hi-fi+ Global Network Magazine hi-fi+ Issue 245 Back Issue

The Loudness Wars of the first years of the 21st Century are, thankfully, largely behind us. The days of ‘everything louder than everything else’ and ‘3dB of dynamic range equals a hit single’ are mostly a thing of the past. However, the excesses of that time highlight a maxim that is so easily forgotten in all walks of life, including good audio; just because you can do a thing, doesn’t mean that you should.

High-end audio, like its counterparts in many luxury goods markets, has yet to find its price ceiling. I don’t think it’s possible to build a system that exceeds the five million mark yet (be that Pounds, US Dollars, or Euros), but we’re getting very close to that price point. Doubtless, a couple of years from now, we’ll be pushing the eight-figure barrier. But... should we?

Audio enthusiasts want to build a system out of the best sounding products and that creates a ‘Top Trumps’ world where pinnacle performance rules. But a loudspeaker with a frequency range from DC to light or an amplifier with reservoir capacitance that could jump-start an aircraft carrier might be overkill even in the largest listening rooms. And simply spending the sort of money that could fund an insurrection isn’t the answer, unless you spend that money wisely.

The problem with creating systems built out of a series of statement pieces is they engender more statement pieces at the expense of more down-to-earth products. OK, ‘down-to-earth’ is not the right term when discussing systems potentially costing hundreds of thousands in the context of systems costing millions, but maybe ‘some’ sanity is required.
I don’t know if there is a solution. Perhaps a more realistic way of approaching the best audio is looking at your listening room – and not your wallet – as the ultimate limitation on your system. And maybe, if we not only treat the room as the defining factor in audio, but treat the room to be as acoustically good as you can make it, we’ll build better systems.