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Why are so many companies like harbeth making old speakers designs and charging thousends?

Hi everyone I am a little confused about the speaker market. I had been two dealers that sell totally different products. The one I had been to which I bought my forests from sells Totem And Monitor Audio and B&W. though I went to the other that sells Harbeth And audio note speakers which they recommended me buying. And the problem I have trouble understanding Is when I spend thousands on a speaker. Especially my next big purchase. That has no real new technology and is the size of my dads old conerwalls and never use to cost Thousands to build. With no technological advancements. to a product such as the totem that is small compact and modern for the wife approval , and to be more exact. The new Element line and technologically advanced like the torrent driver. Which I can get the same speaker as the same cost or less of the audio note and Harbeth and dose not need to take up the whole room or look like the 70's. Whats your opinion? Would you buy a product that is a 30 year old design that costs 5 times as more with the only diffinceses as upgraded silver wire and upgraded crossover components. To a thousand dollar woofer that is machined not stamped and has so much magnetic flux that it ca lift a car and no crossover?
128x128jakecanada
murphythecat
181 posts
 
harbeth use a excellent midbass in all there speakers. the radial driver is definitely not a old design.

To my eye, harbeth are actually a true bargain. beating and equaling speakers costing many times more.

The sound is anti hyped, natural, and tonally accurate. 
elevick
2,636 posts
 
I spent some time this weekend with 40.1's at decibel hifi in chicago.  Honestly, I like the 30.1 better.  The smaller boxes had a little less bass but imaged better.
I hadn't seen the 40.1's in person before.  My wife would never allow them.  The 40.1's are no different than big Klipsch or Tannoys.  You have to like having big wooden boxes in your room regardless of the quality of the woodwork.  They are flawlessly built and worth every penny.
jtgofish's avatar
jtgofish
515 posts
 
Harbeth and Audionote are exactly the sort of product we should value because they are great examples of evolving and perfecting design rather than coming up with something new just for some perceived marketing reason.
dlgkgk333's avatar
dlgkgk333
2 posts
 
sa ty
jimspov's avatar
jimspov
60 posts
 
I have the same dilemma with the Vandersteen Classics (specifically 1ci) and Totem Arros. They're about the same price and both are well regarded in the forums. The Vandersteen's have survived longer, so they can be said to have stood the test of time.

Yet the Vandersteen's don't have expensive parts as far as I can tell. The Arros do - the interlocking cabinet, the veneer both inside and out, the crossover and the borosilicate  damping.

On the other hand, the Vandersteen's don't need most of the expensive materials because they've done away with the cabinet. (Hard not to be impressed with the application of  Occam's Razor).

Vandersteen's claim to fame is their first order crossover providing time and phase accuracy. Yet the Totem Arro's also claim to be phase coherent (which I thought wasn't possible with a 2nd order crossover?).

How is the price similarity explained? I guess because the sound quality is on an equal plane.
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