to me hi fi is any equipment that can acurately reproduce music without coloration and most importantly- the equipment makes the music sound EXCELLENT

From Merriam Webster.
One entry found for high fidelity.
Hi-Fi
Main Entry: high fidelity
Function: noun
Date: 1934
: the reproduction of an effect (as sound or an image) that is very faithful to the original
- high-fidelity adjective

Please note that neither Mid-Fi or Low-Fi were found. IMHO those two terms were invented by salesman and snotty jerks who try to make you think that just because you didn't spend what they consider a lot of money.

FWIW my old $300 receiver and $200 speakers used to sound great. While they were low priced they were still decent quality and Hi-Fi. The sound produced was pretty close to the original.

I bought more expensive equipment all around and it does sound better to me. I still wouldn't call somebody elses equipment crappy or cheap or mid-fi.

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Stott

Just saw this thread. I posted in the 770 thread and was considering replacing my Denon 5800 (flagship receiver of 2 or 3 years ago) with separates. Was considering all Rotel gear (@ 7500 bucks) and was convinced here to try the Outlaw 950/770 combo (after all, I could send it back in 30 days). Got the Outlaw stuff in and could not be happier. My family and I all can notice a difference (see the discussion about the Denon 5800 in the 770 thread). I would never "knock" anyone's choice of HT or audio equipment: it is all about being happy with the sound you get. I was really skeptical about the Outlaw separates when compared to my Denon (and even more so when I thought about the Rotel stuff), but it was a good move for me and we could not be more pleased. The Denon is a fine receiver - but in my subjective view it simply does not compare with the Outlaw in my system. If others disagree, that's fine, and I am happy for their choice. Cost was really not a factor - Ihalf expected to be sending the Outlaw set back. It is here to stay. (With the savings, I ordered a Denon 5900 DVD player!).

It is not about spearates vs. receivers ot me. If I heard a receiver that sounded "better" to me than the Outlaw gear I would buy it. I just don't think that will happen (although I am interested in hearing the new Yamaha Rx-Z9!)

Thanks to all.

Mike

When I was just a kid, (my wife thinks I still am), I thought hi-fi was short for high fidelity. For myself, fidelity in sound is only something my ears, nervous system, and brain can decide. My daughter plays piano and has the ability to hear gradual changes in a string's tension months before I notice it, so high fidelity is definately different for the two of us. I believe hi-fi was coined with break throughs in electronic music reproduction years ago that brought "quality" sound into the home. It has been used ever since as a status symbol to be-little users of less than exotic equipment. I noticed this when I purchased my speakers from the local "boutique." They were speachless, they couldn't comment about how I was going to drive these speakers because they had never heard of Outlaw. It was worth just watching their brains squirm as they couldn't decide what to say since they didn't know if Outlaw was "hi, mid, or low fi". As a side note, this boutique also sells pianos, it's where I purchased my daughter's, and she can hear pianos that are out of tune that the piano tuner himself cannot pick up on, so much for the boutique employees' ability to hear hi-fi.

Another factor is flexibility. Separates allow for that as well as giving you an opportunity for better sound.
But for some people who can not appreciate the difference, there are several mid price receivers I would recommend. I would not recommend high price receivers except for those that insist on integeration (?) and just "don't want to be bothered" but have the bucks to spend.
In fact I might encourage them to spend as much as they can on a receiver


[This message has been edited by DaleB (edited December 11, 2003).]

The fact of the matter is that, if all you're going to do is drive 60 mph a Ford Taurus will do. Now, if you want to go 160 mph... The same is true of high end audio/video gear. As a musician, I can listen to a 78 rpm recording through Koss cans and I still "get" the music. OTOH, it is uncanny listening to "Rainbow Bridge" an SACD of orchestral music that is unbelieveably realistic on my 5.1 system. It's just a different, more absolute sound that closely resembles one might hear in a concert hall. I can enjoy music whether it comes through a receiver or separates. Let's not be audio snobs!

Jay