Expensive Speakers

I don't know!

 

The resale value of High End is very low.... much, much lower than expensive cars! The difference.... when I buy a Ferrari or Porsche, it could be a good Investment. That will never happen with expensive gear

 

Unless it's desirable vintage gear.

 

very interesting thoughts. i hope i am not letting my enjoyment of music become eclipsed by the quest for better sound but it could have happened- although music would be a very close second place and the two would go hand in hand. my "official" position is that i want to attain a system that does not add or amplify any irritations or distractions. it just so happens that i am extra sensitive to them unfortunately.
i am learning to identify irritations and distractions that you cannot eliminate because they are intentionally or unintentionally present in the recording. this helps me to enjoy the hardware that i have.

 

Exactly. In a lot of ways that is like cars. It's kind of a collector's market. A high demand vintage something that's highly sought after and in short supply is hugely expensive. Other stuff just depreciates. Its a demand driven market and what drives demand isn't always performance and the demand can be pretty changeable based on fashion. Still at thay 50k and up ultra price range for new, I think its a different market than even the collector's. I dunno how many of those kinds of pieces will ever be collector's items.

 

I used feel to this way. My wife changed my mind though after 30 years of marriage. I wouldn't trade the memories of family vacations or the vacations we took after the kids were grown for any of those speakers in the article. Those memories are some of the most precious things I own.

 

I agree with this outlook. It's what I mean by values.

A lot of the speakers in the article I would not want to own even if someone gave me a pair. They are simply too big or weird looking to have in a home. I suppose there are people who have a dedicated listening wing or building who could use something like that.

There is the law of diminishing returns. Many fine speakers are available in the $5,000 to $15,000 range. Does a cabinet milled from a giant block of aluminum really work better than carefully constructed plywood?

Is there something about the look of a speaker which psychologically improves the sound? Is it a large size, unusual design or exotic hardwood finish which somehow sways the listener? Only the last one has any practical value as well finished speakers fit into home decor better.

It is hared to judge company stability. A lot of these speaker manufacturers are one man operations so far as the management and engineering goes. When that key man dies then the company goes poof. Remember Snell? Nothing is carved in stone. B&W recently was sold to a Silicon Valley tech company. Harman international was bought up by Samsung primarily to get their connected car business. Revel and Mark Levinson don't seem to fit anymore. That's two of the big three. The third one, McIntosh has taken to selling over the internet, angering many of its dealers.

 

If I could afford these Klipsch PF-39s, I would not need any speaker upgrade ever; they retail for some 15K a pair :

 

You make an excellent point.

 

In that you make this statement and your persistence in Gorting this forum is testimony to your deviance.

 

Maybe a guitar, but not playback.....

 

If I had a spare $20k to drop on a set of KEF Blades I would do so without even thinking about it.

 

And if I could drop $20k on a set of Blades without thinking about it I'd probably be lusting after something higher, WAMM?

It's all relative.

 

McIntosh

 

Absolutely. As for 50k speakers, I don't think they will ever be collectable. For something to attain that desirable status I think it has to be something we all know and experienced by many or something that enters the collective consciousness of the market that it's aimed at, like a Ferrari F40. I doubt any of us car guys here have ever driven or even touched one but we all know what it is and would love to have one.

 

JBL (part of Harman) recently announced it was ending operations in the US.

 

Have you seen the new Forte 3? I'm dying to hear pair. They come out around the end of this year.

 

I wouldn't personally. I'm not convinced there is a better sounding set of speakers out there at any price. Relative of course as I have not heard the other speakers, but I think those would be end game speakers for me.

Besides.. Those Blades sure are pretty, some of the higher end stuff (Including KEF Muon... Not so much).

 

Unfortunately they don't sell the classic Klipsch line down here. Would love to audition any of those with tubes and SS to hear what's that big a deal about them myself

 

That sucks. But I've been to Buenos Aires and Palermo and have seen the women so I'm thinking you come out ahead by a bit.

 

Yeah, they are pretty (and slim) like in very few other places . But the ones I've seen in the UK trounce every other women in the world IMHO.

 

There was a time in my career when I was making that kind of a bonus. I worked very hard to get it.

Over a five year period or so I bought

• $20k of equipment and instruments for my home studio ( I deserved this as so I justified) no regrets
• Near endless subsidization for my kids education and living costs (down the drain unfortunately) major regrets
• $40k for a very clean, low mileage BMW750 IL (incredible car but a money pit) I was warned
• $75k for a low hour SeaRay 33 footer ( wonderful memories and fun) I was also warned, a black star from a money pit perspective.
• An investment townhouse property that came with a boat slip where the Sea Ray lived

And

Oppo player
Upgraded power amps for three rooms (matched with older legacy speakers and players)
Bowers and Wilkins CM-10 Towers with B&W center and surrounds
As many well mixed and mastered cd's and surround audio discs that I can get my hands on (as well as very good rock concert videos)
Top of the line 65" SAMSUNG Plasma display (yes plasma)

All of the above at about $13k or so.....

So, I know I have been fortunate, and I have slowed down and not making anything close to that money anymore.

Of all those things, the most valued are connected to music, that being my studio and my "media system". When I was an adolescent, the best that I had was a near unplayable Yamaha acoustic 12 string, Pioneer headphones and a little Radio Shack phono pre amp that let me connect a cheapie turntable to the phones. Nirvana baby!

 

I should have mentioned that I've never heard them. It's just my nature to get the most out of a purchase. Honestly, I can't fathom being able to drop $100 on anything without thinking about it much less $20k.

 

Ever been to Spain?