Is Emotiva Quitting the Hi-End Audio Market

[drumace]

Is it just me or Emotiva is actually changing its focus from hi-end to commodity market?
They had such a great hi-end products - XPA-1/1L, DC-1, Stealth monitors, etc.
Now none exist anymore and I don't know what I'll have to do in case I'll have to buy a new equipment (amps, preamp, CD player, dac) since the current offering does not appear to be hi-end and I'm not familiar with other companies that offered such a hi-end products in such prices.
What do you think?

 

[everettT]

Not seeing it. Their amp and preamp selection is still the same. CD players are dead, and they have always been up and down with speakers.

 

[2channel lover]

Is it just me or Emotiva is actually changing its focus from hi-end to commodity market?
They had such a great hi-end products - XPA-1/1L, DC-1, Stealth monitors, etc.
Now none exist anymore and I don't know what I'll have to do in case I'll have to buy a new equipment (amps, preamp, CD player, dac) since the current offering does not appear to be hi-end and I'm not familiar with other companies that offered such a hi-end products in such prices.
What do you think?

I'm not seeing what you're seeing, but I do think they have expanded the mid-fi separates selection which is a smart biz decision if you're not going to get into he AVR market.

Far easier to migrate from a $500 AVR to a $1300 amp/pre-pro (A700 + MC700) than a $4000 amp/pre-pro.

The XPA amp line, XMC-1 pre pro and XSP-1 preamp are clearly geared towards the upper end of the market.

 

[Auditor55]

I'm not seeing what you're seeing, but I do think they have expanded the mid-fi separates selection which is a smart biz decision if you're not going to get into he AVR market.

Far easier to migrate from a $500 AVR to a $1300 amp/pre-pro (A700 + MC700) than a $4000 amp/pre-pro.

The XPA amp line, XMC-1 pre pro and XSP-1 preamp are clearly geared towards the upper end of the market.

What in the heck is Mid-Fi? Either a piece of audio equipment is hi-fidelity or its not.

 

[2channel lover]

What in the heck is Mid-Fi? Either a piece of audio equipment is hi-fidelity or its not.

Then why did you ask the question?

 

[Auditor55]

Then why did you ask the question?

Because those terms were used to inform us that Emotiva has expanded their "Mid-Fi" separates selection. If I go to the Emotiva site and search mid-fi would get a list of products being marketed as such?

 

[2channel lover]

Because those terms were used to inform us that Emotiva has expanded their "Mid-Fi" separates selection. If I go to the Emotiva site and search mid-fi would get a list of products being marketed as such?

Fwiw...I'm not the first person to use the term. Obviously in Hifi you can have two amps...one costing several thousand dollars and the other few hundred.

In context it's really just a price point reference. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[lovinthehd]

Fwiw...I'm not the first person to use the term. Obviously in Hifi you can have two amps...one costing several thousand dollars and the other few hundred.

In context it's really just a price point reference. Sorry for any confusion.

To use mid fi to reflect hi fi gear that isn't ridiculously priced is all about marketing....

 

[Cos]

Yes and No

RMC-1 (out very soon) is definitely higher end
Bass-X covers a larger market segment

My analysis, they are just covering their bases. While "High End" enthusiasts may seem plentiful, they make up a very small percentage of the actual market. Emotiva is actually very smart in their approach to help capture more of the market. The "normal guy" who would buy a receiver now has the opportunity to own a separates at an affordable price. Interesting note at events like AXPONA, a majority of people attending were in their 50s+. The Emotiva showcase seemed to have a much younger market segment. I think they are doing something right and hopefully lead to all these millennials who buy soundbars etc, into becoming audio fans.

 

[2channel lover]

To use mid fi to reflect hi fi gear that isn't ridiculously priced is all about marketing....

Exactly....no more, no less.

 

[Auditor55]

Exactly....no more, no less.

If that is the case, those are the wrong terms to use.

 

[2channel lover]

If that is the case, those are the wrong terms to use.

Perhaps, but again...the term is out there, and most people seem to understand the meaning.

 

[highfigh]

MidFi is moderately-priced, better than average equipment without all of the bells and whistles. Why is that so hard to understand?

 

[lovinthehd]

MidFi is moderately-priced, better than average equipment without all of the bells and whistles. Why is that so hard to understand?

Because it's applied indiscriminately and variously and even snobbishly? It's all hi-fidelity gear and has lots of bells and whistles. You want to call the ridiculously high priced stuff high-end, that's more appropriate.

 

[highfigh]

Because it's applied indiscriminately and variously and even snobbishly? It's all hi-fidelity gear and has lots of bells and whistles. You want to call the ridiculously high priced stuff high-end, that's more appropriate.

A lot of the "high end" stuff has no bells OR whistles- they look at anything more than input jacks, a source switch and a level control as 'extravagant and if it's not stupidly expensive, it's crap. Whether it sound better is up for debate. At one point, there was a comment that the perfect amplifier was "a straight wire, with gain".

Any attitude that comes with a piece of equipment, whether for its design, brand, model or price, is the problem of the owner. People who sell snootiness annoy me and IMO, they're liars & frauds. I know some and try to avoid them.

 

[2channel lover]

A lot of the "high end" stuff has no bells OR whistles- they look at anything more than input jacks, a source switch and a level control as 'extravagant and if it's not stupidly expensive, it's crap. Whether it sound better is up for debate. At one point, there was a comment that the perfect amplifier was "a straight wire, with gain".

Any attitude that comes with a piece of equipment, whether for its design, brand, model or price, is the problem of the owner. People who sell snootiness annoy me and IMO, they're liars & frauds. I know some and try to avoid them.

Although they have some upper pricepoint gear with bells and whistles, but I've kind of associated NAD as more of a meat and potatoes type company. My 1st entry into "hifi" was a HK 2 channel 100 wpc amp, NAD stereo pre amp, NAD CD player and a pair on Linn book shelf speakers...that setup served me for a good decade.

 

[VonMagnum]

IMHO, Mid-Fi is a term invented by pretentious people to put down cheaper systems normal people can afford. It has nothing to do with fidelity except in the minds of those with more expensive systems. Where the "line" lies is entirely in the mind of the beholder's system that thinks his crap smells like potpourri.

A better term is "high-end" and "mid-end" implying PRICE not necessarily quality. There are luxury cars and "regular" cars that are just as good, even as fast and looks are subjective, but the term "luxury" means you're paying out the butt for it and thus, name tags like BMW are status symbols, even at the low-end which are not better than many other cars. For example, look at this old Car & Driver article from 2001. A BMW 330xi, Audi S4 Quattro or a Subaru WRX (https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison-test/a15137680/bmw-330xi-vs-subaru-impreza-wrx-audi-s4-comparison-tests/) The WRX cost $25k. The others over $40k. The Subaru came in 2nd place and lost 1st place by only 2 votes (due to road noise, not speed/handling). The WRX is mid-priced. The Beemer is considered luxury. The price often has nothing to do with the reality of the vehicle when it comes to high-end brands. Sometimes, it does. You wouldn't mistake that WRX for a Ferrari or Lambo. But what about that Nissan GT-R at a fraction of the high-end Ferrari and Porsches?