High-end audio: Difference between revisions

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High-end audio equipment is created to be the best, regardless of what it might turn out to cost. High-end audio equipment can be extremely expensive. People who buy this type of equipment are sometimes called audiophiles.

High-end audio can refer to the build quality of the components, but more specifically, refers to the ability to reproduce more accurate music. This can be judged on a variety of levels, from accuracy to warmth, thus fuelling the ever-expanding high-end audio market. Audiophiles tend to look at high-end audio as a hobby, rather than a product that they purchase. Because of their desire to achieve 'the best' combined with a lack of technical insight, audiophiles frequently are tricked into buying useless equipment like very expensive cables. It involves the careful tuning of a series of components, including the room itself, but very infrequently the result is objectively measured.

Professional recording studios seldom use high-end audio gear for monitoring recording sessions. Instead, studios use their own kind of players, amplifiers, signal processors, and speakers, built to very high standards by the professional audio industry. Such monitor gear is designed to optimize acoustical accuracy, whereas high-end audio gear is designed to optimize the subjective goal of musical accuracy.

Akai Japanese audio manufacturer reaching prominence in the '80s.
Advent Advent speakers and other projects by audio pioneer Henry Kloss
Denon Pioneers of high-end consumer and pro audio
Dynaco Vintage Amplifier and preamplifier manufacturer. The Brand survives today with a different organization.
Kenwood Japanse audio manufacturer made high end gear in the late 1970s up to the early 1990s with mainly amplifiers and tuners, but also a turntable and a cd-player.
Kyocera 1980s manufacturer of CD players, cassette decks, turntables, receivers.
Marantz Early electronics manufacturer; continues in some form in the present day.
New Acoustic Dimension(or NAD) Multi-National high fidelity audio company. Revolutioned the acceptance of High end audio in the 80s.
Maxell 1980's manufacturer of high end recording cassette tape media.
Nakamichi 1980s high-end audio cassette and amplifier company, continues in some form in the present day.
Onkyo Japanese audio manufacturer reaching prominence in the '80s.
ReVox 1980s high-end audio company known for cassette decks, tuners, receivers, amplifiers, speakers, and continues operations in the present day.
Rotel Japanese audio equipment manufacturer.
Sansui Japanese audio company reaching prominence in the late 70's; continues in some form in the present day.
Tandberg 1980s high end audio company in electronics, including cassette decks and tuners.
Teac 1980's manufacturer of high end audio equipment.
Technics Japanese audio manufacturer reaching prominence in the '80s, subsidiary of Panasonic.
Yamaha Japanese conglomerate and audio manufacturer reaching prominence in the '80s and still manufacturing audio equipment today.

General

Earphones

Headphones

Speakers

Recording equipment

External links

The Audio Circuit - Information on and user reviews of loudspeakers, headphones, amplifiers, and playback equipment.
Stereo | 411 - Resource site for high end audio and video manufacturers, dealers and equipment.

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 * [[Onkyo]] Japanese audio manufacturer reaching prominence in the '80s.
 *[[Revox|ReVox]]  1980s high-end audio company known for cassette decks, tuners, receivers, amplifiers, speakers, and continues operations in the present day.
 * [[Rotel]] Japanese audio equipment manufacturer.
+* [[Sansui]] Japanese audio company reaching prominence in the late 70's; continues in some form in the present day.
 *[[Tandberg]]  1980s high end audio company in electronics, including cassette decks and tuners.
 *[[Teac]] 1980's manufacturer of high end audio equipment.