What makes HiFi 'better'?
Music is much more easily available with streaming services, but if this is your main source it does mean you only become aware of the recordings 'the man in charge' wants you to be aware of. Years ago indie record shops (well some that i visited) would have a big stack of white label vinyl with hand written or stamped labels, this was the cheap short run singles of local bands and the like, and some of it was really good, no idea where I find that now. So in many ways the whole archive of Qobuz at my fingertips is better than my 80gb ipod classic which is better than the 3 tapes and my walkman I could get in my jeans pockets.
We now have HD which is IME a badging exercise, yes 24bit 192khz is lovely but show me a DAC that can actually resolve it, many recordings show up their deficiencies on redbook CD, I'm not convinced the digital resolution GENERALLY is the limiting factor here (yes there are awesome recordings that make it worth while, but they are the exception not the rule). I suspect the above streaming service will reduce the percentage of funds going to bands and record companies, and the recording quality will be the thing that suffers, just look at now studio costs have come down in the last 20-30 years, less money going in means less quality equipment and less talented people going into the industry, quality will suffer.
I think the lower end has definitely improved, a TPA 3116 class D chip amp takes virtually no power to make a pretty decent noise for very little outlay. There are quite a lot of decent lower end loudspeaker drivers now thanks to FEMM and Klippel, ergo cheaper loudspeakers have little (technical) reason to be rubbish. A Rega P1 is a surprisingly good playback device for the money.
No idea about high end because its out of my ballpark, but the ATC SCM100As we have at work that must be 25-30years old still sound awesome to me pn the end of the SSL and a good 2" tape playing, they do a nice job of CD as well.
Music is much more easily available with streaming services, but if this is your main source it does mean you only become aware of the recordings 'the man in charge' wants you to be aware of. Years ago indie record shops (well some that i visited) would have a big stack of white label vinyl with hand written or stamped labels, this was the cheap short run singles of local bands and the like, and some of it was really good, no idea where I find that now. So in many ways the whole archive of Qobuz at my fingertips is better than my 80gb ipod classic which is better than the 3 tapes and my walkman I could get in my jeans pockets.
We now have HD which is IME a badging exercise, yes 24bit 192khz is lovely but show me a DAC that can actually resolve it, many recordings show up their deficiencies on redbook CD, I'm not convinced the digital resolution GENERALLY is the limiting factor here (yes there are awesome recordings that make it worth while, but they are the exception not the rule). I suspect the above streaming service will reduce the percentage of funds going to bands and record companies, and the recording quality will be the thing that suffers, just look at now studio costs have come down in the last 20-30 years, less money going in means less quality equipment and less talented people going into the industry, quality will suffer.
I think the lower end has definitely improved, a TPA 3116 class D chip amp takes virtually no power to make a pretty decent noise for very little outlay. There are quite a lot of decent lower end loudspeaker drivers now thanks to FEMM and Klippel, ergo cheaper loudspeakers have little (technical) reason to be rubbish. A Rega P1 is a surprisingly good playback device for the money.
No idea about high end because its out of my ballpark, but the ATC SCM100As we have at work that must be 25-30years old still sound awesome to me pn the end of the SSL and a good 2" tape playing, they do a nice job of CD as well.
