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Details: Written by: Doug Schneider; Category: Features; Created: 13 October 2013

A couple of days ago I wrote an article under the "Future Fi" theme about the importance of quality all-in-one components to help grow high-end hi-fi's consumer base. The importance of convenience and simplicity, which is what these components provide, can't be underestimated.

Details: Written by: Jeff Fritz; Category: Features; Created: 12 October 2013

Walking around this show was almost depressing. It didn't seem to be well attended, many manufacturers were complaining about the lack of business-producing traffic, and some of the products just didn't make any sense. Sound familiar?

Details: Written by: Doug Schneider; Category: Features; Created: 12 October 2013

I’m convinced now more than ever that in order for the hi-fi market to grow and be attractive to more consumers, the typical audiophile notion of more boxes (i.e., separates), and the many more cables necessary to chain the components together, must give way to all-in-one components that are still very high quality both in terms of build and sound, but are easier to use and more practical to fit in a room. Why? Let’s face it: most consumers today want less clutter in their rooms rather than more, and they like simplicity over complexity. I ran into two perfect examples of this approach in Sumiko’s and Hegel Music Systems’ rooms.

Details: Written by: Jeff Fritz; Category: Features; Created: 11 October 2013

So there we were, having a coffee at the Front Range Trading Post at the Marriott Tech Center, which is where Rocky Mountain Audio Fest is held, just about two hours before the show was set to open. Doug Schneider and I were discussing the state of the audiophile marketplace and considering what types of products we would see and hear at this year's RMAF. Then Doug mentioned that at least one of our writers, a youngster in his 20s, had never even owned a CD. Like, not one.