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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
pirad
59 posts
 
60k speakers is veblen goods territory. Anything for home use priced like that is - IMNSHO.
PS. 60k worth of home equipment carries the annual secondary carbon footprint of 20 tons of CO2 ( connected to the manufacture). Add the electricity used for the operation and its carbon footprint.
mrdecibel
3,065 posts
 
Not to take away from Eric's thread, but completely related, imo. A question for Eric, and the rest of you. One of the best and significant speakers of all time, especially for the money, were the Dahlquist DQ10s. None of those drivers were costly. Same woofer as in the Advent. Brilliant design, engineering, and thinking outside the box ( no pun intended ). And, a 5 way design. Carl Marchisotto, Jon Dahlquist, and a few others, all involved. How was it they sounded as good as they did ? I could imagine a re-do of that speaker, using the best drivers, best crossover components, a heavier mass box and frame, etc. I had a few pair in my life, and enjoyed them, with larger ss amplifiers. Opinions please. Or, should I start a separate thread ?
tecknik
483 posts
 
I have been told the diamond tweeter in the Tidal Contriva is $10.000.00 at thats not even there top of the line speaker. Im not sure I agree with speakers are the most over priced component' perhaps at certain price levels your correct but have you seriously looked at or heard Tidal speakers, the workmanship, Duelund xover parts, drivers. I cant even imagine how much those xovers cost alone.There are a few other manufacturers that belong at this level.
ctsooner
2,480 posts
 
I personally feel that the Tidal and Vandersteen's are my favorites.  Totally different speakers.  Once I learned what Vandersteen has inside from drivers to a box in a box to custom made drivers made out of a special carbon fiber, I realize why they cost what they do.  He gives us some of the top values in all of audio.  

Then there it Tidal who uses even more costly components and has a much larger mark up.  I'd die to hear the Vandy 7's with Sub 9 woofers, Tidal (any of them) and the Rockport Lyra in the same system, room etc...  That would be a fun chili cookout.
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