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Is this the end of HEA?

http://www.cepro.com/article/is_this_the_end_of_high_performance_audio_at_ces

This last year has made my ears perk up. Honestly I didn't even know the article above had been written until now. What I did know was listeners have been in touch with me about the future of HEA and their future as advanced listeners. It's been nice to see folks getting in touch with me and even nicer that they are doing so because they wish to settle into their final system sound. To say things in their words "it's been an expensive ride" and most of these folks aren't sure they've gotten a fair shake always from the hobby. Many feel they have bank rolled a part of a hobby that hasn't always delivered the goods. Basically instead of telling listeners that this is a variable hobby the "experts" pushed a very expensive game of component Plug & Play onto the discrete audio generation. I remember those days of guilt buying where a dollar amount was used as a representative for quality, when it meant no such thing. I knew first hand this was not the case as designers scrambled to make up-sell products that sounded less musical than the original products that put their name in audio fame. I also could see the HEA decline happening but still was giving the benefit of the doubt to those saying HEA was just fine and growing. Mom and pop stores for the most part have vanished in the US with the exception of a few creative thinkers. New expensive products are being adored but I don't see many actually buying them. Now I've got my eye on T.H.E. Show (Richard's show) and wondering if it's happening or not. Richard and I have talked many times about what will happen to HEA in the US if T.H.E. Show and CES cease doing their thing in Vegas. I wonder what Richard RIP is thinking now sitting in the clouds.

I am very excited to see the next few years come about even though I know some are still buying into the old paradigm that the HEA is the cutting edge with only a volume control to adjust and a fork lift included with every purchase. Going to the CES web, I have my answer for Vegas. Going to T.H.E. Show website I'm still in question. If these two are no more, in terms of HEA, who's next?

Michael Green

michaelgreenaudio

Showing 3 responses by mustbethemusic

mustbethemusic
17 posts
 
I have two responses to the end of HEA conundrum. 
1 - Most music listeners, regardless of generation, have never spent a substantial amount of money on audio. There were always a select few who invested in anything beyond a small console stereo or component setup. The question isn't if HEA is dead as much as we delude ourselves in thinking its proliferation was ever as great as we like to reminisce.
2 - The challenge for this hobby is that there is way too much conversation about the stuff and not the music, which is what drew me to wanting to invest more into the enjoyment of music, not the comparable transient difference between cables, blah, blah, blah. If you want to turn people off, start talking about the difference between silver and copper wiring in your speaker wire. But when I play a contemporary song on my system, the interest increases immediately for members of the younger generation. They literally say, "I've never heard that song sound that way before." Will this lead to investment of thousands of dollars of equipment for most people … no. I don't have a stereo in hopes that all my friends will follow suit. But to the degree that I can enjoy a greater listening opportunity with the music I love, I'm more than happy to invest my time and money. 
I also push back against the issue of cost of truly HEA at events. I've never been to a consumer show of any kind, where manufacturers displayed their low to middle end products. Even Chevrolet puts the latest Corvette ZO6 on display, recognizing that most people will never step up to that model. It's called a hallo affect. Consumers are more than capable of buying below the top of the line when the opportunity exists. That might suggest that manufacturers should bring down list models to shows to give people a sense of what is attainable within a brand. 
mustbethemusic
17 posts
 
Orpheus - I understand your reference point. My point is that two buck chuck audio as in two buck chuck wine is fine for some but not necessarily for those who have developed a more refined pallet. The challenge or opportunity is can we set our own refined taste aside long enough to allow others to enjoy their version of low-high end audio? 
I believe we create false exclusivity by calling ourselves audiophiles. I'm not sure what the term really means. I was shocked when I was called an audiophile when I mentioned I listened to vinyl. I find the term misplaced and intimidating frankly. The way some of us toss around technical jargon, I forget that we are even talking about music. As I listen to Wayne Shorter - Hear No Evil, if i'm thinking about my gear versus immersing myself into the content, then I've not only gone to far over the high end audio pursuit, I've forgotten what drew me into this hobby in the first place. Maybe we need to remind ourselves that its HEA for the sake of the music, not the music for the sake of HEA. if we forget this then HEA should die, because we sucked all the life out of it. 
mustbethemusic
17 posts
 
The "audiophile" designation has absolutely nothing to do with my ability to hear; I gave a friend of mine that designation because he could hear even better than me. Are you saying just because a piece of gear is ARC, or CJ, or Sota, that it’s supposed to sound good?


The challenge or opportunity is can we set our own refined taste aside long enough to allow others to enjoy their version of low-high end audio?


I have absolutely no idea what you meant by that statement?


My statement meant precisely what I said; those three refined names produced "crap", but it was at a low price.


My taste has nothing to do with someone else not being able to recognize that fact, and if they didn’t, I fail to understand how that would further the cause of HEA.


In regard to music, I am the OP of the thread "Jazz For Aficionados", that has been on this forum for years; my credentials in regard to music speak for themselves.

Orpheus10 - Dude - I was supporting your statement generally. My point is that in many areas of interests, music, cars, food, too many of us decide that any variation from our own standards deem everything else a piece of s---. What I understand best about this hobby is that "sounds good" is quite subjective and differs from what people have been exposed to or what they are willing to invest. I’m saying that we should allow them to enjoy their audio experience at a level below what is considered HEA by others. That would reduce the intimidation factor and encourage more folks to participate without fear of being shamed because they have no idea how great $100,000 speakers sound.

The fact that you need to roll out "your credentials" like some cock measuring contest may attest to your music acumen but otherwise indicates that you are pretty tone deaf to varied opinions, even when they support your premise.
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