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Is it possible for a high end manufacturer to overprice their goods?

Having just read the interesting and hyperbole laden review by RH of the new Rockport Orion speakers in the latest issue of The Absolute Sound, one thing struck me..

is it possible in the high end for a manufacturer to overprice their product ( doesn’t have to be a speaker, but this example comes to mind)? I ask this, as the Orion is priced at $133k! Yes,a price that would probably make 99% of hobbyists squirm. Yet, the speaker now joins a number of competitors that are in the $100k realm. 
To that, this particular speaker stands just 50.3” tall and is just 14.3” wide…with one 13” woofer, one 7” midrange and a 1.25” beryllium dome ( which these days is nothing special at all…and could potentially lead to the nasties of beryllium bite).

The question is…given this speakers design and parts, which may or may not be SOTA, is it possible that this is just another overpriced product that will not sell, or is it like others, correctly priced for its target market? Thoughts…

128x128daveyf
grislybutter
3,217 posts
 

@mapmap I take any explanation I can (other than everyone getting rich from drug money)

On a positive note, I don't see the fewer part. There are so many new and new-ish cars on the roads, the wealth is well-spread. Not just in my fancy city, I spent 6 weeks total in the Midwest this year, and yes I have seen poverty but a lot of middle class wealth too. People who can afford Teslas, Range Rovers and Suburbans can afford 20K speakers too. (high end in my vocabulary)

mapman's avatar
mapman
22,341 posts
 

@grislybutter who knows? Each case is different. A Tesla can be a decent investment. Prices are actually down for some Teslas and of course you save money on gas. Of course you still have to be able to finance large ticket items somehow. The stock market is at an all time high. Personal debt is out of control. Always many looking to get your money. It’s a chaotic world in general. In some cases the chaos results in expensive high end gear. All it takes is the desire, some money and/or a good credit rating. In any case these things are luxury items. Things you buy because you want to not because they are necessarily truly needed. It’s the American dream! Women often tend to love expensive jewelry that in most cases is a bad investment. What’s 30% annual interest on a credit card as long as you get what you want? Things happen. A lot of it not necessarily a result of a well thought out financial plan.

deep_333
1,466 posts
 

As long as there are enough wealthy people with space to fill and who like expensive toys that will buy them, they serve a unique purpose and are not any more overpriced than a Ferrari, Lamborghini or designer watch. Or designer handbags and clothes for the ladies.

I am associated with a circle of guys who could afford any cost no object hifi crap, buy it and throw it down the drain, if they felt like it.. But, they are quite simply not as dumb as you think they are. For instance, they have a pretty good clue about what goes into the engineering/build of a F spider or a GTR for example. If some of y’all dealers with the lousy narrative ("if you’re rich, why not?") took a box with 4 drivers and said it is worth more than their car, they will throw you outta their houses.

Elon Musk will run you out of his house in a hurry if you said the polished box+drivers you sell is worth more than his car.

Some of y’all dealers (promo dudes) on this forum think you’re real flipping brilliant, smarter than all of us, huh?

No, you didn’t get anyone with half a noodle in his head. You got some dirty money though, if you indeed managed to sell a box+4 drivers that cost more than some guy’s Lambo...and I know something about the kinda guy who bought it.

Get a clue and try not to insult anyone’s intelligence.

 

 

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