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
Mustbethemusic, maybe Mitch2 communicated your philosophy in regard to HEA? In regard to music and equipment; I have custom speakers that are designed to say nothing; I mean they do the same thing as the electronics I prefer; they say nothing. My point is, there is nothing more important than what the artist is trying to say, and I want to hear every nuance; nothing more or less. |
I spent a lot of time in high end emporiums when such places existed, and many of the people were middle income, who explained to me, that it's a matter of priorities; they would rather have HEA than an expensive car like their friends. I don't believe even those middle incomes are in abundance like they used to be. |
There are enough factors working against HEA in the United States to "guarantee" it's demise. Besides the factors mentioned, poverty is working it's way up the ladder of success; too many poor people who can not buy what the next man up the ladder is selling, which means that man can not buy what the guy on the rung higher than him is selling. Necessities come first; guess where HEA ranks? Evidently, A'goners are way up the ladder, because I have never encountered a group of people so unaware of poverty. Only the rich will completely escape this inevitable, but fairly slow movement as it works it's way up the ladder of success. Speaking of the rich; when I was in Real Estate, I came in contact with very wealthy people, and all I ever saw was a beautiful console. Since I was there on business, the conversation never strayed; no casual conversation for the peasants they encounter when necessary. |
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. |
Mustbethemusic, me and an audiophile friend of mine auditioned an "affordable" SS ARC preamp that was loaned to me, and we didn't get very far into the first record before we declared it a "no show". Anytime I have auditioned bottom of the line "affordable" gear with a big time name, I have experienced the same results. HEA is expensive for the average person, there is no getting around it, and just because a piece of gear has a high end moniker, does not make it HEA. |
Who are we? I mean the people engaged in these conversations. Most of us are seniors from what I can surmise. To begin with, we have a common desire for HEA; that's because we know what a difference it makes in the recorded music we listen to, and we can distinguish between good, also ran, and the top tier; hence, the demand is exclusively "us'. There will be no new people to replace "us". Many people can't tell the difference between good "mid fi" and HEA. Those people are not about to pay the gigantic difference in price between the two. We have digital that's dirt cheap, and analog that's through the sky; which is going to sell when not everyone can tell the difference? Before, I thought this HEA slowdown had to do with economics, now I'm not so sure, but I'm glad I'm on the buying end as opposed to the selling end. This circle will get smaller and smaller, plus even more expensive for the truest of HEA; that I believe is the answer to your question; although we can rationalize something with new technology is cheaper, is it HEA? |
Right now, people are complaining because nothing (relatively) is being sold; that's because there are fewer people who desire HEW products that can afford them; they're in the boneyard. If you have been observant, you'll realize that the people who inherit these HEA items, are in a quandary as to what to do with them. |
Geoffkait, what have you to say about this driver; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Motion_Transformer |
