hi-fi+: new look, new direction

Beyond additional features, even the scope of the products we review is ripe for a spot of scrutiny. It’s been a little difficult looking at the worldwide audio market in the last couple of years because we’ve all been so inward-looking but despite that, we have seen changes in audio and distinct trends in high-end that we believe are going to be increasingly relevant over the coming years. We think the very nature of audio is changing too.

The big change is the growth in what we call the ‘metropolitan’ music lover, especially in Europe and the UK. Many traditional high-end systems, which are designed for American buyers with large dedicated listening rooms, are simply too large for European homes. These systems are not defined by price points, but by the sheer physical limitations of trying to fit substantial high-end systems into European listening rooms that are often considerably smaller than their American counterparts.

Indeed, in parts of the world where living space is at a premium, the concept of a dedicated listening room is alien; shared living spaces that act as a listening room when called upon are the norm.

We’ve noticed that far from a convergence, the gap between such systems is getting wider. While the obvious difference is in loudspeaker designs, perhaps the more telling difference comes in amplifier choices between the two continents. Many high-end audio systems in Europe rely on top-notch integrated amplifiers rather than the larger multi-box preamp and mono power amplifier arrangements found in American high-end homes. The change in priorities for European/metropolitan listeners is driven by space concerns, not price; they want the best, but it must come in a package small enough to fit their listening space. Until a few years ago, that meant ‘compromise’, but the modern audio design (both in terms of better electronics and more accommodating loudspeakers) has meant outstanding, high-end audio performance is not simply the plaything of those with large, dedicated listening rooms.

Best of all, while it sounds like a contradiction in terms, there’s growth in shrinking systems. With significant and ongoing developments in diverse fields – from materials science and new amplifier classes to DSP and room-correction/treatment – each successive year sees such systems increase in number and improve in performance.

Back to the future?

However, if all this sounds worrying, remember that audio is a broad church, and magazines like hi-fi+ are not just looking for the Next Big Thing. We are seeing a small, but noticeable ‘uptick’ in sales of CDs; both discs and players. Whether this is due to millennials looking wistfully to the 1990s, or the start of CD’s rehabilitation remains to be seen, and it’s too early to say whether this is a short-term blip or a decade long revival, but those of us who never got rid of their CDs in the time of streaming and downloading are doing our little smug dance right now.

This is an exciting time for hi-fi+ and for audio in general. We’ve seen increased interest in all things audio for a few years now and I genuinely think there’s never been a better and more fascinating time to be an enthusiast!

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