Blue Jean Cables now telling me that very expensive high end cables are actually better than the cheaper cables they have always pushed. I have now lost all faith in humanity. 😭
What news in 2023 struck you?
Gang,
It seems the audio press seems to have no end of press releases to hype, but I'm curious looking back for the year what news regarding the audio industry has most struck you?
For instance, the sale of ARC, and Roon, and B&W (or was that last year) seemed pretty significant. Class D amps with GaN transistors created a lot of buzz and claims of Class D finally reaching it's promised potential. Textreme drivers have appeared here and there, as has the Purifi woofer...
I also recall a Monitor Audio prototype that struck me as really innovative.
What else has stuck in your mind longer than ten minutes this year?
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The ARC implosion surprised me. They dominated the ten figure market for decades. McIntosh couldn't make them profitable, nor could an insider angel investor who also lost is arse. Now the company can't seem to put out anything new or exciting. Meanwhile they attack their dealer network. My sad conclusion is that Bill Johnson was ARC and his death ended the ARC era- we just didn't know it at the time. |
The demise of MQA.
Their association with Iconoclast isn't new. This page has been on the Blue Jeans website since 2019 (documented on Internet Archive): |
The news that newer and even upstart companies and eastern countries audio are selling budget HIFI at very good prices that can compete with more established brands like ARC, B&W, Vandersteen, McIntosh, Klipsch, Martin Logan, NAD, etc. I am thinking companies such as HiFi Rose, Denafrips, Q Acoustics, Eversolo, Line Magnetic Audio, FiiO, Shanling, Kinki, Topping, Willsenton, Buckardt, Daniel Hertz etc To me, this is a very significant trend toward affordable or at least optional choices for HIFI buyers. |
Some of the more "relatively" affordable trickle down Borresen speakers hitting the scene..holy crap! Here's a nitpick that a non-ocd non-musician shouldn’t concern himself with. But, it is perhaps not as tonally accurate or produce as realistic a soundfield as my current TAD or the Yamaha ns5000 i got to audit..but, it is indeed very special at this kind of pricing...There is just a level of clarity, detail, resolution that doesn't exist in the other high end "big names" at any price!! (stagnant innovation/rinse/rehash/marketing of the same sht). The latter better spend more on marketing and pay their pied pipers more. (Currently in talks with the spouse to put the X6 or X3 on order so there's no future marital problems. I wish I could get both the Yamaha and Borresen together, but, well,..one at a time/need to play it safe. The Borresen and Yamaha may be the greatest bargains in recent times.)
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