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The new dynamic in speaker pricing

Yesterday I received the latest issue of the Absolute Sound mag. This issue has the round up of the varying speaker manufacturer’s wares along with the retail pricing. One thing that struck me is the number of speaker manufacturer’s who have a speaker in their line up that cost close to a $1M!! There are good number of speakers now available with prices in the $700K+ range. A few manufacturer’s are also a little ’glib’ with their top model pricing, such as Oswalds Mill--who state- price upon inquiry only!

This new speaker pricing dynamic is interesting, as it clearly indicates that there are buyers out there who are happy to pay these prices and presumably enough buyers to make these products viable. A trend that is certainly interesting and yet questionable as to how it will impact the hobby as a whole.

Opinions on this trend?

128x128daveyf

Showing 4 responses by facten

facten
2,764 posts
 

"the number of speaker manufacturer’s who have a speaker in their line up that cost close to a $1M!! There are good number of speakers now available with prices in the $700K+ range. "

If I counted correctly there were 3 speakers in the $700-900K range,, none above $900K . Not seeing a plethora of them as suggested. In the $150K-500K range there were 54; not sure that this is new news. Total speakers in the listing 769.

Those who can afford the higher end ones and the associated equipment/rooms I suspect thoroughly enjoy their listening experiences. Good for them!  Those that can’t or don’t want to spend to the same level should just focus on maximizing the listening experiences that their equipment and room will provide; and just sitting back and enjoying the music . Seems like that would be time better spent than worrying about why some manufacturers are building and pricing certain equipment that one is never going to purchase

facten
2,764 posts
 

"

These manufacturers know that the people who pay these exhorbitant amounts are almost never audiophiles. They also know these buyers are the most easily sold a bill of goods in terms of value. "

Kind of a broad statement don't you think? Plenty of serious audiophiles with big ticket systems over on WhatsBestForum; and elsewhere.

facten
2,764 posts
 

"its not a question of whether they have stolen their earnings. The issue is that, if one idiot buys a million dollar speaker, all the speakers companies will raise their prices and make them unaffordable for the rest of us. Why is that so hard to understand?"

You and some others act like manufacturers haven’t been making and selling very expensive speakers for some time now; and yet there are still plenty speakers being made at all price points. Not hard at all to find speakers to fit anyone’s budget.

 

facten
2,764 posts
 

Get on with building your own then and spare us the repeat of this diatribe.

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