What defines mid-fi versus high-end?


I’m in my mid fifties and I recall 30 years back mid-fi to me fell into the NAD, Adcom, B&K…. For high-end I considered Mac, some of the Counterpoint offerings, Cary…. so forth.  I had another post going where I mentioned I acquired an Onkyo  home theater receiver that retailed new for $1,100.   Yet another agoner responded that it does not rate as mid-fi.   We all have our opinions of course.   So right or wrong here.
How do you define the parameters of high-end versus mid-if?  By money range, by brand…?

 

pdspecl

Showing 4 responses by mapman

In this day and age, if something sounds “mid-fi”, it just means you bought the wrong stuff. Fix that! Hifi can be had for a pittance these days. A pair of Grado headphones and a smart phone to stream from  will do to start. Move up to a pair of Vanatoo active speakers and voila…..more hifi for practically nothing. Ditch the junk if it does not sound good !

If it sounds great and doesn’t cost much is that high fi? High value high fi?  The stuff most people want?

If it costs a fortune and doesn’t as good as it should does that = midfi?   Expensive midfi?

Not surprisingly mid fi sounds mid. Whereas hi fi sounds high.   See how that works?