What, for you, is Mid-fi? Hi-Fi?

[webbie64]

I've read threads, both here and elsewhere, that define Mid-fi and Hi-Fi in terms of equipment, cost, perpective ("One person's HiFi is another's MidFi"), etc.

For me I've always thought HiFi is about fidelity. It's about the quality of the sound I hear. It's not about the equipment or the dollars but about the sound.

So, for me, Mid-Fi is where the music is all there but it still sounds like a recording of the music.

It moves to Hi-Fi (for me) when it transcends that sense of clinical reproduction and the level of recorded detail gives me a sense of actually being at the recorded event; what Wikipedia tries to describe as that 'Semblance of realism'. (I know this is vague but it depends on the recording and the details within it - echoes, decay, etc).

What's Mid-Fi and Hi-Fi for you?

 

[Quaddy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by webbie64 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've read threads, both here and elsewhere, that define Mid-fi and Hi-Fi in terms of equipment, cost, perpective ("One person's HiFi is another's MidFi"), etc. For me I've always thought HiFi is about fidelity. It's about the quality of the sound I hear. It's not about the equipment or the dollars but about the sound. So, for me, Mid-Fi is where the music is all there but it still sounds like a recording of the music. It moves to Hi-Fi (for me) when it transcends that sense of clinical reproduction and the level of recorded detail gives me a sense of actually being at the recorded event; what Wikipedia tries to describe as that 'Semblance of realism'. (I know this is vague but it depends on the recording and the details within it - echoes, decay, etc). What's Mid-Fi and Hi-Fi for you?

my portable definitions, for portable stuffs:

1. i define Mid-Fi as 320 MP3 or equivalent lossy with good source, good amp, good cables, good phones

1. i define Hi-Fi as lossless with excellent source, excellent amp, excellent cables, excellent phones

1. i define Xi-Fi AKA Nth-Fi as tweaked lossless* or WAV*, superlative source (with electret rainbow foil attached to hard drive sources) with world class pass through audio note/teflon/oimp v-caps, superlative ampage with eneloop battery power only, superlative short cables, superlative phones (recabled - and custom tips if IEM), golden ears.

*difference between lossless and wav, please dont worry, its just my own perceived differences, i already know what 99% of you think regarding this

p.s to the OP, the sound in my small experience is inextricably linked to the quality of the equipment, and tweaks applied, hence my hardware and snake oil based reasonings.

 

[Lazarus Short]

Mid-Fi is anything better than Yorx, Soundesign [a friend of mine quips that it is "Unsoundesign"], MCS, LXI, and their ilk. It sounds pretty good, but no eargasms.

Hi-Fi [tongue in cheek, here] is anything priced more than I can afford. It gives eargasms.

The discussion can be endless. I don't care to say more.

Laz

 

[srozzman]

fidelity comes come some latin word that means faithful. So I am highly faithful that i will enjoy music from my system.

 

[ecclesand]

I think the definition depends on who you ask. I personally think a clean AKG K240 Sextett is hi-fi based on how they sound to me. The fact that I paid less than $100 for it is irrelevant to me. I'm sure people with "higher end" phones would consider my AKGs as mid-fi or even budget-fi. Since it's my money and my ears, I really don't give a rat's red bulbous ass what other folks think.

 

[Uncle Erik]

For me, it's about knowledge and the specialization of the product. It has very little to do with price.

You can easily drop $1,000+ on a Bose setup at Circuit City. And that's what most people think of when it comes to a stereo. You go to Best Buy, or one of those kind of places, and either pick out what's in your budget or buy something the salesmen recommend. That's Mid-Fi.

High-Fi is where you actively search out what's interesting and/or specifically meets your need.

There is almost no overlap between the two fields and prices are irrelevant. You can buy a $350 Rega P1 that will demolish the Bose in terms of sound quality, at a much lower price. And if you ask for a Rega at Best Buy, you'll just get funny looks.

Same with the Triport. You can pay twice as much for one as a SR-60, but no one knows what the SR-60 is unless they're "in the know."

And that's where I draw the line between Mid- and High-Fidelity.

 

[chesebert]

hi-fi means you can reach out and pinch the singer's ass....its that real

 

[mofonyx]

Mid-Fi is where you are now.

Hi-Fi is where you always dreamed of being.

If you have stopped dreaming about a better tomorrow, then Hi-Fi is now!

 

[hanalei mike]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif High-Fi is where you actively search out what's interesting and/or specifically meets your need.

nice, I like it.

 

[granodemostasa]

in terms of sound:

no fi: ipod/ibuds

wanna be fi: x-fi, SR60

low fi: little dot, RS225, tomahawk

mid fi: HD595, corda opera, vda-2

hi fi: GS-X, Supra, K1000, DV50,

dream fi: emm labs, wadia, orpheus, APL

you-must-be-crazy-fi: Ongaku, Goldmund Reference, VD Genesis

 

[krmathis]

Something like this. Where 100% is the "perfect" sound we all strive after...
[size=xx-small]Entry point of the different grading[/size]

0% -> Low-Fi
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60% -> Mid-Fi
70%
80%
85% -> Hi-Fi
90%
100%

For me its all about sound and build quality, not a specific price point.
But you usually get what you pay for..

 

[smeggy]

Hmmmm, pass :0

 

[Bizzel]

When you listen to your system and you can't find any flaws, that's hi-fi.

 

[NeObliviscaris]

My Mid-Fi is when I am really enjoying my music, but still aware that it's just a recorded version of the artist/band singing, it's where I am tapping my feet but not totally grooving!

My Hi-Fi is when I am so engrossed by the quality of my music that I even turn around to see where the drums are coming from, it's where I can feel as if I am in the studio watching the artist/band record their song, and I can totally visualise where all the instruments and elements of the music are located. It's where I am so engrossed I am somewhat detached from what is going on around me (true story: was so engrossed I crossed a road without looking once - not a good idea!).

 

[Duggeh]

Low-fi was what you had, mid-fi is what you have and hi-fi is what you want.