Tempus Fugit – On Short-Lived Hype in Chi-Fi
HOW LONG…
Budget to mid-tier Chi-Fi iems typically don’t have a long shelf live in our world of hype. Promoted largely (but not only) by influencers, most are hot today and forgotten tomorrow. Many manufacturers (and distributors/sellers) feed influencers for quick sales of large quantities of sometimes not so great product, and they keep the momentum going by flooding the market with new models in short succession (“shingling”).
While this was somewhat interesting at the low end (almost everybody could and did afford the mass of KZ models at the time…until most of us got tired of it), it becomes problematic in the higher-price regions. Who feels comfortable when a company releases a “Pro” version [= an update] two months after having spent $200 on the latest “super hybrid” – and this over and over again. This shows that companies throw product on the market prematurely, which destroys “consumer confidence” in the long run.
On the positive side, it stimulates progress, but at the cost of the customer. And sometimes, the life of a worthy popular product (and therefore the associated hype) is cut short by the manufacturer itself, simply by taking it off the market prematurely. An example is the Moondrop Crescent…it likely had to give way for more expensive models.
As a result of all this, consumers tend to buy the “latest and greatest”, which may end up in a drawer after a relatively short time, in order to be replaced by the next generation.
MEANWHILE…
Most “brand manufacturers” have a different approach. They largely don’t rely on influencers/hype, put lots of thought into initial R&D, release (mostly) mature product, and hold on to their models for many years, even when their own assortment is overlapping with newer models. After all, their R&D cost must amortize. This may be better for the consumer than the Chi-Fi approach but it can also be confusing. For example, Sennheiser hold on to their sonically superseded (=too bassy) Momentum in ear while adding a new line of much flatter-tuned iems.
These brandname products may not get the same initial attention upon their release as Chi-Fi — also considering their higher prices — but they “last longer” on the market and may therefore perform better for the companies (and their reputation) in the long run.
IS TIME ON OUR SIDE?
Reviews/analyses/influencer videos only capture the moment (valid for any product). They naturally cannot consider the fourth dimension, which is time. Time shows essentially by itself which iem is good and which is not. Time may be a slow but reliable “influencer”. Similar to quarantine in the current corona crisis, quality flattens the sales curve…which means, it extends the x-axis (time). Quality will always persist (if the manufacturer keeps the product running).
One of the iems that appears to stand the test of time is the 2017-released JVC HA-FDX1. This one will still be my one of my favourite in 20 years from now…and for two reasons: super build and natural sound (sound cannot get less natural with age). Examples of extraordinary longevity are the Sennheiser HD 600/650/6xx headphones or the Etymotic Research ER4 iem series, and the Koss Porta Pro headphones [which, paradoxically, have always carried the “Pro” label…since 1984]. All of these are “brandnames”.
Hype is like the corona virus: it doesn’t last long. Quality makes things stay.
YOUR TURN
My Sunday morning blurb may be an oversimplification and it is intended to be a bit provocative. Which Chi-fi model has survived years? You are invited to add your own opinion to the comments section below and/or on our Facebook page.
Keep on listening.
