#value proposition.

[richardvarey]

Vinyl, Streams, and the Alchemy of Experience

How Seth Godin Would Spin Recorded Music in the Experience EconomyThe Record as Ritual … Seth Godin, the marketing maverick who turned “purple cows” into a business mantra and “permission marketing” into a manifesto, has long argued that we don’t just buy products – we buy stories, connections, and experiences. In his seminal work The Experience Economy, co-authored with Joe Pine, Godin (and…

[richardvarey]

When hi-fi hype meets reality

In hi‑fi, under‑promising and over‑delivering often shows up in modestly marketed gear that surprises listeners with performance beyond its claims, while over‑promising and under‑delivering is common in products hyped with “night‑and‑day” improvements that turn out to be marginal or flawed.  —🎚️ Under‑Promising, Over‑Delivering These are cases where manufacturers or services set modest…

[richardvarey]

False prestige in hi-fi

I follow the Audio Science Review website, and with seeing further failed reviews, note that most of the products that are not recommended are expensive and have major flaws. How does this stack up with the notion that quality is signalled by price? It cuts right into the heart of one of the most persistent myths in consumer audio: that higher price equals higher quality. ASR routinely…

[richardvarey]

Cambridge ... enough said?

Cambridge (formerly Cambridge Audio) promises to “break out of the traditional hi-fi world and step into something more expressive, more contemporary and more emotionally resonant”. What do they mean? 🎧 Cambridge’s rebrand is more than a logo tweak—it’s a philosophical pivot. When they say they’re breaking out of the “traditional hi-fi world,” they’re signaling a move away from the rigid,…