HEY QUESTERS,

         You might have heard about Hi-Fi audio. If you aren't able to relate, a very rough idea which you would surely guess is that it's better than normal audio output. So what exactly is this? Does it really matter or make a difference? Let's find out.

WHAT IS Hi-Fi AUDIO?

Hi-Fi stands for High Fidelity. This term is used by audio enthusiasts for High-Quality reproduction sound. In simple terms, its objective is to get as close to the original recording as possible with as little alteration as possible.

HOW DID IT START?

The journey started in the early 1930s when a violinist wanted to make a radio that sounded like he was listening to a live orchestra and would achieve High Fidelity as compared to the original recording by experimenting with the acoustics of speaker casings.

       In 1991, Sennheiser released a set of headphones called the Orpheus that came with a dedicated tube amplifier claiming the best Hi-Fi headphone in the world. The worth of this has been up to $30,000 & its successor costs $50,000. 

WHAT SEPARATES Hi-Fi FROM A CONSUMER GRADE AUDIO SYSTEM?

They are made with higher quality materials and sometimes exotic enclosures to reduce resonance, mechanical noise & interference. Amplifiers also play an important role in reproducing sound accurately. It's important for the amplifiers to have high-quality power supplies capable of converting AC to DC power with as little interference/electrical noise as possible. Being an analog setup, with more premium wires & cables can in some cases make a slight difference since they are made out of more conductive materials & more importantly will have better shielding. Now the source audio itself plays a huge role in the quality of audio of the finished output. In the case of Speakers, the Hi-Fi audio difference would be easier to differentiate.

HOW Hi-Fi AUDIO IS ACHIEVED IN HEADPHONES/EARPHONES?

They have significantly higher impedance than normal headphones i.e. they offer more resistance than standard headphones. These are compatible with higher quality & more powerful amplifiers. They also have larger lighter drivers made with higher quality materials & have an open-backed design allowing for a wider, more natural soundstage.

SO WHAT'S THE ACTUALITY?

Definitely, Hi-Fi is not only luxurious and perfect but also it can be experienced by speakers of different price ranges. In the case of experiencing them in Smartphones & Earphones, it's really difficult for people to find out the difference between the two. It's only tech geeks who can differentiate the audio that too in some cases only.

  I hope I was able to acquaint you with Hi-Fi audio & how it works and how much difference it makes. Like/Dislike the way you felt about the same.

REGARDS

RHITWEEK SANTRA