How does this make sense, any sense? Any sense at all??


I was just looking at Stereophile's  recommended components, for speakers. 
Within the Class A restricted extreme low frequencies category are:
KEF LS50 at $1500  and
Wilson Sasha at $38,000.
Why would you pay 38 grand when you can get the same category for 1500?  Why I say?

Even worse!!!
In the full range Class B category we have the KEF Ref. 5 at $20,000.
Why would you wanna pay $20,000 for a speaker that is outclassed by the same family (KEF LS50) at a fraction of the price?
How does this make any sense????
Stereophile, seriously.  Let 'er rip homie. 


shtinkydog
Stereophile has consistently exaggerated wildly the acoustic properties of the LS50. This is just one manifestation of a particularly regrettable and much larger trend.


I haven't heard this particular speaker, but as for trends, yes, absolutely.

I've seen them praise horrible speakers and belittle otherwise very good speakers, and fail to be critical of some when (in my mind) they should have been.

Kal is about the only author there whose opinion I bother with anymore, at all.  The rest is good for measurements, which as we know, only tell a partial picture, but at least it's not subjective.

Being an iconoclast, and frugal can keep you out of any traps.  Develop your own sense of listening. Find out who you are and what you want as an audiophile so you can feel comfortable ignoring taste-makers and trend setters.


Best,

E
Stereophile recommended components, sigh. What would audiophiles do with their money without it? Oh yea buy whatever TAS is spooging all over.
Why would you pay 38 grand when you can get the same category for 1500? Why I say?



Independent of Stereophile's rankings, I ask myself this all the time.  We are too easily swayed by  price as being a determinant of quality. It is, but only sometimes.
What I meant is that you could use the best amp and sub on the market and the LS50 is still not going to get you very far when compared with any number of more expensive speakers. This would include a great number of monitors. Not saying the LS50 is a bad speaker but certainly not a truly high end product.
Not saying the LS50 is a bad speaker but certainly not a truly high end product.
What makes other speakers better objectively?