Mid-Fi, Hi-Fi or.....?

@johnnotkathi

It been said that there are no absolute truths. Just workable truths, and relatative truths. In this regard, there is no "absolute sound", just (very) subjective references to high fidelity and high(er) fidelity.

The caliper I use for "Hi-Fi" is this one: "The suspension of disbelief", which is to say that for a moment in time, you stop "disbelieving" that you are listening to recorded music artifically reproduced in your home. The sum of all the elements you are perceiving trick your brain into believing that the artists are actually in the room with you thru the duration of the listening session. If this happens, all the Hi-Fi stars have lined up and you’ve reached a powerful plateau in musical enjoyment at home.

@roxy54

"Why is everyone calling interconnects "jumpers"?

You are technically correct, sir. While these are, in fact, interconnects, some manufacturers (like AQ) make very short (6") "interconnects" to connect input/output terminals located next to each other. Since they have no other purpose in life, they fondly refer to them as "jumpers."

Way back when, I heard a manufacturer’s rep/friend of mine state: "Audio is the cheapest hobby you can have. No green fees. Docking fees. Travel. Hotels. Lodging. Meals away from home. Outrageous insurance premiums. Risk of bodily harm/death."

I calculated that the more I drive my motorhome, the cheaper the cost per mile of ownership. And, the more we listen to our systems (good point, @ghdprentice) the less the cost per hour. When. you break it down to the "song/cut level", our systems are a true bargain by any measure, regardless of the investment.