Is High End dying?

mitch65 wrote: Yes, a music server just like a ..........no, you're not catching me out ;)

I'm not saying we won't be doing one, and we've been looking at some way of doing a digital juke box, but we're primarily about the items that go between source and speakers/headphones.

I do not practice the sport of catching people out. Stuff that's said innocently after reasonable consideration of the hosts commercial interests will not result in de-registration like it does on another make's forum (the make was mentioned above... in context).

11rushgarrick11 makes some good points. However, it is still very difficult for you all to get full marks for your homework.

I have read about the unsuitability of cables because of their impedance - OK for powering a 3 bar electric heater I must add, but not for your speakers. This on another manufacturers site makes my blood boil. It is a poor substitute for real facts. OK, it is true that cables have characteristic impedance, but that's qualified by 'at x frequency', and I don't believe for one minute that speakers will reproduce the radio frequencies that would refer to. But this type of advertising is typical of the high-end.

I have just revived an interest in hifi after a 20 year or so hiatus, during that time, the importance of computer based digital files as a source has increased beyond all recognition, so consideration of the future of high end (whether defined by price, audio quality or a combination) must include consideration of the playback of high quality computer based audio files. I am experienced in IT and have worked in the computer industry for 15 years on the hardware side, however, for the general public, I would say that achieving high quality results from computer/NAS source files remains a little complex both in relation to set up and optimisation. In addition to the innate clunkyness of the technology itself, Retailers have varying levels of expertise with these systems, which can limit their uptake. If the future of high end is dependent, at least to some significant extent, on building systems incorporating high quality playback of high resolution digital source files, then more needs to be done to improve the ease of use of these types of system, and to extend the expertise of the retailer networks to allow potential customers who are less knowledgable in IT and networking a path to feel comfortable with such systems. From the product design point of view, there are new possibilities regarding the most useful equipment spec and functionality to offer this newish market - as exemplified by The Big DAC thread on Graham's Forum. In addition to addressing the optimal product configurations, there is the issue of user interface and ease of use that only good product design will address........

I do not believe that the business of High End HiFi can be sustained by vinyl and CD based systems alone.

I have used a Squeezebox V3 (currently have two) for a few years and also had a Touch(broke twice so I got rid of it). The convenience of loading all my music on the computer and stream it to other parts of the house while controlling it with an iPad or an iPhone is just to much to pass.

Go lossless! I have had to re-rip my collection three times, not fun and I still have about 1/2 of the files to go. By going lossless you get a larger file but storage (hard drives) are cheap enough.