In a world awash with pocket-sized gadgets that churn out tunes, what's it mean to proclaim we are into HiFi? Does merely producing products with intent make it HiFi? Are there any standards by which we would judge those efforts?
Where do we draw the line?
I would suggest that intent alone isn't enough; performance must also meet the high standards set by us audiophiles, though that too becomes confusing. Is it my opinion? Yours? The groups? And which group?
I hope we can all agree that a product like Sonos does not represent high end audio. I am not dissing Sonos—I have a Sonos soundbar on the upstairs TV and I think it's great. No, I am guessing if you asked the folks running a consumer audio company like Sonos, they would suggest to you their main mission is to make good sound that's easy and a joy to use in the home.
Do they aspire to compete with a pair of FR20s?
I don't think so.
We can all agree a Toyota Prius isn't trying to be a Tesla. But where in all that space between those two extremes do we draw the lines?
Something to ponder.
