What makes an expensive speaker expensive


When one plunks down $10,000 $50,000 and more for a speaker you’re paying for awesome sound, perhaps an elegant or outlandish style, some prestige ... but what makes the price what it is?

Are the materials in a $95,000 set of speakers really that expensive? Or are you paying a designer who has determined he can make more by selling a few at a really high price as compared to a lot at a low price?

And at what point do you stop using price as a gauge to the quality? Would you be surprised to see $30,000 speakers "outperform" $150,000 speakers?

Too much time on my hands today I guess.
128x128jimspov
Well, if we are now talking about what makes an upgrade expensive, I read online, but never verified myself, that B&W has a couple of very closely related lines.  The higher end line is identical except for a Mundorf MKP replacing the default polyester tweeter cap. About an $7 upgrade (retail) for a couple of hundred bucks in MSRP for the speaker. 

Best,

Erik 
The Brand it is all about the Brand you are being sold on the brand and it's perceived quality.

Looks good well made and well finished all Bling, a great piece of furniture.
Must be good, it costs a small fortune right.

Have heard DIY efforts that absolutely out shine (sound wise) expensive well regarded speakers. In the Same Room.
But we are not talking sound vs value, are we.
The good DIY's cost half the price, but are nevertheless still expensive.
The biggest and most time consuming and expensive thing, is getting the finish right.
Sorry guys paying more for speakers than a Car is just no within my budget.  If it was; then OK, no problem.
Like everything out there it's worth is only dependent on  how much someone is willing to pay for it.
Good components are not cheap making a fine speaker with a superb finish is not cheap.  Lots of time goes into development, made in small quantities.
Got to pay for  all that.