Scotty/cloudbaseraceer/JackD201:
So as a consumer who dares to actually give a crap about what’s inside the big, shiny metal box that I’m buying, I should really just stick to the shallow end of the pool, huh? Look, I’m not an audio “objectivist” - I think that cables matter; I don’t think that all amps sound alike; I understand that a beautiful, custom piece of gear should rightly cost more than one made on an assembly line, etc. Jack201D claims that ultimately only the sound of the piece of equipment matters, not what’s inside.
Aesthetically, he’s right. In theory I agree. But back here on earth, most people try to maximize their value. Whether I have “only” $1,000 to spend on a system, or “only” $50,000, I want the very best sounding system that I can afford. Now, even with the limited knowledge of the industry that I possess, I know that a lot of these small manufacturers are using off-the-shelf parts, and even off-the-shelf components that are modified in degrees ranging from not at all to very extensively. Some of them also turn to design/manufacturing companies like the following:
http://www.cullencircuits.com/Now Cullen Circuits is only one company among many offering both engineering and manufacturing solutions. Does every amp that comes out of there sound the same? Probably not. But maybe they all have a similar sonic signature. Maybe I want to hear both the PS Audio Trio A100 (100 wpc, Class D) and the Genesis GR 180 (180 wpc, Class D). As long as I’m in the market for an amp, what would it hurt to compare the $4,800 Genesis and the $1,000 PS Audio? Is the Genesis really “worth” four times the PS Audio? If I’m a reviewer at Stereophile, the answer is unequivocally “yes”. In the real world, I know that pricing for a lot of this gear is arbitrary, and that if manufacturers feel that they can get away with charging more, they’ll charge more. The market will let them know if it’s too much, and apparently the market has been pretty accepting. Perhaps the Genesis is pure magic compared to the PS Audio. But maybe - and only maybe - the two are almost identical. So as a smart consumer, I’m going to want hear both.
I can understand the reluctance on the part of both audiophiles and manufacturers to view audio products as “mere” consumer goods instead of magical objects worthy of reverence. But for every dedicated manufacturer who truly sweats the details, I’m sure there are three manufacturers who, having seen the profit margins on some these items, want in on this free ride. They’re the ones who perhaps take existing products and only change a few parts, instead of many. I hardly think that one has to be a “crusader” or a “cynic” to have this perspective. After all, it’s just business (and often only business).
I love great-sounding music as much as anyone else, but I’d really like to see some of the reverence and elitism and BS drained out of high-end audio. I do see changes happening even now, mostly in and around computer-based audio. As a consumer, I’d like to be able to go to audio forum boards and pick up information on who manufactures what. An earlier poster stated that JVC does the manufacturing (and engineering?) for Pioneer, Anthem and Meridian. I think this information is interesting, useful and just possibly valuable. It’s entirely possible that the Meridian gear is absolutely tops, no question. But I’m going to put away my audiophile equivalent of beer goggles and actually (and fairly) listen to higher-end JVC/Pioneer gear. You can sneer away, but let’s not pretend that the boutique audio brands aren’t charging a killing by playing into your class aspirations and self-inflated aesthetic concerns.
Now, I’m NOT trying to “de-bunk” high-end audio. My viewpoint remains pragmatic and realistic. There are undoubtedly small brands run by passionate engineers who make quality, value-laden, beautiful products that, yes, cost a small fortune, and rightly so. The only real, pragmatic change that I’d like to see is one that I think is already occurring: the rabid and extensive sharing of information that was once considered too “inside baseball” or dismissed as irrelevant.
I mentioned earlier that I’m seeing some of newer, smaller brands very explicitly revealing information on transports, DAC’s, drivers, crossovers, etc. I think these changes are for the better, and lead to better consumer decisions. My only surprise is that these changes aren't happening more quickly, or with as much enthusiasm as I might expect. On this very forum, a number of posters have taken issue with my concerns, and have more or less dismissed my desire for a more transparent industry as fanciful, foolish and impractical.
I honestly think that these changes are simply a matter of time as high-end audio is forced to deal with the twin forces of the tanking economy and the sharing of information. But in the meantime, I’m not quite sure why such a very simple, consumer-positive goal is encountering so much pushback.
