What would be considered the "Average Level" sound system?

Could be. But, most of that other stuff is tape decks, DAT recorders, CD players, speakers, you know...hey, if I ever get to the place where I can afford better, I will get better. But, the new amp sounds better than the older one.

Can't help it. I like recording. I consider my PC as part of my stereo system, but I don't even own computer speakers.

 

No, people are more interested in movie soundtracks than just music.

 

Same here! People are shocked that I don't grab mp3s off Kaaza. I'll say one thing, that new amp is making my mp3s sound worse! I don't know what that says...

 

From my friends' systems:

Average: $150 USD on a minicomponent system.
Highest: $400 USD on a Yamaha separates system.
Lowest: $80 USD semi-boombox system.

They can't understand how can I spend 10X that amount on a pair of monoblocks.

Me neither.

 

Its says mp3's are crap....

 

That they are. Now, I could tell most of them are bad with my old system, but the new amp must be better because the bad quality is showing up even more now. 160kps sounded decent on the old one, but now they don't start to sound half-way decent until I get to 256 kps. I guess I was listening to bad sound all that time.

 

Your neighbors are the freaks!!

 

I agree. I'd guess for many people, a Bose Wave Radio would be considered Hi-Fi nirvana. That BIG stereo smooshed into this little box, right? Not long ago, I saw a HTITB at the Home Depot for $99 IIRC. I said to myself "so this is what it's come to" - buying your stereo along with your paint... I wouldn't be surprised if that is considered to be a "good system" by lots of people.

 

Well I'd think our friends and neighbors might be better judges of what is average than any of us might. I doubt that any of us are anywhere near average, or we wouldn't be here. It sounds like some of us don't have expensive systems, but that just makes it a little harder to get good sound.

You can spend a lot and not get good sound. I can't tell you how many nice systems I've seen with an equalizer in line and set up like your worst audio nightmare. And the owner has no idea why it sounds bad, or worse, doesn't realize it does.

And you can spend a little and manage to get good sound. All it takes is a little know how. And it seems that most who hang here have plenty.

 

I am into two high-end things: Stereo and Wine. I have a few friends who have heard my my system and say "Oh gosh - what have I been missing" but it is only a few. On the other hand just about everyone I have ever served fine wine to appreciates it. What goes on here - why can't people appreciate fine sound?

 

As has been discussed over in many many thread on this site the bottom line is whatever the average consumer listens to the music on is 'good enough'. Being out there among consumers, I hear it ALL the time. For the majority of them, sure they can hear a difference, sure it sounds better, sure they would in a everything being equal world want the better sound BUT and here is the qualifier, is that for them its not worth the time or effort to get better sound. What they have is 'good enough'. As someone who appreciates good sound, you just have to remember your in a minority and most others are not going to share those ideas/passions. Don't waste your time or energy worrying about why they don't share your taste for better sound, just accept that is how it is. If you have the urge/need or want to try to turn people onto better sound, then do it the actual letting people listen to music they love, not some audiophile type recording that they wouldn't care about, on your system. If they are passionate about music they will get moved to do something about equipment, and I know this because I see this also all the time.

 

Obviously this question assumes at least some disposable income, i.e. the average person with enough money to at least afford DVDs and store-bought CDs.

I think the average person/family has a pre-assembled stereo or surround system. May not even be Dolby Digital & DTS. I would even offer my immediate family as an example. Although I'm afflicted with a bad case of audio-hardware neurosis, my family doesn't appear to care too much about absolute sound reproduction. My parents have a rack Sony system from about 15 years ago with floorstanding speakers (stereo only). Suits them fine. Doubtful they'll upgrade soon. One sister has a Sony Pro-Logic receiver, DVD player and a pair of Infinity bookshelves. I helped her pick out this system a few years back. Another sister has a Aiwa Pro-Logic shelf system that suits her fine.

So basically, I think stereo sound still dominates many sound systems, and the majority of people with 5.1 have an all-in-one system. If you start getting into separate receivers with different brand speakers, you are usually talking about someone that has invested $1000+ and has some type of high-end aspirations.

 

My system (see my profile) is a decidedly mid-fi system, but very good mid-fi (all told, I guess it all cost around $3000-3500). I listened to a lot of receivers, CD/DVD players, TT's and speakers when selecting my gear. I'd love better equipment (yes, I do hear the differences), but finances are always a consideration. Now, what I will add to this discussion is this: what we call mid-fi today, was hi-fi 20-30 years ago. The fact is that electronics have become less expensive on a price/performance level than ever before. I have my old Sansui G-4700 receiver in the bedroom, and it still sounds great: it has 50 wpc and in 1978 it cost me $500, quite a chunk of change for the time. It is possible to get decent sound from equipment that isn't horribly expensive, but you have to spend a lot of time listening, and you must listen critically, something most people are unwilling to do.

 

Hi Grant,

My percentage reference to your system's cost was intentional. Your aggregate budget is your aggregate budget and as you appropriately stated, "hey, if I ever get to the place where I can afford better, I will get better." Where we differ is the concept of only spending 4% of your aggregate budget on amplification. I allocate my audio hardware budget differently w/ a significantly higher portion spent on amplification.

Take care,
Jeffrey

 

I do have high-end aspirations even on a tight budget. I have never forgotten about Goodwill, garage sales, etc. as I have found speakers for about $5-10 at those places, nice sounding ones in fact.

 

BTW, you can have a pre-assembled system and replace the speakers overtime. When I get to the point of wanting a new subwoofer for my system, I will buy a new subwoofer. I have added another small speaker onto my small center channel speaker via good quality speaker wire by wiring out of the additional speaker into the center channel and then from the center channel to the back of the receiver.

 

It just underscores the fact that the mass market doesn't care about sound quality--to them, music and video equipment are appliances like a refrigerator, stove, trash compactor (another form of compression ). If it fits the decor (the ol' WAF at work) and has a remote control (so they don't spill their beer), they're happy. If anything, "good sound" means the bass on HTITB #1 booms louder than HTITB #2. So on that note, "average" meaning the "typical home consumer" isn't all that good. To them, upscale means a Bose Lifestyle (note the marketing term) speaker system, because it costs more.

The average equipment level among us is a whole different animal.

 

Oh yeah, I understand what you were getting at, but I was in a situation to simply replace the amp for functionality. I did not have a budget allotment for this purchase. I'm afraid I don't have the money you do.

 

Rudy, Having a hi-end system I never use my remotes to prevent spilling of beer, I use them so I do not spill my wine. Sadly what you said about bass for HTITB seems to also apply to hi-end HT systems at least based on my experience at HE2004.

 

Also, Rudy, I've found that another selling point for some consumers is the "light show" display. A former co-worker was telling me about how he'd bought the Aiwa with the best light show (and that it was more elaborate than his brothers light show). He was absolutely astonished that would pay nearly $200 for a pair of dinky little speakers. The majority of my former co-workers are like this. I didn't even bother trying to turn any of these guys on to my (just scraping into) mid-fi system, as they would be too busy wondering why there isn't a light show.

 

I just remembered... I have a very good friend with really high-end aspirations on a boombox budget (his wife won't ever let him spend a cent).

By buying my old stuff, he assembled a very good Luxman (Alpine era) system with sopme 1980's JBL speakers.

He paid around $100 for it...

So in his case, he got way more than he paid for. His system is still a $100 system, though. I guess the best thing we can do with our beloved equipment is recycling it with the people we love... spread the word of good sound around.

 

Javier, A very kind and wonderful thought.

 

What I see in electronics shops locally are Japanese contraptions that look like transformer robots and also small boomboxes.