When are speakers considered Hi-Fi and not Mid-Fi???


What determines the status of "Hi-Fi?" I was recently considering a pair of Klipsch Heritage Cornwall speakers. They get rave reviews, have almost a cult-like following, no longer have harshness from the horns, and are very resolving. Other than not reaching down too low into the bass as some speakers do, why are they not considered Hi-Fi? They can clearly reproduce the full range of sound with an incredible image and are not missing any capability in person or on paper. Seems when we follow a thread on here about most any speaker at any price there is always a contingent that feels to need to post that the certain speakers under discussion are Mid-Fi not Hi-Fi. I only use the Klipsch Cornwalls as an example to start. Budget is not an issue, and cost should not dictate. I was also looking at the Magnepan 20.7 for another example, and they are $13k more than the Klipsch, but low and behold someone within seconds pops up and says these are Mid-Fi speakers. I kind of bet I could ask about a Sonus Faber Aida at $130k and within a few seconds someone will pop in and call them Mid-Fi as well. When do we reach "Hi-Fi" these days? Is it simply an endless and baseless dick-measuring contest? Seems like it. If we were talking cars we always have the guy who brags about the 0-60 times of certain cars, but it's clear that the 0-60 time alone does not qualify a car to be a "supercar" as there are so many other things the car must have and do to make it into that class, and like speakers there is not always 100% agreement on what the factors are. When do we reach Hi-Fi status for speakers??? 

128x128dean_palmer

No product is mid-fi or hi-fi by virtue of his price tag alone for me...

High fidelity is refering to a recording translated in a determine acoustical way by some specific acoustic content and properties in a room , the components are only tool serving acoustic needs.. ...The components price tags means nothing alone ...

Soundfield is not created by price tag...

But once said all component design are not equal for sure and come with a price tag which is in a loose way and non linearly related to their design quality / potential S.Q. ...

What plague audiophile world is ignorance of acoustic... And faith in price tag of any "new" design for a so called upgrade...

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard the term "mid fi" used without a being spoken in a deprecating tone of voice, as a means of asserting alleged "superiority".

Some assert it’s all about price -- that a component isn’t hi fi unless its price tag = X dollars or above.

Seems to me, hi fi is more about passion for connecting with music and willingness to experiment and learn how this may be accomplished, rather than price tag. Anyone with the requisite cash can fill a room with expensive gear. That, in and of itself, means little.

 

I've seen some folks on here refer to Emotiva as mid-fi but I don't think that's true at all. Honestly, I don't think there's a price line that separates HiFi from mid-fi. IMO, I would probably consider something like a mass produced stereo system from someplace like Best Buy to be mid-fi, but I could be wrong. Is a Crosley TT mid-fi??