The world of hi-fi is currently going through a series of changes, with everything from the continued resurgence of vinyl to the advent of new technologies such as Spatial Audio making waves in the industry.
Maybe you’re struggling to keep up with the latest trends and wondering what’s most important. To help cut through the noise as part of our UK Hi-Fi Week special event, we’re here talking to Cambridge Audio CEO Stuart George to get his take on what’s next in the world of hi-fi and how he expects younger listeners to enter his world.
A CD revival
George says one of the main things the company is thinking about is getting younger listeners into hi-fi – which he says will be a big challenge.
“I don’t know yet whether hi-fi per se is relevant to them. They need to be clearly informed about it and educated about it a bit,” he says when asked what he thinks hi-fi means to younger listeners.
“They shouldn’t need too much education – it should be relatively easy. What we all share is a love of music, that’s the common bond we have. It’s that passion for music that doesn’t change regardless of age.”
Despite this, he suggests that the premise may be surprising: the desire to own the music they love.
“CD is interesting. I think part of the CD renaissance is people discovering music as a physical form and identifying with being a music lover,” he says.
George further suggests that this CD revival could be a direct response to the rising cost of vinyl since its inception. A record is an expensive item these days, especially for younger music lovers.
“[It’s different from], where vinyl was 10 years ago. At that time, vinyl was completely cheap. It was in second-hand shops and you could buy something for little money; but it was a bit of a lucky dip in terms of the quality of the record when you got to it, and how playable it was. The CD is a bit sturdier than that, so you have a good chance as long as the CD is intact.
“There’s a good chance it’s playing and it’s high quality compared to what people might have experienced listening to things on their phones. And CDs are still relatively affordable on the second-hand market.”
He adds that Cambridge Audio is uniquely positioned to benefit from the predicted resurgence due to its experience making CD players and turntables such as the five-star CXC Transport.
“CD1 was clearly recognized as the number one CD player at the time; and then I am always very proud of the Alva TT V2, because at that time it was a real landmark,” he says.
The mid-80s CD1 certainly made its mark and is included in our best Cambridge Audio products of all time.
Separate versus all-in-one
George says he expects the CD revival to be part of a wider journey for younger listeners entering the world of hi-fi.
“Younger people today have grown up without really having experience with physical media,” he says. “Their journey starts with streaming, which just means listening to something on your phone; and then it might be on a computer.
“But then you might find that you can actually play it on an external audio device — maybe it’s a Bluetooth speaker or a little boombox or whatever. And then you go from there to physical media or more.”
He explains that this reflects his own journey in the world of hi-fi.
“One of the reasons my own taste in music is pretty open is because I remember things my dad used to play that I would never listen to musically,” he says.
“But because they were played on decent stereo, they really had an impact on you, and you appreciated what was in the music. I think we need to make that journey again.”
George says he believes this means there will still be a future for standalone devices alongside all-in-one players as the new generation of hi-fi enthusiasts grows.
“I think it’s kind of like the diversity you see in the auto market in that people want to have a sports car if they’re able to do it, or if they insist on it coming into their lives.
“Whether it’s an all-in-one or individual parts, every decision involves different choices and compromises to some degree. So if getting the best sound quality possible is a choice you can make – and you have the space and space that choice requires – then I think you’ll still go for separate devices.
“But for many people the convenience of what we offer with Evo, for example, is really appealing, and there’s a lot to be said for that. It’s currently the system I use at home because that’s the space constraints I have. No doubt I lose a little bit in terms of sound quality, but I can live with that as it offers other benefits.”
The future
Despite all the changes, George firmly believes that Cambridge Audio’s main reason for being has not changed since it first opened its doors many moons ago.
“We’re here to put a smile on people’s faces — to bring joy to people,” he says. “Of course it’s all done by engineers with huge brains – but the organization we are goes beyond that; it’s all about that love for music.
“That is the purpose of the exercise. Making amazing things is not an end in itself; it must have a need and a purpose in people’s lives. It must be relevant to our core purpose.”
He adds that this is a big reason why Cambridge Audio doesn’t want to add certain fashion items, such as spatial audio, to its speakers and instead focuses on using them in cars, where he thinks it makes more sense.
Spatial audio is a new technology on the Apple HomePod 2 And Sonos Era 300. The goal is to “surround users in a dome of sound” by delivering audio from above and behind and to the side and front of listeners.
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Spatial audio makes more sense in a car than in a living room, says Cambridge Audio