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Is Hi-fi getting more expensive?

When I first get into high end audio in 2003, $3000 can buy you a very good cd player. Now $3000 just get you started. All of sudden, most of the major high end cable companies all ask $10,000.00+ for their top of the line speaker cables. The economy is bad but you don’t see high end audio getting cheaper. The entry ticket to Hi-Fi is getting more expensive and Hi-fi is getting far away from average people.

I guess the reason is that if the economy is bad, less people buy high end audio. So companies have to charge more for each unit to cover their development cost, and even fewer people will buy their equipment. This will be a vicious cycle that never ends. I think some company should cut the price by 50% to break the cycle. I know there is lots of pressure for companies not to follow the price trend when one cable company list its cable for $10,000+. If you don’t follow it, people might think you cable is not as good as the high price tag cable. But if you cut unit price by half, your sale volume can go up to make up your lower price. Volume is important. Windows 7 is more complex and powerful than Sooloos, but why Windows 7 is $200 while Sooloos charge yoy $10,000? You can also look at computers, they are always getting faster and powerful while still keep at the same price point or cheaper. Once other companies see the benefits, they will join it too. Pioneer and Sony are not incapable of making great audio gear, they just choose not to because of the tiny market size. If big companies like Pioneer or Sony see there is a big market for high end audio, they will come and join the game.

I feel Hi-Fi almost double its price from 2003-2009.We really need some companies to take the first step(cutting the price) to break the vicious cycle. Now these days more people are listen to compressed music like MP3/ipod. We really need to find a way to attract more people to good quality audio to benefit all of us, otherwise we all lose in the end.

This might be my wishful/unrealistic thinking. People are welcome to share their thought.
yxlei
tonywinsc
583 posts
 
I think the opportunity to spend astronomic funds on hi-fi has existed since the 50's. The booming economy expanded the hi-end market, just as it did for many other high ticket, high priced luxury items. The Luxury Yacht market's best year since the 1920s wasn't until 1999, for example.

While those of us audio enthusiasts drool over what we can't have, the trickle down technology benefits everyone, eventually.
orpheus10
8,668 posts
 
The high end is getting more expensive by the minute. The best used equipment is escalating in price. If you think something in your audio chain might go, replace it now.
6550c
393 posts
 
Starting off in 2003, you don't really have much perspective. Between 1985 and 1990, 13 audio stores in my town closed up for good. You should compare to prices 20+ years ago. By 2000 audio was already dead. High end used to be priced for doctors, layers, dentist, rich single guys etc. now it is priced for Wall Street wizards, oil barons, and investment scamsters.
I have been in audio for almost 40 years and think most products today represent the worst price/performance in history. Allot of products are not really that great and are way way over priced. Home theater killed off audio. Computers killed off audio. Letting licesenced home electronic installers anywhere near high end gear is a big mistake, imo. Cheap Chineese junk is a big stain on the hobby. The audio industry kill itself in many ways. The hobby, due to insane prices, and stores selling more brands of cables than gear, has become annoying and not as fun as it used to be. I am glad I stocked up on good gear back in the 1990s. Going to a sorry excuse for an audio store to check out some 20K speakers and having some sales dude play 2 tracks from a homemade CD-R and then asking if you are ready to buy is getting really old. i cant remember the last time i got really excited about a new piece of audio gear.
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