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

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

Exactly....This price tag  distinctions are meaningless to a point...
Acoustic science know better!

20,361 posts

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

Report this

mapman’s avatar
mapman

20,361 posts

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

To the above “least colored” with all due respect I totally disagree a large amount of high end is heavily colored but it’s euphonic coloration as defined in music theory it sounds better it gives a good visceral experience it is not necessarily the smallest deviation from accuracy