When someone tells you it's a $40,000 amp, does it sound better?


I've always been a little bit suspicious when gear costs more than $25,000 . At $25,000 all the components should be the finest, and allow room for designer Builder and the dealer to make some money.

I mean that seems fair, these boxes are not volume sellers no one's making a ton of money selling the stuff.

But if I'm listening to a $40,000 amplifier I imagine me Liking it a whole lot more just because it costs $40,000. How many people have actually experienced listening to a $40,000 amplifier.  It doesn't happen that often and usually when you do there's nothing else around to compare it to.  
 

I'm just saying expensive gear is absolutely ridiculous.  It's more of a head game I'm afraid. Some how if you have the money to spend, and a lot of people do, these individuals feel a lot better spending more money for something.  Now you own it, and while listening to it you will always be saying to yourself that thing cost $40,000 and somehow you'll enjoy it more.

 

jumia

Veblen Effect

Abnormal market behavior where consumers purchase the higher-priced goods whereas similar low-priced (but not identical) substitutes are available. It is caused either by the belief that higher price means higher quality, or by the desire for conspicuous consumption (to be seen as buying an expensive, prestige item). Named after its discoverer, the US social-critic Thorstein Bunde Veblen (1857-1929).

https://www.monash.edu/business/marketing/marketing-dictionary/v/veblen-effect

One example I've seen given to showcase this is college tuition. Colleges found that if they decrease tuition enrollment goes down and goes up when they increase it.

Another example is Campagnolo, a well-known bicycle parts brand. Rather than price according to a formula, they price according to what the market will bear. 

roxy54

... this is a man who just got into audio a few years ago, and now considers himself to be an authority whose advice is worth paying for ... he immediately got defensive and came off like the bully on the playground. If I was peddling that nonsense, I might do the same thing.

It's one of the strangest threads on A'gon. Not only is he defensive, but so are his minions. It's really a fan club. The guy promotes the uber-expensive Stromtank battery system, but attacks those who point out problems with his electrical system. He's a wannabe guru and it looks like there are quite a few of them on Youtube. "Jay" charges top-tier "members" $600 a year for benefits like private "raw" zoom meetings. Weird.

Cults and their members are where one finds them. This is simply a general observation based on keen observation of human behavior. All in a historical context of course.  :)

@cleeds 

No matter what level you subscribe to on his site, all you're really getting it to see this very expensive gear; you can't hear it in any real way because it is replayed over inexpensive computer speakers. So, it's like a type of voyeurism, with the addition of his opinion of this or that being "this year's model"; and of course, that always changes.

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