Now.... isn't that pair of speakers just absolutely screwball rediculous?
Products like that are some kind of insanity based crap.
First of all, the ongoing bookshelf speakers, having a 6 inch woofer and a tweeter are all about the same quality and similar sounding for their size.
I don't care where they were made or by who.
Same goes for those tower speakers with 1 or 2 six inch woofers.... they come in a wide variety of costs, and boring as all hell.
But since most consumers are not educated in such things, they'll buy into the hype.
It's mass insanity at its finest.
My house is from 1912 and has (thankfully) seen several upgrades in its lifetime. It's small by modern standards but so is the mortgage. My bank would happily lend me absurd amounts of money, but I chose to buy based on needs rather than wants. I apply that philosophy to most things that I buy.
One of my love-to-hate commercials is for some shopping club where you can apparently get good deals daily. The ad shows people buying a huge flatscreen TV one day and kitchen appliances and headphones the next. Because you have to shop anywhere you might as well shop here. Wow. Let's stop and think about this for a minute. Do I really have to shop? I don't think so...
Tom
One of my love-to-hate commercials is for some shopping club where you can apparently get good deals daily. The ad shows people buying a huge flatscreen TV one day and kitchen appliances and headphones the next. Because you have to shop anywhere you might as well shop here. Wow. Let's stop and think about this for a minute. Do I really have to shop? I don't think so...
Tom
My current place was built prior to 1860 and still has the old outhouse with the chimney for the copper. When indoor plumbing became a thing they turned the entrance hallway into the bathroom.
It's a bit modern for my tastes I have to say 😀
It's a bit modern for my tastes I have to say 😀
Yeah, well... Europe became densely populated much quicker than North America. Alberta didn't become part of Canada until 1905. 🙂
Tom
Tom
The LIE about those speakers is what they're worth.
Same goes for these Focal speakers on a CL ad I spotted the other day....
Overpriced for what they are - some people believe they've got gold to sell.
They "bought into" the hype and actually expect YOU to do the same.
LOL!
Same goes for these Focal speakers on a CL ad I spotted the other day....
Overpriced for what they are - some people believe they've got gold to sell.
They "bought into" the hype and actually expect YOU to do the same.
LOL!
The problem with all of these expensive speakers is that my browser knows that I am married to the owner of another computer.
I may click on one of those links for an expensive and awful speaker and my wife will eventually get something suggesting her spouse would really love that awful speaker.
I have to explain that I thought it was an expensive pile of junk and I had no desire to own it.
Really, those expensive piles of junk have a higher WAF than what I like to keep.
I may click on one of those links for an expensive and awful speaker and my wife will eventually get something suggesting her spouse would really love that awful speaker.
I have to explain that I thought it was an expensive pile of junk and I had no desire to own it.
Really, those expensive piles of junk have a higher WAF than what I like to keep.
Has someone compiled a list of worst speakers available? I could contribute to the knowledge base. 😉
Focal are up there in that list.
The 100k bookshelf is absurd but so are some of the formerly known as 'phrugalphile' that are now >$5k and becoming popular thanks to YouTube influencers. These are able to do quite a bit of volume sales compared to the occasional sucker that would bite on the 100k Raidho clones.
Focal are up there in that list.
The 100k bookshelf is absurd but so are some of the formerly known as 'phrugalphile' that are now >$5k and becoming popular thanks to YouTube influencers. These are able to do quite a bit of volume sales compared to the occasional sucker that would bite on the 100k Raidho clones.
What they’re worth, is whatever someone will pay for them. Because you might not judge them to be worth the asking price, or because that price is beyond your ability to afford even should you feel them worth it, doesn’t mean that everyone else will feel the same. Should no one judge them to be worth what’s being asked for them, the vendor won’t sell any. That’s how markets are supposed to work.
Value is in the ear of the listener when it comes to home audio. I suspect, but may be wrong, that you are intellectually assessing what you believe is present in them, in terms of components and labor. Few things, however, are priced that way. Things are usually priced according to the benefits they offer as perceived by the buyer. For an extreme example just for the purpose of illustration, a gallon of cold water might be worth $2 to you if purchased at a store in your town. That same bottle may be worth $2,000 to you if you are stranded in a desert. My point there is only that the material and labor to produce the gallon of water didn’t change, but your value assessment certainly would because of the relative difference in benefit offered.
Think of another type of value assessment this way, if you are of average income, say, $5K per month. Maybe you are willing to pay $50 for a good bottle of wine. If you are of much higher then average income, however, say, $50K per month, you might easily be willing to pay $500 for a very good bottle of wine. Even though the very good bottle is subjectively 50% better tasting than the good bottle, the factor of 10 increase in it’s price is not a barrier relative to you ability to afford it. $100,000 speakers are not aimed at audiophile of average income. Although it might subjectively be 50% more satisfying (just for the sake of argument) than a pair of $10,000 speakers, the premium to obtain that 50% subjective benefit performance increase is small, relative to that buyers high income. Extreme luxury goods exist in market segments of diminishing returns as price rise. Although benefits are diminishing, they also are increasingly rare, or exclusive to obtain. Which is worth the price to those who can afford to pay it.
it's always tricky on a forum like this with a high proportion of technical types who may just be a notch further along the autistic spectrum that others (and this is not a jibe, just being truthful) to get the idea of 'Selling the sizzle' which is what high end audio retail is all about. You are not selling specifications, you are selling the outcome. This concept has been around in marketing since at least the 1930s based on quick research so it's nothing new, just people are stretching the point.
It's also equally difficult to understand as Ken pointed out that different people have different disposable incomes and different value judgments. So I don't think that mentioned speaker company is lying, but they have put the sizzle through the grateful dead wall of sound...
It's also equally difficult to understand as Ken pointed out that different people have different disposable incomes and different value judgments. So I don't think that mentioned speaker company is lying, but they have put the sizzle through the grateful dead wall of sound...
Outright lies should be uncommon. Manipulation is part and parcel to the business. People can like it or not... but that's the game.
Another of many considerations is product types and how the potential customers perceive the value proposition.
Certain products might be 'spec heavy', others may not. Some consumers couldn't give one rat's a$$ about specs for audio equipment or cars as two examples. Others may be heavily influenced by hard data. What I don't find necessarily good form is criticizing people for their personal choices regarding what's important TO THEM regarding a product. Heck... WAF is discussed quite frequently in these threads. I can't remember where I first heard it, but someone called certain equipment audio jewelry. I thought it appropriate.
Another of many considerations is product types and how the potential customers perceive the value proposition.
Certain products might be 'spec heavy', others may not. Some consumers couldn't give one rat's a$$ about specs for audio equipment or cars as two examples. Others may be heavily influenced by hard data. What I don't find necessarily good form is criticizing people for their personal choices regarding what's important TO THEM regarding a product. Heck... WAF is discussed quite frequently in these threads. I can't remember where I first heard it, but someone called certain equipment audio jewelry. I thought it appropriate.
If those $8,000 Focal Kanta's are supposed to be SO good to have a price tag like that, then I have to wonder why someone would be selling them at about 1/2 price on Craigs List.
I have owned Focal and Dynaudio drivers and made good speakers with them. I have also gone to RMAF and listened to speakers containing Focal and Dynaudio drivers and just said nope. I tried to love them but just said I cannot live with them.
Now mostly listening to horn speakers for the most part.
Nearly have enough room at home for an Eton versus Horns battle. Just a little more home improvement to go.
Now mostly listening to horn speakers for the most part.
Nearly have enough room at home for an Eton versus Horns battle. Just a little more home improvement to go.
Again... Beware. The link below will take you to a page with multiple advertisements, some of which are NSFW.
I swear, honey, I was reading the specs!
https://witchdoctor.co.nz/index.php/2020/05/the-sex-soaked-history-of-hi-fi-advertising/
I swear, honey, I was reading the specs!
https://witchdoctor.co.nz/index.php/2020/05/the-sex-soaked-history-of-hi-fi-advertising/
Sorry, you missed my point.Not terribly unusual to see used speakers selling for close to 1/2 MSRP.
jeff
If such an expensive speaker, or anything for that matter is SO GOOD, why sell it on places like Craigs List?
It must have not been THAT good I guess.
Someone judged them worth paying $8,000 new. On the other hand, used products, especially high-end audio, are subject to spot bargaining based on the unique circumstances of individual sellers.
@wiseoldtech - I'd assume for the same set of reasons people sell just about anything on Craig's list.
I think you assume that all people are astute and/or are even looking to get the most money out of the sale. Maybe you assume they have the same mindset and motivations as you. My guess is that's far from the truth.
They could have been exceptional speakers, and the person just wanted different ones / better ones.
Crass statement to follow (paraphrased for forum etiquette) ... even the guy making it with the best gal wants some strange on occasion. When he ditches the old model (perhaps literally) ... he may not value the old model the same as the new model he's pursuing. Beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder.
I think you assume that all people are astute and/or are even looking to get the most money out of the sale. Maybe you assume they have the same mindset and motivations as you. My guess is that's far from the truth.
They could have been exceptional speakers, and the person just wanted different ones / better ones.
Crass statement to follow (paraphrased for forum etiquette) ... even the guy making it with the best gal wants some strange on occasion. When he ditches the old model (perhaps literally) ... he may not value the old model the same as the new model he's pursuing. Beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder.
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