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Out goes the Old, In comes the New!

I love all the ages of audio. Every one of them has offered something. I'm down on the discrete era 1997-2015 for obvious reasons, over build, over pricing and only a volume control. The HEA magazines pulled off one amazing marketing run telling us to just keep buying upward, but I for one asked myself what's going to happen when the industry modernizes? If you've been to the CES the last 15 years it would be hard to miss that the new generation has reinvented listening. Not just Headsets but designing in general. We've also had hints of change by watching the development of Class-D components and modern sources. 5 or so years ago I mentioned that I was meeting with some of the younger innovative designers in audio on the Stereophile forum and was quickly trolled off the stage. It was kind of like some old folks were willing to protest "change" to the death. Well here we are 5 years later and HEA is on it's last CES leg while those innovations have become mainstream.

Threads are popping up on this and other forums suggesting HEA is dead or at least terminally ill. You have to be waring some pretty tinted rose colored glasses to miss this reality. Those who want to argue this can wait another 5 years I guess and see how many of their friends are still kicking, or buying new expensive High End gear vs the ones who have either settled into their last system or have embraced the less expensive better sounding hobby. Why do I think it will be better sounding? That's easy, lower mass and simpler designs, and very important "adjustability". Now I love vintage audio and own a lot of it. I also own some of the big boys of today and in my demo rooms have, and continue to pass through, a lot of products, old, new, big, small, expensive and inexpensive. I don't mind telling you that depending on how you setup your systems there is no money hierarchy any more. What there is are methods of listening that when you do them you find how things mate, and that's how you can determine if you wish to stay in the old school, discrete camp or become involved it the new age of audio.

So that's what this thread is about. Not changing anyone's mind just showing the differences and maybe a little of the comparing of apples and oranges.

Michael Green

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amg56
887 posts
 
Hi MG. I do see your point. I guess there are a lot more audio designers and manufacturers than cars. But the technology is still filtering down I believe. But despite enjoying reading about the new stuff, I am equipment status quo.
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michaelgreenaudio OP
1,019 posts
 

Hi Roberjerman

I remember a time when almost everyone I knew had a set of 4312's either in their studio or home. Musicians of course. JBL is one of those companies that crossed over into the mainstream. If more of the HiFi companies would have made the crossover I believe HEA would be mainstream. The closest I ever saw was a few years in the late 80's when HEA was across the street from the CES. It continued into the 90's and then took a weird turn when leaving the Sahara hotel.

Several of my designer friends and reviewers agreed this was the markings of the end. Richard Beers made a good go of it but you could see the numbers drop and HEA drifted further away from the every day listener.

MG

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michaelgreenaudio OP
1,019 posts
 

Hi AMG

I hope your feeling ok, btw!

HEA will never disappear. It will always have a chapter in the Audiophile world. How big the camp remains depends on how many younger folks follow in the same footsteps of our generation. Gaming is already a much bigger hobby than in-room stereo listening, as well is AV.

AV is so different from when we were doing home theatres. Now you can pick up a projector around a hundred bucks, paint your wall, set up your computer (smart phone), do your acoustics and speakers with simple amplification and surf the net. Back in our day we did FM and it was a big deal visiting with our friends. Today’s visiting is the same in many regards except the net is now their FM. A big record collection means nothing to the new generation of kids (up to 35) hanging out.

Last year and this year I set up 3 of these systems close by me and was actually pretty impressed. They were using my speakers (and subs), RoomTune, my cable and all the stuff you would normally see with one of my setups except the front end and simple amps. Very impressive I might add, and the appearance was pretty cool too.

I know for a lot of high end audio folks it was kind of weird going from a living room full of listeners hanging out on a Saturday night to being the only one in the room. It’s not that people all of a sudden stopped visiting, it’s that the types of gatherings changed socially. It’s not even any of the types of systems and rooms changing, it’s simply a matter of there being more choices now. Dad or Grandpa enjoy their private listening room and the gathering enjoys a newer form of media. HEA audiophiles thinking the next generation are going to follow in that idea in our minds of massive amplifiers and components in front to stare at is probably going bye bye in the next few years and dying off with us for the most part. But I think maybe that's the way things should be.

MG

roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
Michael green: I agree with you about JBL being considered "mainstream". They are one of the very few audio brands today that most people still equate with " quality". And they have made consistently good stuff over the decades! Case in point: I bought a pair of JBL 640 floor-standers with a d'Appollito driver array (GoodWill - $48 pr). Had my cousin over to have a listen. He still has his JBL 100's in use with his Mac C28/2105. We listened to DSOTM (CD) and I was amazed at the SQ of the 640's! I told my cousin to sell the 100's and buy my 640's. Plainly far better! He turned down my offer - too conservative in his views! I eventually sold the 640's cheap ($200). Too many speakers at home! But I regret losing them! A truly quality speaker from JBL that would embarrass many multi-kilobuck speakers!
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
Michael Green: How about that Crown Drive Core 2 XLS 1502. Over 300 wpc and 8.6 lbs! I bet it would embarrass any multi-kilobuck audiophile amp! If I didn't already have too many amps I'd be buying one myself! This is the future - affordable quality products!
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