Average Price Spent for Speakers

I live in an apartment and my listening area is my living room, so cosmetic is a huge factor in speakers choice. If I live in a big house with my own dedicated music room, the story might be different.

Anything that is not cosmetically pleasing to me (very subjective of course) will not interest me at all. I bought my first pair of speakers while in high school in the late 70’s with my hard earned summer job money. I’m not the kind that buy and replace stuff all the time. Most purchases I’ve made are aimed for long term. I do the same for my cars. My current car is a Volvo from 2004.

I’ve only owned 4 pairs of speakers so far in my life time:

Pioneer speakers - purchased in 1978. Part of a $500 Pioneer system of receiver, turntable, and speakers.

Definitive Technology - purchased in 1991. Part of a 5 pieces HT set with center and surrounds at around $2000.

B&W CM7 - purchased in 2007. Around $1700.

B&W 804 D3 - purchased in 2020. Around $10000. This is the 3rd most expensive purchase I’ve ever made, after my home, and my car.

So my average is between $3000 and $4000.

I don’t know what the average is but my ratio is about 1/4 of the total system cost was spent on speakers.
A main variable might be using a digital front end or an analog one.
My analog front end is 1/2. Relatively, a quality digital front end could be less. (considering my front end at $60K)

~ 1999 - Acoustic Research 303 - $400
 - 2001 - Vienna Acoustics Haydn - $900
 - 2002 - Infinity Intermezzo 2.6 - $1,600
 - 2004 - B&W N804 - $3,000
 - 2006 - B&W N802 - $5,500
 ~ 2010 - Vienna Acoustics Bach Grand ($600 pair), Mozart Grand ($490 pair), Waltz Grand ($150) - picked up floor models cheap when Best Buy dropped the line.
 ~ 2010 - Thiel 2 2 - $1,000
 - 2012 - Thiel 3.7 - $7,000 (never getting rid of these)
 - 2014 - ATC SCM110 - $5,000

Many of these were trade ins, I traded my way up and rarely spent more than a few grand.  I got the ATCs because I'd always wanted a pair and they came up in a classified at a price I knew I'd never see again.

you should also be thinking of where you want to place your speakers.  Generally rear ported speakers need to be placed away from the front wall.   Maggies need to be away from the wall and need an amp that can deliver current.   Its my understanding that ohm speakers work well up against the front wall.     I recommend sealed enclosed speakers which generally sound well up against the front wall.    Efficient speakers need less power from the amplifier.   Class D amplifiers need less ventilation and can be placed into tighter spaces than class A/B amplifiers..

Choosing a veneer that matches your furniture helps in the overall visual appeal and WAF.    Keeping your wife happy and involved should be your number one priority.   No stereo is worth a divorce.  

If you live in an apartment or town house keeping your neighbors happy should be another consideration.   Bass notes generally penetrates walls more so than treble notes.   If that is your living situation than you need a speaker that works well with low level listening volumes such as the Harbeth P3ESR which comes in many different veneers.   If you're looking for specific brand then I recommend using Hifi shark https://www.hifishark.com.   

Everyone reading this, please respond if you will. What is the average price you spend on a pair of loudspeakers? What determines that expenditure amount? Earlier in your hobby life, what determined how much when you were a neophyte?
Also, for non audiophiles, if there are any reading this site, what do you spend, and what determines that amount?
In the absence of non audiophiles, everyone out there, what do your non audio friends spend for speakers (if they do buy)? Where do they shop? What is the determining factor in HOW much?
Thanks for your response.
Larry lrsky04-06-2004 1:22pm

Not sure whether to answer the questions as if it is still 2004, or, well, 17 years later. Phrases like "Earlier in your hobby life" could still be 10 years after the question was posted. Weird. Not as weird as asking my non audio friends what they pay for speakers, I guess. I'll try to check back in 2038.