Is Chi-Fi The Future of HiFi #utilitariantv #chifi

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[mafcarvalho]

I'm not young anymore (49) and I agree that cheap equipment is indeed a gateway to more expensive and higher quality stuff.
My dad was much into music and HiFi when we were in Germany and he had a gorgeous Grundig separate component system with a Dual turntable and huge Canton speakers. It rocked! I learned to love music since my early days and had lots of stuff starting with portable cassette decks/Walkman, going through a Sony compact system (turntable, tuner, dual cassette deck and amp), evolving to Marantz amp and CD player with a pair of Wharfedale Diamond IV speakers with money I earned from working in my school summer holidays... And when I finished high school and started working I always kept some money to improve my experience. Had many interesting Rotel, Sony, Yamaha, Pioneer amps and CD Players, mostly British speakers (Tannoy, Wharfedale, Mission and B&W) and I think this is such a great hobby that always helps me relax and have a better mood.

[gogo-fklu]

Young people today mostly listen via phone, headphones or Bluetooth speakers. My two sons have an example from me of what a decent hi-fi system means and sounds like. Occasionally they want to listen to something, especially trap, so the subwoofer shows how capable it is... when the wife is not at home, of course😅. I don't know how it will be when they grow up, maybe it will stay somewhere in their memory and they will come up with a hi-fi system...

[Niels]

It is already so. Class D has something to do with it. No big
In the 60/70's people had the same questions about Japanese stuff.
Grts. from Holland.

[TheRealKaner]

Started work in 1984.
£63.18 for a 39 hr week.
Comet Service...so, I used to repair Amstrad Tower systems...more commonly known as "Amtrash"

[simonbeasley]

I had a Fidelity UA4 record player with plastic speakers in 1981, and I made my own wooden cabinets aged about 15. Huge improvement! And now like you I now have Linton Heritage! Always good to use the inflation calculator, my system (Linton speakers, Technics SL100C turntable, Marantz CD60, Marantz model 50 amp, Denon DNP2000 network streamer used as radio and DAC) cost £5k. I got out a 1978 Tandy catalogue and on the front is a Tandy "Realistic" own brand system with speakers, receiver, turntable, cassette deck. £750, or £3, 978 today.

[TheNorliss]

Good vid, mate. Thanks to Chi-Fi, you get way better for way less (in real terms) than you did 40 years ago. The funny thing is though, because so much stuff has become so much cheaper in real terms, for most people now, spending £200 on a piece of audio gear is the same as it was 40 years ago, even though it is way less in real terms. I think people expect too much for too little now. Btw, I also remember enjoying looking through catalogues from Kays, Gratton, Littlewoods etc. I must admit, it was the big sections they had for ladies underwear that got the most attention 😍

[jeffjefferson]

I'd love an affordable 5.1 AV Receiver (perhaps Class D). In early 2020 the cheapest one was a Yamaha at £179. Now you can't get any new ones for less than 350-400 quid. Perhaps Fosi Audio or Aiyima can save the day.

[Aubury]

I have in both powered sub woofers and my hifi speakers, Chinese made to European
design and spec, and sold under their
European banner.

[AlexanderG-miip]

This was instructive and edifying. It makes me appreciate the system I have even more. I wouldn't want to live back then when hi-fi was crappier yet more expensive. Long live the modern era...

[jeffjefferson]

Went straight from FM radio and Type II Chrome cassettes to MP3, skipping Vinyl and CDs entirely. The sound quality I've had the past 5-10 years with FLAC, DACs and decent headphones / speakers is leagues better. Wonderful hearing instruments and vocals you've never noticed before in your favourite music.

[cobberdig]

I actually don't mind those bsr mechanisms. They are the singer sewing machine of the audio world. Just pumped out the same thing for decades and they were found in just about everything ( I guess pre cec Japanese turntables). The last one I had was pretty sweet late 60's Sanyo combo thing with turntable, tape deck and big silver face receiver. But yeah I tend to grab those if I chance upon them. It's usually just the grease in them dries up so you only have to clean them and lubricate them. They were totally made to be service friendly. I had another bsr, it was in this old Phillips stereogram. Older again same thing though but with metal cogs, the later ones had plastic cogs.

[justinschlicher]

I completely agree with you! And I think this perspective taking can be applied to a lot of different topics. In other words, we are continuing to experience relatively amazing progress.

[TheFrugalAudiophile]

My journey into hi-fi began with a Sony CD boombox back in the early 1990s. From there, I purchased an Aiwa 5.0 surround system in college. That led to a few HTIBs over the next decade or so. fast forward to about five years ago and I put together a $3000 home theater system. I know that is still quite modest compared to what many have, but it is certainly a lot better than the $100 Bluetooth speakers many young people settle on these days. Sadly, it will probably cost me almost $5000 to put together the same system today. I also have a couple of chi fi systems in use around my house.

[Exgol]

Innovation is key. And I dont see this coming from China yet. But China's efficient make hifi accessible to mere mortals.

[KajottR]

I agree! You can get high-end audio for 600€. Used in mint condition. Rega io amplifier, Wiim mini streamer, SMSL SU-1 DAC, Klipsch R-51M . Rega io made in GB!!!! Sounds fantastically good! Add another 100€ and you get a new Fiio K11 R2R DAC. R2R DAC for 160€ That's incredible, isn't it?

[chanslorvalorum]

Nicely done ., your experience pretty much mirrors mine and many others. And that inflation calculator always shocks me . I just bought old AR speakers for $5 each. (We need a time travel machine to send stuff back to 1980 to our younger self). Thanks

[Panslapper]

Have to say I am pretty happy with my SMSL AO-300, it’s not endgame but it’s a jack of all trades round the back with a very accurate and sweet sound signature for £260. Anybody who missed these on Prime day for £168 missed out big time.

[endrizo]

i love my SMSL topping fiio xduoo sivga and hifiman products

[DeadInDecadence]

Haha lad, you’re amazing and have a great attitude! Keep doing what you do. 34 years old here and and a amateur audiophile (don’t know if that makes ma youngster still 😉)

[Chuek-WaiTai]

Cost-effective products do not only give the opportunity for more people enjoy good sound, but also push the conventional compaies make better and more affordable products.