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Design a $60,000 Speaker - Start here

Hi Everyone,

Just thought for interest I'd talk about one of the most expensive woofers in the 10-12" varieties, the Accuton AS250-88-552 CELL, actually an 11" aluminum honeycomb sandwich construction. Retail price at hobbyist volumes: $1,400, each.

In addition to the exotic material, the suspension and motor assembly are also worthy of note, as they leave a very large amount of unobstructed space directly behind the dome, allowing it to behave most ideally like a piston.

So putting this together into say a modest 3 way with all drivers from the same company and of the same level, I estimate around $6k / pair of speakers for the drivers alone. Add the normal markups, and this is a $60k speaker.

Will it sound any good? I have no idea. I just wanted to share with you all where some of these speakers that cost as much as a luxury sedan get their prices from.  Obviously, my estimates are rough, and go up and down. The point of this is just a general expose.

Best,


E

erik_squires
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,849 posts
 
^^ other than this thread, there is no context and even then not much. I'm a pilot and I think about aerodynamic issues sometimes. Turbulence around the basket of a woofer seems like a thing that if solved, could reduce distortion.

MISCO is a driver manufacturer in Minneapolis that can make a really wide range of drivers. They make custom stuff for some pretty well known high end speaker manufacturers in the US. 
gs5556
1,236 posts
 
Where I would first start is to look at the market and ask what is this $60k speaker going to offer that other $60k speakers do not? 
pokey77
1,269 posts
 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

That is called market research. Or you can also appropriately call it a feasibility analysis. I'd assume in this speaker making game that there'd be at least some rudimentary research completed to ascertain if there will be a market. But who knows, there are so many speakers and at all different price ranges.
cedargrover
302 posts
 
Don't the Tidal loudspeakers use that driver?  I think they are more than $60k...

http://www.tidal-audio.com/technology-drivers/
erik_squires OP
16,200 posts
 
Re: Tidal:

They are also using real diamond (not diamond powder) tweeter and midrange. This adds a great deal to the basic part cost.

Now ask me if a diamond midrange and tweeter are better than the best Be or AMT's. Answer is, I have no idea. :) The best AMT and Be tweeters are unbelievably good.

http://www.accuton.com/en/products/speakersystems/diamant-driver/


Best,


E
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