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Out of Control

I was looking at one of my highend mags the other day. And looking at the spec's of some speakers and find it hard to believe the outragous prices. I mean does it really get that much better at 10k, 15k, 30k and up. I've listened to speakers in the 25k range and was not impressed at all. I've been also looking at subs and some of them in the 1,500 and up catagory were paper treated, I always thought woven carbon fiber or poly was used for the top notch and whats with a class G amp in that sub when you spend 3k or better. Let's take power cords at 1k, I audioned one at home and took it a part, I can buy the same material under $100. I cannot really comment to much on amps, but some of the nicer ones above 3k have less parts, to me that means it took less time to build. Tweaks are another one I won't go into. Sometimes you just feel overwelmed. I was just wondering if anyone else gets a bit raddled about this. I know they have to make money, but lets be real. Just a bit bored today, so I thought I'd start a new thread. Don't get me wrong, I still have a few more pieces to add.......
Pete
pcc
njonker
107 posts
 
Pcc et all,

Of course there is over the top. As long as people are willing to pay over the top prices, there will be; no matter whether it's audio, cars, houses, clothing, food, you name it. Image and Marketing are everything.

A question that is intruiging to me is how low you can go without making too much of a compromise? I own a Sharp system which includes in a tiny single box: Amp, CD, MD and tuner. Comes with two tiny speakers, as big as the box itself. Whole thing cost like $500. It sounds Very clearly inferior to my other systems.

So where between $500 and way over the top is the magical boundry? Is there perhaps a cutoff point? Like, you hear the difference clearly between a $100 speaker and a $1,000 speaker, but not between a $10,000 and a $20,000 one?

Niels.
njonker
107 posts
 
I guess it would be worth adding that IMHO, there are $50,000 houses that are preferable over $300,000 houses, there are $20,000 cars that are prefereable over $50,000 ones, and there are $19 jeans that are nicer to wear than $200 ones.... I also think there are $2,000 speakers that sound better than $10,000 ones, etc. etc.
garfish
1,840 posts
 
........in some cases, eg amps, less really is more. Pass Labs Aleph amps have relatively "simple" circuits but sound great. In this case, I think we're paying for high quality engineering, and brilliant designs. But I agree that some "high end stuff" is way over priced, to the point of gouging. Craig
cornfedboy
1,645 posts
 
same as it ever was, same as it ever was... pick up a stereophile from, say, 10 years back and chances are better than even that you'll find a letter to the ed. expressing the same sentiments as those of pcc here. fact is, if it weren't for reviews of exotic cars in road & track or exotic audio gear in s'phile and tas, those whose interests lead them to buy such mags wouldn't have much to talk about. can you really imagine endless comparisons of onkyo and pioneer receivers? it'd be like watching the weather channel for its entertainment value.
hifiho
50 posts
 
I agree with the cost/ performance/ image arguments. But there is the fact that a "simple" ciruit means your signal suffers less degradation (loss/ glare/ grain/ EMI/ RFI/ gain/ "coloration" etc..) AND, the simple circuit designs more often than not are composed of components that are MUCH more expensive and/or exotic to manufacture than the garden-variety stuff you find in mid-fi gear. WE pay for the next generation of equipment when we buy the new stuff.

But... Back to the topic at hand. Out of control is right. Obsessive/ compulsive disorder is the flavor of the day. Some of the stuff out there is irresistable. Diffrent strokes for different folks. I drive a beat up Nissan minivan. I could have a new Porsche, and a spare Audi in the garage for just the cost of my source components and speakers. And I'm paying a mortgage on a house that's only 2 years old. It's not status for me. It's the hype behind the gear and the passion for "taking it to the next level". And as long as you don't go (too far) into debt, it's a relatively safe obsession, right?
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