Pro Audio vs Hifi

Whats the benefit of domestic Hifi kit over Pro kit. Pro kit often seems to be cheaper and offer better specifications, and/or sound quality. Are we being ripped off?

Discuss

 

There is no such thing as a hifi or pro audio amplfier, an amp is an amp. at the electrical level.

to prove this, I would ask someone who disputes to tell me exactly what design features constitutes a hifi circuit, perhaps even audiophile, and demonstrates it gives better sound.

Its marketing again.
Though amplfiers for the pro audio market do tend to be more ruggedly built in general, and as said, sevicable.
And hifi amps smaller and perhaps in the near past, lighter, with less watts maybe.
Traditionally, tone controls may have been on hifi amps ,esp jap ones, whearas in the pro arena, eq. would be used.

Benefits of pro:
power
ruggedness
backup support
competitive pricing with each other
better value by far than hifi
manufacturers that aren't totally paranoid about others seeing their circuits.

cons:
looks
weight perhaps
psychological...not hifi?

are we being ripped off...yes as with lots of things...1000 watts? hifi mega bucks, pro audio, yes sir, £1500 perhaps.

 

The (all important?) WAF has generally no consideration in Pro kit, whilst some companies make a passing stab at it in the domestic market, so yous pays ya price and takes ya pick.

 

To be fair, most pro audio makers would not put their amps up against top hifi amps for sound. Mid and treble can be rougher.
IIRC, Chameleon were brave enough to loan a pro amp to hifinews once, and it came back as 'not bad - could do better' sort of review. If they had been that interested in breaking into home audio, they could have tweaked it up. The QSC, Crest and some others are regarded as hifi quality. If there is a certain 'pro audio' amp sound it is usually 'very quick, with serious bass'
Pro audio speakers are less liked [especially the near and mid field size].
I am suprised that pro audio CD players are not more used. I had a DAT player for 10 years [knackered at the mo, I might replace it sometime] and the sound was very good.

 

also conection schemes are often different with big jack plugs or xlrs being the norm with nary an rac in sight. which can make things a bit of an arse at times.
cheers


julian.