Higher End (priced) Audio, Who’s Buying It?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Khorn, May 4, 2022.

  1. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    That will only buy one mint UK 1st pressing of the Beatles Please please me, what do you expect people to do with that budget?:whistle:
     
  2. FuzzyNightmares

    FuzzyNightmares Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oregon
    That looks beautiful
     
  3. AudioAddict

    AudioAddict Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Wish that was the case with modern high-end cassette decks...there are none, of course. Put me down for the highest of the high-end for this product should some company wake up and test the market. When trashed Nakamichi Dragons are selling for $3K as "parts only" units on EBay the market is clearly there for a premium deck in the $5-10k range. What makes this a particularly interesting option is that there are billions (with a "B") of pre-recorded tapes produced over a 30+ year span still floating about and typically at bargain basement prices.
    Have pursued this topic ad nauseum on TapeHeads and know all the reasons why it "can't happen." But the bottom line is, actually, nobody is willing to try.
     
    Khorn likes this.
  4. MonkeyMan

    MonkeyMan A man who dreams he is a butterfly?

    And now I'm out of the closet. :wave: I'm one of those guys who blew an obscene amount of resources on personal hifi. It really takes a lot of focus to go big.
     
    jonwoody, Khorn, jfeldt and 3 others like this.
  5. FuzzyNightmares

    FuzzyNightmares Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oregon
    It takes all types. And frankly, if nobody was purchasing higher end equipment, there would be no trickle down of used gear for others:righton:
     
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  6. Oddiofyl

    Oddiofyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    I spent a lot in the past 2 years but I hadn't purchased anything since 2017, and those speakers were traded in towards my current ones. I hadn't bought any electronics since 2015 , so it was time. It was all part of the master plan, serious main system upgrade, with my former preamp and amps going into a nice little second system.
     
    Khorn likes this.
  7. Oddiofyl

    Oddiofyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    So true Fuzzy, some of the best gear I've owned was unattainable new for me. But patience and luck paid off finding it used.
     
    Phabes, Khorn, Lenny99 and 1 other person like this.
  8. Bill Hart

    Bill Hart Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin
    I date the "high-end" as a marketing phenomenon to the period when The Absolute Sound first made its appearance- as a "thing." Surely, there were earlier great hi-fi pieces, going back to the Marantz 7, and earlier, to WE/JBL, etc.
    I was in NYC in a period (early '80s) where the high-end turned into "flavor of the month" and the trade was largely in the cast-offs.There were some very nice cast offs. The equipment was supported, though out of warranty. No such bargains to be had today, but I'm sure there are others. I built several systems in the '70s-80's by trading up. Support is key.
     
    Khorn likes this.
  9. Lenny99

    Lenny99 The truth sets you free.

    Location:
    Clarksburg WV
    Yes. I agree. Priorities. I have other hobbies; Amatour Astronomy, Jogging, etc. In any case it's always about what's important at any given time.
     
    Khorn likes this.
  10. Oddiofyl

    Oddiofyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    I have other hobbies too but listening to some good music after work really helps me decompress
     
    dom91932, Satrus, Phabes and 4 others like this.
  11. Tony C.

    Tony C. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portugal
    Is one of your hobbies seeing how long you can avoid the use of any punctuation?

    Just kidding! :D
     
    bever70, mynameischet, bhazen and 2 others like this.
  12. cdash99

    cdash99 Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass
    Golf, which I have not taken up.
     
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  13. Oscillation

    Oscillation Maybe it was the doses?

    Are you saying that I can no longer aspire to whatever I want? :)
     
    Khorn likes this.
  14. Oscillation

    Oscillation Maybe it was the doses?

    I hold nothing against anyone who buys whatever audio equipment they want. If I had unlimited funds I would have a big old house with differently themed listening rooms scattered throughout it all tricked out with professionally designed room treatments and appropriately themed furniture :)
     
  15. Oddiofyl

    Oddiofyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    Sorry my dawter was the first persun in my family to gradriate skool
     
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  16. Oddiofyl

    Oddiofyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    It’s a good thing I have to keep things in check. If I had unlimited funds I would probably blow it all on cars and great audio gear…. I’m a blue collar guy , any purchase that seems extravagant was carefully planned and was probably funded by selling other gear plus saving for it. I never buy gear I don’t have the money for.
     
    Khorn likes this.
  17. Simoon

    Simoon Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I have 2 cousins, one on my mother's side of the family, the other on my father's. Both make good money, both into high end audio.

    One cousin lives in Phoenix, the other, more locally to me here in the LA area.

    My local cousin has a very high end system, with Von Schweikert Ulta 9 speakers, Pass Labs Class A mono amps, Kronos turntable, DCS digital, etc.

    Every time I sit and listen to this system, and hear the kind of effortless detail, transient response, natural timber, complete lack of edginess, huge soundstage and the layered 3d image, I am convinced that, either those people here that put down this kind of system, have never really heard one, or have a case of sour grapes.
     
  18. Oddiofyl

    Oddiofyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    Exactly, I’m thinking the same thing as I listen to music right now on my iPhone ……. Good gear is worth the money!!!!
     
    Khorn likes this.
  19. Tony C.

    Tony C. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portugal
    During these difficult times, sour grapes can provide important nourishment. :D
     
    Last edited: May 6, 2022
  20. Otlset

    Otlset I think I am I think

    Location:
    Temecula, CA
    I for one am looking forward to your impressions of that unusual 300B amp you've got coming! But remember, it's just a 'thing', so therefore try to separate your inner self from the outer self that will be having too much infatuation with it. ;)
     
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  21. Khorn

    Khorn Dynagrunt Obversarian Thread Starter

    I don’t get around much anymore but I must say that at the present time I really don’t know anyone that owns a truly high end system.
     
  22. Bill Hart

    Bill Hart Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin
    Magic 8 ball is cloudy. Aspire away!
     
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  23. FuzzyNightmares

    FuzzyNightmares Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oregon
    My neighbor supposedly has a system that will “make me cry,” have no idea what he’s packing. Retired German fellow who drives pretty modest Volkswagens and does Japanese woodworking as a hobby. Not sure if we are talking some marriage of klipsch and McIntosh or what, but I think when my one step mingus arrives I’ll have to let him know as I’ve also gotten from him he’s a big jazz guy.
     
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  24. Front Row

    Front Row Finding pleasure when annoying those with OCD.

    Location:
    Chicago IL
    A friend of mine who sold a great deal of property and then bought all new expensive audio equipment declared it was to satisfy a mid-life crisis. I remember the amp was Macintosh and the speakers were the high end Klipsch cabinets. The system sounded nice. He told me that after all the upgrading the expensive gadgets did not "really improve the sound all that much." At least it looked cool.
     
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  25. Simoon

    Simoon Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles

    Let me add, that I used to be a member (will be rejoining soon) of the LA/OC Audio Society, which is the largest audiophile club in the world. I have heard a fair number of quite high end systems at various member's homes. Not all were to my liking, but I could easily hear the appeal in the ones I was not really a fan of.


    Among them were: big Wilsons, Acapella (...that plasma tweeter!), Raidho, Magico, Klipsch La Scala (doesn't float my boat), Legacy, etc.
     
    Last edited: May 6, 2022
    jonwoody, jfeldt and Shawn like this.

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