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Why pay so much for super high end?

Most speakers costing $50,000+ use Seas, Scan Speak or Accuton.

In DIY forums most speakers designed use bargain drivers and usually are only 2.0 designs not bookshelf or center speakers to complete a surround system.

I’d love to have a Scan Speak 11 speaker system for atmos with 3 way bookshelves, center and floorstanders.

Why aren’t the designs out there and why are you guys pissing away all your money.

Personally I won’t get an upgrade from my speakers unless it’s of this caliber and neither can I afford nor want to donate money to these thieves.

A 3rd party 11 speaker atmos scan Speak system would be nice but I’m not spending $250,000.

Why on earth aren’t there designs out there for this and why do you all piss away your money?

I don’t get why hi fi isn’t all DIY even honest factory direct companies mark up 300%.

Unless you pull in $1+ million a year and don’t have any time I don’t get it.

Are you guys lazy?

Someone easily could design a great crossover and cabinets for everyone and the days of paying over $3,500 for a pair of loud speakers if you got some time or know a friend who could build cabinets would be over. I know of people who could design cabinets that rival $100,000 speakers and cost less than 1% than that.  Someone with some experience could easily design a diamond, beryllium and soft dome and various versions for various tastes.

I don’t get it. Speakers are so simple.  Crossovers cabinets and drivers.

You guys just throw your money away I don’t understand it why?


funaudiofun
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
it is one thing to buy some cone based drivers and build an enclosure by copying the R&D of an established and eminent manf.

it is something else to hire a bunch of engineers and acousticians, but them test gear, including laser interferometers, and spend years to improve on an existing design of cones in a box

and something else again to create speaker based on ribbons, electrostatics, or a gas plasma

choose your level and how much time you want to invest for the $$ you will save (I suggest the cones in a box for any single individual)

Just remember, Edgar Villchur died for your sins
mb1audio
151 posts
 
" Much of audio is ridiculously priced, and could be done much cheaper. The prices are so high because some folks WANT them to be high, for elitist status purposes. In the last 10 years every major audio manufacturer has come out with a new top of the line model which is at least double in price. "

I've heard statements like that many times over the years, and for the most part, I just don't buy it. There are some products out there that are overpriced, but I've never seen anyone buy them as a status symbol. They're just trying to get better sound, and are willing to pay for it. Not only that, but when expensive products don't sound as good as expected, those status symbols go right out the door.

As for the doubling of prices over the last 10 years, I think its also worth mentioning that price increases go far beyond the audio industry. Everything is more expensive these days, not just audio components. Besides, no one is putting a gun to your head and forcing you to buy something. A decision like that can only be made by you. 
maxboy00's avatar
maxboy00
275 posts
 
This thread has long ago, gone way off the rails. it appears that the OP, just keeps poking and prodding. Time to move on!
soundsrealaudio's avatar
soundsrealaudio
756 posts
 
Dear Mr. Fun--Fun

I am a dealer of high end audio and have been for about 12 years. In my twenties I worked for a hi fi shop in Denver that did sell a few hi fi items, Kef, ADS, Luxman but that was in the 70's. So one would think that things would improve at a pretty good clip. I have yet to see it loudspeakers. It is almost like hobbyists that enjoy music systems say to themselves, " I think I could make a loud speaker better the these. Then they are off and running. Big MDF boxes with three drivers. WOW isn't that special. You hire a cabinet guy to go to work, you buy drivers, none are as good as you would like them to be but latter you will order direct from the factory and have them add a couple of windings and call them custom, then you play around with crossovers and settle for one, then late you will upgrade the parts and say what a huge improvement that makes.

Now you are in business. Marketing comes  next.

So I wish I did't have to say this but I agree with you.

Maybe not about the other stuff you said regarding the people who buy them.

  

mb1audio
151 posts
 
soundsrealaudio, 

Can you give more details and some examples? There's always going to be a mix of good and bad speakers in the market. But if you look at most of the successful speaker companies that have an established brand, along with track record of repeat sales, they seem to be unique in that they're products are able to outperform DIY speakers. Of course, you'll have the ocassional exception, but for the most part, DIY has a difficult time competing with established brands.
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