# Mid-Fi verses Hi-Fi



## chashint (Jan 12, 2011)

Please list some examples of Mid-Fi and Hi-Fi speakers.


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## Guest (May 24, 2011)

The problem with comparing is, how are they graded? They can't be graded by price. I've read the words mid-fi and hi-fi before, but I think most people just go by the price of equipment. If that were true, Bose should be hi-fi, but I think they are low end.

I guess in my opinion, I'd consider cheap polk audio speakers mid-fi, but I think something like this would be hi-fi. https://www.madisound.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=35_468&products_id=8958

I just don't like labels. Kind of like an audiophile. You can be a poor audiophile and I don't think it's associated with the price of equipment at all. Others think you got to spend crazy amounts of money to be an audiophile. It just means, the love of sound.


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## robbo266317 (Sep 22, 2008)

I totally agree, For instance, you could use the same drivers to produce different designs that will create good, bad and mediocre results.
Also, some people prefer different balances in speakers even though for accurate reproduction you need good phase and frequency response, amongst other things.

It depends on your preferences and judgement as to what is deemed acceptable to you.

Cheers,
Bill.


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## GranteedEV (Aug 8, 2010)

Hi Fi, as the name suggests, means high fidelity to the original source material; an accurate system. For speakers, in the midrange(top of shroeder frequency to around 8khz), there is probably a +/- 2db tolerance of frequency response in particular, with no high Q bumps. The Off-Axis response should not colour the sound in an untreated room. Neither bass nor high treble are elevated in the balance of things. It stays reasonably true to the source. Of course there's gradations of how high fidelity might be, and there's always small colourations that expert listeners can pick out. There's no perfect-fi of course.

Mid-Fi on the other hand means it might sound good to some people, but it NOTABLY isn't a very accurate representation of the original - people might prefer it but it probably sounds its best on non-genres of music and synthetic movie sequences, where you don't have a real life frame of reference. Most speakers made to sell - Paradigm Monitors, Klipsch, Polk, Def Tech, are probably "Mid-Fi". A mid-fi amp is one which is not stable down to a 4-ohm load, or a tube etc.

On a technical level, you can still expect +/- 3db tolerance for a mid fi speaker, but the voicing will be rather obviously unrealistic as soon as you hear it - it impresses people at the store, and that's what matters. One thing I've found is that a mid-fi speaker is designed to combat the fletcher-munson curves. They sound better at low volumes than they do at lifelike volumes. That is the way they are voiced - for lower volumes. If you push them harder they will probably just lose composure - higher SPLs are not in the design concept!

Lo-Fi means it sounds unequivocaly BAD - clearly audible third and fourth order harmonic distortion, shouty, chesty, clipping amp, ragged frequency response, nasal voices...! In other words, the setup in MY honda civic! 

You can probably have hi-fi for under $1000 (IE JBL LSR, EMP e55ti), and still yet have mid-fi for the BIG money...price doesn't dictate fidelity - FIDELITY dictates fidelity!


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## TypeA (Aug 14, 2010)

GranteedEV said:


> Lo-Fi means it sounds unequivocaly BAD - clearly audible third and fourth order harmonic distortion, shouty, chesty, clipping amp, ragged frequency response, nasal voices...! In other words, the setup in MY honda civic!


:rofl2:


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
I believe there are no more words left to be said on this. EV nailed it and I too give his description my unabated props.
Cheers,
JJ


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

Yeah, I gotta chime in and give EV a +2. Very informative spot on post.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

Jungle Jack said:


> Hello,
> I believe there are no more words left to be said on this.


Au Contraire, Mon Frère! :time-out: 


Hi-fi isn't just about what brand name you have or the money spent. It is also about how you utilize what you have. We all know you can have the best gear and still mess up the sound with poor integration.

I would consider my B&W 600 series speakers as a borderline mid-fi speaker, with the 800 series being of the hi-fi genre.

But when I treat the room for the poor off axis response that the first order crossovers give the speakers (a trade off for in phase response at the listening position), and then add multiple subs, it becomes a borderline hi-fi speaker _system_.


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## Theresa (Aug 23, 2010)

I think mid-fi is a un-defined term and as such it doesn't really indicate anything in particular. If you have a $5,000 system then you will probably judge $500 systems mid or even low-fi. I tend to refer to speakers as high end or low end but that's not much better. I don't think the I'Dun is all that exceptional as a speaker system but it probably outperforms most $1,000 bookshelf speakers. I just finished putting together speakers with ScanSpeak Revelator mid-woofers and Eton magnesium/ceramic tweeters with mini-DSP crossovers, to me they are the best speakers I've heard. Are they mid-fi or hi-fi? I don't know. I didn't pay $5,000 for them so..... Or my Behringer subwoofer amp, its a pro model does this make it mid-fi? I know someone with a McIntosh (the "Hi-Fi" company, not the computer) system, does that automatically make it Hi-Fi? Probably. It seems that these terms are worthless.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

tesseract said:


> Au Contraire, Mon Frère! :time-out:
> 
> 
> I would consider my B&W 600 series speakers as a borderline mid-fi speaker, with the 800 series being of the hi-fi genre.
> ...


Hello,
I cannot agree more that Room Acoustics are utterly essential and make a gigantic impact. The only HT Component that is close to parity are Speakers.

All this being said, HiFi is to me being utterly faithful to the Source. Moreover, it is only idiots like me who have 4 of 5 Speakers in their HT that can dip as low as 0.8 Ohms in the uppermost frequencies. If one has relatively efficient Speakers that do not demand 4 Ohms or lower, it is certainly not essential to have very high current and stable Amplifiers.

And in truth the HiFi/Mid Fi debate is one I do not think I have ever addressed on this Forum until this Thread came up. I realize that such debates often become Third Rail discussions so to speak. That being said, I do think EV Post was along the lines of what I believe.

I realize to some, using an Onkyo AVR as I do strictly as an SSP is a Mid-Fi selection. However, after spending countless hours on Room Acoustics after switching to Martin Logans for my HT, I brought home several SSP's and AVR's. Between the Bench Tests of the AVR's I have used and my personal experience, I honestly could not notice any major difference. Again, to me it is about being faithful to the Source.

I also realize that Electrostatic Speakers are not everybody's cup of tea so to speak, but there is truly something magical about them when properly setup and provided stable Amplification. While ESL and Planar Speakers do not Measure as well as many conventional Speakers, the juice is worth the squeeze to me and also Sonnie is a fellow Martin Logan HT Owner. However, when not given enough power and current, it is the Highs that are rolled off saying nothing of the fact they need to be placed well out of space.

In the end, all that truly matters is that your HT brings you joy. I do think it is important to be cognizant of what is out there to make the most informed decision, but in the end it is what makes one happy that matters.
Cheers,
JJ


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## Theresa (Aug 23, 2010)

I agree that room acoustics are important, as you say, second in importance only to speakers. Room treatments are a wonderful thing. As far as impedance is concerned I don't think it has anything to do with being "hi-fi," I say this even though my midwoofers are 4 ohm. My amps though are Emotiva's and handle 4 ohms with no problem. The amps are relatively inexpensive, does this make them mid-fi?


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Theresa said:


> I agree that room acoustics are important, as you say, second in importance only to speakers. Room treatments are a wonderful thing. As far as impedance is concerned I don't think it has anything to do with being "hi-fi," I say this even though my midwoofers are 4 ohm. My amps though are Emotiva's and handle 4 ohms with no problem. The amps are relatively inexpensive, does this make them mid-fi?


Hello,
Giving nomenclature to such terms is so problematic. As many of the Emotiva's have been Bench Tested and provided Measurements on par with Amplifiers costing multiples of their price, I would not call them that. Again, prior to this Thread, these were not terms that I had ever ascribed to any discussion of Audio Gear.

In a sense, I fear that this Thread might do more bad than good. So long as things remain civil, I will not Close it, and I am willing to see where it goes.

I really think the division is most applicable to Speakers. With Amplifiers and even DVD Players. CD Players et al there are many who do not believe there are discernible differences to the point that there are 10,000 Dollar offers for one to distinguish between 2 different Solid State Amplifiers when Level Matched. Needless to say, this has never been said of Speakers.
Cheers,
JJ


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## chashint (Jan 12, 2011)

Thanks for the responses, I did not know mid-fi vs hi-fi might be a hot button topic.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
It need not be, but it certainly has the potential to cause disharmony. As in all Hobbies/Addictions, there are Hifi Snobs. This is mostly High End Audio silliness and not so much the debate between HiFi and Mid-Fi.

I am not sure where the term Mid-Fi first appeared, but all I can say is most Components accused of being Mid-Fi are leaps and bounds better than HTIB's and All in One Packages. So far, all has gone well on this Thread. It just has the potential to be problematic. I totally understand wanting to know the differences between the 2 especially when other Forums often speak of this dichotomy. Usually when someone who spent a fortune on a system is trying to justify their huge purchase.
Cheers,
JJ


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

Jungle Jack said:


> Hello,
> It need not be, but it certainly has the potential to cause disharmony. As in all Hobbies/Addictions, there are Hifi Snobs. This is mostly High End Audio silliness and not so much the debate between HiFi and Mid-Fi.


Many contemporary "mid-fi" components supersede the performance of yesterday's "hi-fi".



> I am not sure where the term Mid-Fi first appeared, but all I can say is most Components accused of being Mid-Fi are leaps and bounds better than HTIB's and All in One Packages.


Well, there is "low-fi", too.


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## pxj (Jun 10, 2011)

I think Hi-Fi could be related to how much money does a person want to invest in the best components and materials, the best build quality, the best lab test of that equipment to achieve the result they alone want to experience for the dollar invested. The dollar value could be minimal or extremely expensive where speakers are concerned to obtain what they want..


One man's Mid-Fi could be another man's Hi-Fi


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## Guest (Jun 10, 2011)

Even HTIB systems are getting better. I would not be ashamed to own this guy. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882120187

I read LG was working on a THX HTIB too.

I doubt any HTIB system could produce the quality I want for music, but for affordable 7.1 system, the Onkyo is suppose to be impressive. Then again, I haven't heard it. It shouldn't be boomy as it's all sealed.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
I think HiFi is when you no longer have any Monster Cable Products in your HT...
JJ


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## Guest (Jun 11, 2011)

If you bought your gear from a big box store, you might just have mid-fi.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
I was mostly joking about Monster Cable. As many of us do, I got a phone call a couple of days ago from a family friend who needed a new TV and modern HT. While explaining the possible options for TV, there were no issues. However. when we got to the Audio System, he was/probably is, going to purchase Monster everything as he seems convinced it can make a profound difference to the SQ.

I tried, I am pretty sure in vain, to explain that with a relatively limited budget that he could get far nicer Components like Speakers, that do make a real difference if he was not intent on spending hundreds on Monster Cable. You can bring a Horse to water....
Cheers,
JJ


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## chashint (Jan 12, 2011)

Monster just can't win, that brand is laughed at by the people who champion heavy guage zip cord and those that demand wire that says Nirvana, Synergistic Research, or Nordost on it.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

chashint said:


> Monster just can't win, that brand is laughed at by the people who champion heavy guage zip cord and those that demand wire that says Nirvana, Synergistic Research, or Nordost on it.


Hello,
At least speaking for myself, it is the combination of spurious claims of "greater dynamic range and improved bass response" on their Speaker Cables, the attempt to Copyright what seems to be the entire Webster's Dictionary with Lawsuits at the ready for anyone who comes remotely close to any of these Copyrights, the amazing swag that is given to Salespeople, and this is just the things at the top of my head.

And indeed it is one of the few subjects that two factions with often a true dichotomy do indeed converge. As for me, the only Cables I have recommended here are from Monoprice and Bluejeanscable. While in truth I own Cables from neither, the only reasons I do not is that I purchased all of my Audioquest HDMI Cables and IC's for 80% off when Sound Advice was going OOB along with the rest of the former Tweeter Empire and was given expensive hand me down Speaker Cables from my Audio Snob little brother who believed it to be tragic to use regular Speaker Cables on ML's.
Cheers,
JJ


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## pxj (Jun 10, 2011)

> Audioquest HDMI Cables and IC's for 80% off when Sound Advice was going OOB


 I did the same thing, saved a ton :wave:


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## Zeitgeist (Apr 4, 2009)

Mid fi is what you currently like. Hi-fi is what you want but can't afford!


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## chashint (Jan 12, 2011)

Zeitgeist said:


> Mid fi is what you currently like. Hi-fi is what you want but can't afford!


HaHA well said.
Most likely applies across the board.


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