Is Hi-Fi just a game for the rich? Feat. Musicoff and Marco Fullone

Our Julius and Giancarlo together with Marco Fullone and the Musicoff staff wondered what the situation of high fidelity is in 2024 by asking a question more relevant than ever: ” Is ‘Hi-Fi just a game for rich people?!” In the video below we will discuss what transpired and give you our impressions from different perspectives.

Hi-Fi in the time of integration

While in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, ‘Hi-Fi was probably the only imaginable way to reproduce our audio content, over the years things have changed, and more importantly, the way we listen has changed. Years ago, listening was a kind of ritual, often times on Saturday afternoons we would gather at the friend’s house with the best hi-fi system and listen to the latest record by the Police, Pink Floyd or Genesis. In this regard, it would be interesting to talk about the difference between listening and hearing, two similar but not quite the same concepts. Probably what we were doing in the friend’s house with the good system was listening and not hearing. The difference? There would be much to write, but we could summarize the concept by describing feeling as a passive/objective action in that we always “feel” everything around us. Listening, on the other hand, is a more intimate experience, involving the other senses as well and involving wanting to get to the bottom of an issue, wanting to understand what the artist has decided to convey to us through his music but, certainly, also through the cover of his record and to what is inside it.

“What is the relationship between all this and Hi-Fi?“

Simple, a Hi-Fi system allows us to listen while even grandma’s little radio on the dresser is sufficient to hear. Over the years, inputs have increased exponentially, and there has been a tendency to want to do a little bit of everything and to want immediate feedback on what you do. This “everything and now” philosophy certainly has penalized critical listening (in the Greek sense of the word), which requires time, a minimum of knowledge, and above all an inner calm that seems to be increasingly rare.

Not all "evil" comes to harm

Added to the considerations just made are the new and sacrosanct needs of most, namely, to have an increasingly connected system that is able to make us turn on the light, start the washing machine, and, of course, also make us hear (mind you, not listen to!) our favorite music. Hence the emergence of the various wireless speakers with voice assistants, soundbars, the resurgence of boomboxes, and you name it. Many enthusiasts see these solutions as pure evil, but in reality they could be a stepping stone to more informed, quality listening. During the lockdown, of the Covid period, a great many people had time to stop and move from hearing to listening, dusting off their favorite artists to do so, and often their own Hi-Fi system, or the one “at mom’s house,” including the old (not vintage) turntable that had been locked in the attic for decades. During this period it happened that many enthusiasts after experiencing the thrill of the soundbar, wireless speaker or boombox would want to go to the next step, which is a real Hi-Fi system, and in the age of the Internet what better place than a forum or a group on a social to ask for advice especially when you are locked in the house? We read absurd advice, especially in relation to the period of economic uncertainty in which we were and still are. Those who recommended “entry level” setups of four thousand, five thousand Euros as if they were pittance. Hence the terror of the unfortunate aforementioned enthusiast who, terrified, held on to his wireless speaker of the day. Fortunately, this was not the case for everyone, and if you looked hard enough you could come across sensible advice that with small budgets could and can be a great way to get started in this world. We ourselves have made inexpensive and well sounding setups. Great for anyone who wants to get started in the world of high fidelity or for the music lover looking for a good-performing setup that doesn’t cost a fortune, to hold on to for decades to come.

But in the end, is Hi-Fi just a game for rich people or not?

Returning to the original question, we can say with certainty in 2024 Hi-Fi solutions for everyone are there and have never been more convenient in quality, price, and reliability. While it is true that market dynamics have led brands to develop more and more products at the luxury end of the market, it is also true that today we have available entry-level products, from established brands, that for a few hundred euros manage to unleash decidedly interesting performance. The phrase, “Appliances like that don’t make them anymore,” seems to us to be more of a cliché than anything else; in fact, perhaps it would be more accurate to say, “Appliances like modern ones were impossible to make.” So if you feel like trying your hand at making a Hi-Fi system for the first time, or if you want to rekindle your passion never has the time been more appropriate than now. Have fun everyone.