Design a $60,000 Speaker - Start here

While I did want to talk about prices of drivers, and how this drives speaker cost (more or less) I think we need to be very careful in ascribing quality or worthiness to a driver based on this alone.

While Accuton has amazing tech, I have never listened to an Accuton speaker I would love to listen to every day, all day. They are NOT my brand. That is a personal / hearing thing. It may also be who is attracted to building them, but every design I have heard is a little too hot for my ears.

You don’t want to be the listener who trains him/her self to listen for expensive. You want to listen for musical and enjoyable for your listening style and environment. Then you can find amazing values. Monitor Audio is one of those brands, but there are others.

Let me talk about a line of tweeters (ring radiators) to give a good example. The Scanspeak R2605 / Peerless XT25. They are not exactly clones but prices are comparable. The SS is slightly better in distortion. At around $40 - $60 each it occupies a price just above "bargain."

You will find this tweeter in designs (some now old) from Polk, YG Acoustics, Krell, Magico, Sonus Faber, and of course my own two free kits. Truth is it is a fantastic tweeter, at this price point. Compare the best Be drivers run around $500 each, with diamond around $1,500 each.

This is definitely a tweeter you could say "Oh, well that’s crap, it cost under $100" or you can shut up and listen.

Shadorne,

Making your own drivers can go either way. Magico's hybrid approach is a very good one I think. They get very good motors from top tier makers, and apply innovative materials. 

For sure, it helps keep you out of the commodity speaker market / mindset of DIYers and audiophiles. 

Best,

E

I wanted to emphasize, this thread was just to talk about one way to get to a $60k price point. Not that it would sound good, of 30X better than a $2k pair of speakers. :) 

missioncoonery,
 
Yes you are correct I'm proud to be the Tekton's #1 cheerleader but with no vested difference.

The difference between me and you,is even though I get out and about and listen to all kinds of top speakers and if I Remember correctly you have never heard any Tekton's.

I have absolutely no need for spl's above 100db peaks at my listening position 10 ft away,I have taken care of my hearing all these yrs and can still hear above 15k.

Remember my budget for speakers could easily be 40k but I hear and see no reason to spend that much.

With all that being said I most definitely take anything you say with a grain of salt as well.

The Vivid speakers that I have heard were harsh from 2k in frequency on up and basically ran me right out of the room.

They do have a really cool style to them though.

Kenny.

Also, sorry should have been more clear:

I've never listened to Tektons. I meant the price/parts ratio is very good.

I'm talking about consumer parts here. JBL/ATC/TAD have what we may consider outrageous priced drivers intended for high power/continuous duty.

Better? I know of at least one mega movie score producer who gave up on his mega speakers because he could only hear them when played loud.

Listening style matters, as does lack of compression in normal use.

Best,


E