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Top down or bottom up? Just asking...

This is a purely theoretical question that I’m tossing out just to learn what folks might say.

Consider, say, Magico and Wilson Audio. Their top speakers are in 6 figures, but their ‘bottom’ ones go as low as 10k. Consider, say, Monitor Audio and Paradigm. Their bottom is very low 4 figures or lower; their top in the low 30s.

Now, wouldn’t it stand to reason that other things being equal a 20-30k speaker from Wilson or Magico would be better than the same from the other firms? The upper firms have all that top level technology to scale down, while MA and Para would be at the top of their game in the 20-30 range.

Obviously, there are other issues—personal taste being the most important. And room size and other components.

But ‘all things being equal’ isn’t the answer clear? What am I missing?

P.s. I am a very happy owner of MA PL100II, which I got half price used here at less than a year old. And of B and W CM9 I got 10 years ago. I’m just wondering…


128x128rsgottlieb
speakermaster
738 posts
 
The speaker sound that those companies achieve can be bettered for a lot less than those out is the statosphere prices you need to keep an open mind and look to the vintage speaker market where you will find fun, musical, and emotional speakers for a lot less money.
rsgottlieb's avatar
rsgottlieb OP
47 posts
 
thanks for all the thoughtful comments....
sokogear
1,097 posts
 
Would you rather own a Mercedes or a Toyota? Stupid question. It depends on the model. I might prefer a Lexus (Toyota) LS5xx over an E series Mercedes at a similar price point. There are different processes, even factories in certain cases. Marketers have all kinds of tricks, the "halo effect" and otherwise to trick you into what may or may not be trickle down benefits. I hate Marketing (spent over 30 years in sales) and especially commercials. It is BS. Many times (or I should say most times) price is based on where it is in the marketplace, not what it cost to make, or even how it performs. I was told by a well known turntable manufacturer that some of their wealthy clients wouldn't buy a $20K table because it is too cheap! They wanted to brag to their friends how much they spent. Didn't matter if it sounded the same as a more expensive one.

Bottom line - identify how much you want to spend and what are all of the viable options based on your room, your wife (may hate planars or speakers that are too big, oddly shaped, etc.) other components they would have to work with assuming you don't want to change anything else, REGARDLESS of brand. Then......LISTEN to them the make the cut down to a final number. That's all that matters. If you have a dealer you trust, that helps a lot, especially if they are flexible with trade ins, consignments, etc. They are tough to find though.
unsound
7,329 posts
 
It depends. For example: I always thought the sweet spot for Dunlavy’s were in the IV-V series, for Magnaplanar’s the III series, for Thiel’s the 2 & 3 series, and for Vandersteen’s the II series.
It varies.
soix
9,597 posts
 
some of their wealthy clients wouldn't buy a $20K table because it is too cheap!
That’s because it’s a luxury good.  The demand curve is upward sloping for luxury goods unlike practically everything else, and it’s also why I stated earlier that MA would’ve been better off charging more for their upper-level speakers.  

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