today. That citizen has become a minority to the consumer. Jude wanted a forum to keep the blood flowing for members that are/were the fabric of this hobby.

The cost of that area of the hobby is expensive by its nature. To those with no experience of the landscape and dubious of many things discussed, it becomes a waste of effort. Want an example, go to the cable threads. The high end area are for those with the experience and knowledge of gear to share their findings and for those wanting to know their experiences without the ----. Unfortunately, many of those citizens have moved to more experienced sites or are mostly silent. There are still many citizens in this community with knowledge to share but don't want to get ridiculed, questioned, judged in the process. It's usually the ignorant with loudest opinion.

IMO

Quote:

Originally Posted by epocs 

Anyone here feel like high end headphones and amplifiers are becoming so common now that a subforum like this is almost obsolete?

 

It seems like most the discussions on the regular headphone forum are about headphones that cost over 800 dollars (T1, ED8, HD800, LCD2, HE6, PS1000, etc).

 

I felt like in the past, it was only select few people who had the rare higher end Stax, R10s, and others, but now with this huge influx of headphones around 1000+, it's like what once was the acceptable high end hd650 selling for 400 is now upgraded to a new level of headphones all over 1000 dollars.

Ok so there are more high end phones.  This does not appear to be a majority in this site.  More are still debating the value of the latest $25.00 numbskull  IEMs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Camper 

This was a project Jude wanted to install to separate truly reference gear. The founders of this site was mostly DIY and hobbyist that had found gear/designs, cables, tubes, opamps, etc. that are product today. That citizen has become a minority to the consumer. Jude wanted a forum to keep the blood flowing for members that are/were the fabric of this hobby.

 

The cost of that area of the hobby is expensive by its nature. To those with no experience of the landscape and dubious of many things discussed, it becomes a waste of effort. Want an example, go to the cable threads. The high end area are for those with the experience and knowledge of gear to share their findings and for those wanting to know their experiences without the ----. Unfortunately, many of those citizens have moved to more experienced sites or are mostly silent. There are still many citizens in this community with knowledge to share but don't want to get ridiculed, questioned, judged in the process. It's usually the ignorant with loudest opinion.

 

IMO

 

 

 

 

Yeah it's bad there, amd almost impossible to discuss tweaks without the trolls coming out and totally ignoring the ban on DBT discussion.

Even if there are lots of people with "high end gear", it's not like the number of people asking mainly value-oriented questions ("What is the best headphone under $100? What should I get for my new iPod, etc.) is going down. The whole point of sub-forums is to segregate posts so that people can focus on threads that interest them most. Of course there will be some debate at what exactly makes gear high end - is it just price or is it admission to the high end club by popular opinion here based on some mix of sound quality, price and exclusivity? But that's a whole other question.

While I have no problems with those value oriented threads and questions (I hesitate to use the term low end or mid-fi) and I will sometimes read and respond to these threads(let's remember we were all new to this at one time), but it's nice to read a sub-forum where questions are much more geared towards gear I want to get or aspire to and where the primary consideration for every piece of gear is not it's retail price. What's the problem with some separation of the two?

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/343199/discussion-of-what-is-high-end

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Camper 

This was a project Jude wanted to install to separate truly reference gear. The founders of this site was mostly DIY and hobbyist that had found gear/designs, cables, tubes, opamps, etc. that are product today. That citizen has become a minority to the consumer. Jude wanted a forum to keep the blood flowing for members that are/were the fabric of this hobby.

 

The cost of that area of the hobby is expensive by its nature. To those with no experience of the landscape and dubious of many things discussed, it becomes a waste of effort. Want an example, go to the cable threads. The high end area are for those with the experience and knowledge of gear to share their findings and for those wanting to know their experiences without the ----. Unfortunately, many of those citizens have moved to more experienced sites or are mostly silent. There are still many citizens in this community with knowledge to share but don't want to get ridiculed, questioned, judged in the process. It's usually the ignorant with loudest opinion.

 

IMO

 

 

 

 

so true.  specially the "The cost of that area of the hobby is expensive by its nature." and "It's usually the ignorant with loudest opinion". 

I don't post in that forum.....look at my sig! I also see more and more of that gear in the f/s forums, I don't think there is as much "disposable" income as a couple years ago.

I think this forum is still relevant. People accessibility to high-end is the best thing to happen in any industry. It actually compels companies to spend in R&D to balance out price to performance ratio. It is a win-win situation for consumers.