HiFi vs MidFi

The three levels of "fi" you list is sheer genius

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ hehee

yeah well someone has to start to classify things . If your set up requires 90++ SPL massive room, heavy metal,, then of course a SET will not work, or lets say its far from *The Ideal*.. But for avg/small rooms, reasonable SPL (I listen at 60 SPL) and light blues. jazz, classical chamber, then a SET is near perfect. You **could** use a PP amp,, but why? SET’s offer far superior midrange,, well let me back up, the mids ofa SET are superior to a PP amp. PP will render bass, highs a bit better. Which is why if you go SET, best speaker will be eithera horn system , but ideally a FR se up with woofer and high end tweeter. I have to place this set up over PP amplifaction. I’ve listened to 3 PP amps, EL34, KT88, KT120. I really was not **WOW*ed by any of the 3, now that I know what a SET can do. This is why I give the Cuban Cigar to the SET. Happy holidays to to you as well.

Tell ya what

If you are willing to give up some fq's in bass + highs response, you will be rewarded with midrange magic in a  SET.

So its hard to say one is better than the other. But I'd say SET is my preference. PP asa  2nd setup.

Speakers, only a  FR system will do. 

I look at xover/low sensitivity speakers as midfi. Including Zu and Tekton, both mid-fi. 

To qualify for hifi speakers there must be near zero cloration/distortion.

At say 70-75 db SPL. 

I listen to music at no more than 65 db SPL.

HiFi literally stands for high fidelity, which means a great deal of faithfulness to the original source. 

Lesser equipment doesn't reveal as much of the original source to be heard as much as better equipment. That doesn't mean you can't have an enjoyable experience listening to mid-fi equipent. It's just as there's less being revealed. That can be on the way of color, texture, frequency response, and dynamics. 

HiFi literally stands for high fidelity, which means a great deal of faithfulness to the original source.

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Excellent post. may I be of some assistance helping you to clarfiy what you mean by High(est) Fidelity, OK well here ya go, Music starts at 13:33 

In terms of price, it’s usually $100-$200k difference.

In terms of sound quality, well…