'High End'. What does that description mean to you?

Chris Cables

Chris Cables

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I've never been comfortable with the term 'High End' when referring to audio gear. I know why it's used of course- it's a differentiator. It says 'I'm better than your lowly cheap tat' and I think we can all possibly agree tha there is a direct correlation with the term and the associated asking price of any given 'High End' component/accessory. Usually there are far too many zero's added onto the end of the asking price compared to what its' actual real-world value is.
I'm going to cite Tom Evans as a perfect and topical example and I'm sure you'll concur with me.

I'm certainly always at pains to ensure my customers that I unequivocably do NOT make and sell 'High End' cables, just 'high quality' cables with a sensible and justifiable asking price. I don't want to be even remotely associated with the term if I can possibly help it, but of course that's shooting myself in the foot somewhat by alienating a section of the market that thinks nothing of throwing down 10K on a set of cables. It's a segment I could easily cash-in on and exploit if I'm really honest, but I'm not planning to do that anytime soon. I have morals and principles and a sense of my customer-base and what they appreciate.

For me 'High End' smacks of eliteism and one-upmanship but actually usually only delivers a poor value-proposition taking the usual and ridiculously high asking prices into account. So why is it used so ubiquitously?
What defines 'Low End' if there even is one? Where's the boundary line? What differenciates my relatively cheap, fantastic-value and fantastic sounding €300 Little Dot MkIII headphone amp from an €8000 Manley Neo Classic 300b amp? Yes. there are technical differences of course, but €7700-worth of differences? No.
Just one example and I could go on, especially when it comes to cables. I have to grit my teeth everytime I think about what Skogrand ask for their cables. grr

I'd prefer that a more neutral and descriptive term is used to emphasise the technical and performance merits of any given product. I don't exactly know what term but certainly not the hoity-toity sounding 'High End'.

Thoughts?
 
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J!m

J!m

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To answer the question:

“high end” would be an above average cost/price for said item.

“average” would be the market median.

“low end” would be below average in cost/price but generally lower quality as well.

This is of course the sweeping generalization and there is a lot of overlap/fade between grades.
 
Bob Boyer

Bob Boyer

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I'd argue that value as a concept is at play in this conversation, as well. "High End" can be high priced. It can also be high value if the sound and build quality is excellent at a lower price point. I'd argue that a select few pieces of equipment can be both at the same time - high priced and high value - but they are far fewer and much further between than the bullshit slingers in the audio press and on Youtube would have us believe.

Perhaps I'm naieve but I've not ever experienced being culturally bludgeoned by people with far more expensive stereos than mine, which is certainly on the lower end of the scale for systems which can accurately reproduce music. I've also been lucky enough in life to experience all forms of live music, many times a year. Might not quite have Jim's - or the ears of others on this forum, but I know what instruments should sound like and that is the only thing that guides me as I tinker.

So Chris, I'm genuinely curious if what you describe is a holdover of European cultural and class distinction and just another means of enforcing that class distinction - or if it's just that I haven't yet met an asshole with a million dollar stereo system. I'm certainly willing to admit that point.

And I'll add that judging by the cable I bought from you to connect my DAP to my amplifier, you have hit the value proposition squarely on the head.
 
Chris Cables

Chris Cables

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Bob Boyer said:
So Chris, I'm genuinely curious if what you describe is a holdover of European cultural and class distinction and just another means of enforcing that class distinction - or if it's just that I haven't yet met an asshole with a million dollar stereo system. I'm certainly willing to admit that point.
Click to expand...
I know what you're getting at regarding cultural/class-distinction Bob and it may well have connotations of that but I think it's less to do with socio-economic legacies and more to do with outright hifi snobbery and marketing improprieties.
If you consider that most 'high end' gear is self-proclaimed with an accompanying high asking price then it's literally a free-for-all to enter that market sector without provenance, pre-qualification or preclusion! Ergo; Tom Evans
(You're born into and remain within a class system, usually.)

Bob Boyer said:
And I'll add that judging by the cable I bought from you to connect my DAP to my amplifier, you have hit the value proposition squarely on the head.
Click to expand...
Many thanks for that wonderful compliment Bob. Makes it all worthwhile! :)
 
T

ThomOfYorke

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I think 'high end' for me is a matter of build quality, performance, and cost, and I'm sure there's things I consider high end that others don't or vice versa. I think a lot of people (esp. in the Agon world) correlate 'high end' primarily with cost, where the higher the price, the more 'high end' it is.

To me, 'high end' just means good quality stuff, not necessarily ridiculously expensive, though maybe still somewhat expensive by some standards. I suppose 'high end' would be something worth buying and holding onto long-term (e.g. a great sounding tube amp with no PCBS and all point-to-point wiring, or a Technics SL-1200/G/GAE). Stuff where the cost is really reflective of better craftsmanship, materials, design, etc., not boosted because of clever marketing. I always considered the term 'exotic' more appropriate for the super-car-priced, status symbol gear that has ancient oak paneling and all that shite.

I guess I never thought of 'high end' as laden with the snobbery that others associate it with, though I could see how it has that connotation. 'High end' to me is just the gear that is somewhat pricey but worth the price in terms of performance and build quality/longevity/repairability, and is a class above the more middling stuff like decent entry-level hi-fi stuff or some of the more expensive gear you'd find at your typical big box stores. "Low-end" to me is anything else, like all-in-ones, cheap plastic chassis stuff, Beats headphones, etc.

I've always thought there's a threshold beyond which there are exponentially diminishing returns or even no improvement at all in terms of SQ or build quality in relation to cost. I suppose I call 'high end' the stuff near to and right at that threshold, and everything beyond that threshold 'exotic'. All the latter stuff I'm not interested in because I think it has more to do with the social status bling factor than good sound.
 
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