Why Is Hi Fi Gear So Darn Expensive?


Why Is Hi-Fi Gear So Darn Expensive?! - The Absolute Sound

Interesting read.

"I recently heard a small 2-way stand mount speaker at a show. The sound was excellent. The product was priced at $50,000 or thereabouts, per pair. Allowing for distribution and marketing leaves about $25,000."

$25000 for distribution and marketing? Really? That much more for this than a similar product at 1/10th the cost?

I don’t doubt the marketing cost per unit could be much higher with boutique products. Makes sense. Is the cat is out of the bag regarding the value proposition of boutique products?

How about fancy fuses marketed for free here that cost practically nothing to ship? Oh my!

I guess there are "excellent" expensive boutique products and others that offer value everywhere. Hifi not unique. Take your pick! Live and learn!

The article also chalks up people’s reactions to high-fi prices to emotion. What about the sound they hear? Real or emotionally distorted? What would Mr. Spock think about that? I know he likes music...he plays a harp!

128x128mapman

The best sounding gear is priced beyond the means of most people.  They are luxury items and audio equipment is no different than other consumer product categories.  Fortunately, there's just tons of good to great sounding equipment at non-stratospheric prices.  As a thought experiment put together a single source system at different price levels.  Start at $1k, then $10k and finally $100k.  The more expensive system will be better, but the middle system is quite good and even the cheap system can put a smile on your face.

Just to throw another different stick into the fire.... on youtube Danny at GR Research often takes apart big name speakers to show audiophiles and really anyone else what you get for the money you spend on high dollar speakers. He has done this with companies like Paradigm and others and the results are often very illuminating to say the least. Often big cash doesn’t even buy the best capacitors, or better made crossovers or even drivers themselves. Many companies don’t make their own drivers.... Also Jays Audio also revealed that Magico's $75k speakers don't come with grills and the replacement tweeter costs $1,700.00 and you have have a pay freight to send these monster speakers back to Magico. Once the speakers are fixed they don't pay to ship them back to you, the owner has to pick them up!!! One really needs to scratch their head and ask important questions about the real aim of spending large amounts on money on audio equipment. What is it that one is trying to do?

This is pretty simple:

 

  • I cannot afford a Ferrari
  • I can, however, afford a Volkswagen
  • I drive a Volkswagen
  • I do not complain about how expensive the Ferrari is

Bottom line for me: I buy the car I can afford. Ignore the cars I cannot afford

@thyname 

 

+1

In addition you can work very hard (or more for the purpose of making money) in order to afford more or you can due without and concentrate your buying power on one thing. 
 

I drove ancient used cars until I was forty. I funneled most discretionary capital into audio. Focus. Also, I always pursued a career in what interested me, and one compatible with my disabled partners well-being, and income was always tertiary concern. But eventually I still was able to make a fair amount of money… hence I have a nice system.