HiFi vs MidFi

Lol freediver got it 100% right and dropped the mic on his way out….

mid fi as a term is derogatory, for sure

but i have perhaps unwelcome news for those who think the law of diminishing returns kicks in at a grand, you are very very very wrong

if people know what they are doing, and have a workable room, immediately noticeable, better sounding systems result from more $ spent, well into 5 and 6 figures

you don’t need golden ears, just functional normal hearing and a decent appreciation for music

There is always better system...

The problem is not about the best system.... It is easy to buy one with the money...

The problem is how did i create one which is nearer than someone could think to the best system in the world at no cost....

It is not a question about diminishing returns...

It is a question about acoustic embeddings controls... Not merely passive treatment....active controls...

50% of the positive or negative S.Q. of a system come with the acoustic control or his lack of ...

But people are mentally programmed by the engineering industry not by acoustician....

Saying that higher cost can afford truly better S.Q. is common place fact and trivial.... What is less trivial and less common place is knowing how much acoustic can optimize and contribute to the S.Q. of ANY system ....

My system value is under 500 bucks all in all...

I listen to a million bucks system in a video on youtube and even through my system i can decipher why it was so bad because lacking acoustical control.... Incredible... But put a million bucks system sometimes in a bad room with no visible acoustic control and it could be atrociously fatiguing and repulsive even through my no fatiguing system....

I also listened to an asian owner with a million bucks system which was like a refined audio musical heaven.... Thanks to his marvellous visible acoustic control contributing for at least 50 % i am sure of that....His system for sure was audibly better than mine and more refined...But wai mine cost 500 bucks versus one million bucks...I think that this asian guy will stumble from his chair listening mine...Way less good than his but wait.....Not bad for 500 bucks....😊 I will not be surprized myself at all listening his better one....He will be surprized listening a lesser one....This is not diminushing return law it is acoustic laws...

I live very well with my under 500 bucks system acoustically well controlled...i smile if i listen anything better...You know why?

Mine is not so much behind at a cost near zero....

Then between all system there exist difference in quality , it is not debatable... It is a common place... But thinking that upgrading a piece of gear to a costly one give an Hi-FI experience is pure ignorance of at least acoustic....

By the way my acoustic treatment and active devices cost me nothing....

@bigtex22 I strive for a mid-fi system. I have a $7K preamp and a $700 preamp. I am listening to the $700 preamp now. If it were not for an impedance mis-match (likely issue) with my $700 preamp and my chosen amp the $7K preamp gets sold.  My goal of striving for mid-fi fails in this instance.

Use your ears and buy what you can afford and makes you happy.

An interesting take.
SoundStage! Solo | SoundStageSolo.com - What Playing Music Taught Me About Audio

mid fi is more a state of mind. some objectivitists poh poh the idea that some gear sounds better than other gear. their engineering professor said that’s the way it is, and so that’s gospel. any perception of better sound is delusional, and not worth paying for. the worst one’s feel a need to ’fix’ wayward audiophiles desiring the highest fidelity. to them it’s all mid-fi.

mid-fi can also just be a casual view toward music reproduction quality, or even a true disregard for music reproduction quality. sound is sound. they just don’t care.

high fidelity is also a state of mind, where the quality of the music reproduction matters. there is a consciousness of the idea of pursuit of a more real music reproduction experience. combined with a desire on some levels to listen and appreciate music and better sound.

my personal view is that any association of particular gear and mid fi misses the point. to someone it could be high fi. 

people can travel from one state of mind above to another state of mind. they can be awakened, to realize that better sound is worth pursuing.

systems are mid fi or hi fi based on the intentions of the owner of the system. not the performance or investment.....since it’s all relative.