Effects of the SB on the "Hi-End" Audio Industry

[joncourage]

This discussion's come up a few times in various contexts, and I thought it might be worth mulling over some. All theoretical of course, since there's no real way to obtain statistics, only to surmise.

Some folks say that devices like the SB (and other reasonably-priced, high-value, consumer-accessible audio devices) are hurting the high-end audio industry, since they compare too favorably to high-cost alternatives while delivering less than superior audio quality, thereby weening people away from the quest for the best possible sound in favor of convenience, accessibility, value, etc.

That, at least, is one of the competing perspectives.

Personally, I believe the opposite to be the case.

Making high-quality audio accessible to more people is sucking more people into the hobby, resulting in increased spending for supplemental componentry. We all know how addictive this is. How many of us stopped with adding a Squeezebox? Even the lowly iPod is capable of instigating or renewing a habit-forming interest in one's music collection, leading unrelentingly to the "hard stuff".

My personal audio odyssey started (well, at least was re-started) by the Squeezebox and in general the digital music (MP3) revolution.

About a year ago I literally gave away a pair of Linn speakers and dumpstered a Nak tape deck and Denon receiver. I hadn't been using them, they were too much to drag around, took up too much room, the Mrs. wanted them gone, asap. Out they went, victim to the convenience of computer-based audio with Klipsch powered speakers. Was the audio as good? No, of course not, but acceptable for the occassional background listening I was doing.

Having recently invested a modest (very modest) amount of $ in a HTIB, I then came across the Squeezebox somewhere (thanks I think to our very own Mike Anderson who posts on another forum I hang at).

I had to have one. A bunch of people working for me got together and bought me one for Christmas. Probably just to shut me up.

Connected to my lowly HTIB, the SB3 along with my collection of CDs progressively being ripped to FLAC, sounded incredible. Way better than my old audiophile-ish setup. Way. I was hooked.

If a system this inexpensive could sound this good, imagine how much better I could make it sound with some tweaks. And the - very - slippery slope of upgrades.

Then I found Audiogon, this place, and a few others. 3am bouts of intensive research and I started, slowly, learning the ropes.

The more I learned, the more I was exposed to audiophile systems, the more I yearned to become a member of the club.

I was loving the sound of the SB, and I wanted MORE. There's the rub. The pivotal moment. Hi-end system manufacturers and publications take note. This is where the rubber meets the road for you, and if you miss this opportunity, be it for snobbery, lack of foresight, fear, or preservation of a familiar status quo, there will be no-one to blame for your demise but yourselves.

Reception of the SB amongst the hi-end community has been lukewarm, reviews have been good-to-excellent, but always with reservation (often ambiguous); a kind of "sure kid, you're good, but not ready for the major leagues, go practice some more". I don't know, I'm far from an expert. But I read, a lot. And I read between the lines. The SB is a paradigm shift, and paradigm shifts are rarely easily embraced, particularly by the Old Guard. It doesn't look like a hi-end component, it's not heavy enough, it's not expensive. Maybe the Transporter will shake things up a bit. Something about the lukewarm reception has been striking me as off though. Like there's a generally positive opinion, but mixed feelings, something being held back, unsaid. "D" ratings where the content of the rating process, the results, the enthusiasm of the reviewer, suggest higher. So easy to speculate on why - magazine advertisers influence, feelings of "no way we'll admit this $300 thing is so close to the source I spent $5000 for three years ago that I can barely tell the difference" (and maybe couldn't under double-blind testing).

In any case, "MORE" translated into the purchase of a good set of speakers, a good set of stands, a good set of speaker cables, a good set of ICs, a good DAC, a power conditioner, and soon a good receiver. (Actually, I've gone through several of many of these, as most of us do). Ultimately, probably, a good pre and amp, maybe a room correction system. Eventually, a dedicated listening room.

The modest Squeezebox has resulted in my expenditure of just shy of $7000 I NEVER WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE SPENT on audiophile equipment.

So, hi-end people, next time you want to overlook the little giant killer, I'd suggest you look at him as the best friend the giants ever had. He may just end up being the medicine that keeps the giants alive and kickin.

[funkstar]

Originally Posted by joncourage

Personally, I believe the opposite to be the case.

Making high-quality audio accessible to more people is sucking more people into the hobby, resulting in increased spending for supplemental componentry. We all know how addictive this is. How many of us stopped with adding a Squeezebox?

I think you are partly right on this. It like the Digital SLR market today compared with a few years ago. I read in Amature Photographer that more dSLRs are now sold to people that have never used a film SLR than those converting from film to digital. This has mainly changed this past year with the base Canon and Nikon models being little more expensive than high end compact digitals.

[SoftwireEngineer]

To quote, Stereophile's John Atkinson himself - ""physical discs seem so 20th century!" !!!!!!!!!!!!

[ezkcdude]

The Squeezebox was an answer to a long-standing problem: How can I listen to all my music in any way I want at any time in any place I want? Once I realized I could do everything I ever wanted to do with my own music, it was a no-brainer to start optimizing.

Unlike jon, though, I haven't gone the big bucks high end route. I've actually gone in the DIY direction, because I've become fascinated by actually learning how to make this stuff sound good. I'll probably end up investing just as much as if I bought everything, but I'm having way more fun than I ever did as an audiophile.

[tomsi42]

Originally Posted by funkstar

I think you are partly right on this. It like the Digital SLR market today compared with a few years ago. I read in Amature Photographer that more dSLRs are now sold to people that have never used a film SLR than those converting from film to digital. This has mainly changed this past year with the base Canon and Nikon models being little more expensive than high end compact digitals.

The benefit of a digital camera compared to a film based one are twofold: you get your pictures now and they are way cheaper to create. Take 500 shots and print the 50 good ones!

What has this to do with squeezeboxes? SB's also improves your acccess - this time to your music.

[Wombat]

I know at least one of the ones building very first class speakers that realized this coming about 10 years ago.
One day all music will be played out of RAM and therefore the pure source will be the same for all he predicted (or alike)
He had no doubt about getting bits to the soundchain will be something not to improve at all one day.
I think we have reached that point.
These little nuances in the digital chain now offered don´t justify any big spendings.
Time to get the real sounding parts in shape

[highdudgeon]

Well said.

Originally Posted by Wombat

I know at least one of the ones building very first class speakers that realized this coming about 10 years ago.
One day all music will be played out of RAM and therefore the pure source will be the same for all he predicted (or alike)
He had no doubt about getting bits to the soundchain will be something not to improve at all one day.
I think we have reached that point.
These little nuances in the digital chain now offered don´t justify any big spendings.
Time to get the real sounding parts in shape

[Mike Anderson]

Originally Posted by joncourage

Having recently invested a modest (very modest) amount of $ in a HTIB, I then came across the Squeezebox somewhere (thanks I think to our very own Mike Anderson who posts on another forum I hang at).

You're definitely not the only person who bought one based on my proselytizing.

I think SD owes me some commission!

[opaqueice]

Originally Posted by Mike Anderson

You're definitely not the only person who bought one based on my proselytizing.

I think SD owes me some commission!

Probably... but these things pretty much sell themselves. To my knowledge five people have bought one after seeing mine. It's just so clearly superior it's irresistible, at least for any non-technophobe with a serious music collection.

[pfarrell]

Wombat wrote:
> One day all music will be played out of RAM and therefore the pure
> source will be the same for all he predicted (or alike)

A gigabyte of RAM is $80 these days. It will clearly hold a whole
RedBook CD.

More importantly, you only need a few minutes worth of memory to make
jitter even less of an issue that it is today, as long as you can feed
the buffer faster than the feed to the DAC

High end transports have no reason to live, its so last century.

--
Pat
http://www.pfarrell.com/music/slimse...msoftware.html