The amazing fallacy of High End stuff...

[wiseoldtech]

My neighbor brought me a phono preamp this evening. He wanted my professional opinion of it.
The preamp in question cost him $20 at the local Sunday Flea Market. The box was an EAR 834P stand alone RIAA phono preamp. I'll let you all google the thing - photos, reviews, etc.

This product originally cost around $900 new, and on some current sites is going for $2500, used.
For that, you get 3 12AX7's and some parts in a fancy box with rediculous claims that uneducated audiofools often shell out money for. My neighbor's going to do the sensible thing and offer it on that famous website and maybe get $1000 for the damn thing. Some sucker's likely to buy it.

This fits in with all that other "audiophile snake oil" crap that's been going on for a few decades now, and it's a shame, honestly. The greed, outlandish marketing, and outright blatent lies that some of these companies are spewing is beyond disgusting. If you're one of those fools who believe in such marketing hype, then enjoy the thinning of your wallet as those companies laugh at you.

 

[Diabolical Artificer]

I was looking at a recent UK Hifi show write-up yesterday and saw some valve amps at 10 grand a pop, how can anyone justify that price? For that amount of money I'd want the band performing on command, my own dealer with a suitcase full of drugs and minibar and would want to bonk the dishy lead female vocalist on a regular basis.

Andy.

 

[jjasniew]

I agree there's some high end gear that you just cant afford to keep! Luck has it for you and you have to sell because the liquid value is so ridiculously high. ~30 years ago I was at a flea market and stumbled upon a pair of 12" Tannoy coaxs in nondescript veneered MDF cabinets. Picked 'em up for $20, evaluated and the drivers were perfect.

The family needed a top quality dining table set more than I needed those speakers... "I'll never again see a deal like that one, not in this life". Even though I, of course, have since then.

 

[wiseoldtech]

I was looking at a recent UK Hifi show write-up yesterday and saw some valve amps at 10 grand a pop, how can anyone justify that price? For that amount of money I'd want the band performing on command, my own dealer with a suitcase full of drugs and minibar and would want to bonk the dishy lead female vocalist on a regular basis. Andy.

And you're one of the smarter, sensible ones, with a bit of humor added.
Indeed, those pricy amps do not justify their cost. I've seen those things turned into some superficial "works of art" with dazzling mirrors to reflect the "tube glow' and other slick appearing decorations.
It's all for show. Don't buy into all the hype with audio, particularly something that is advertized with claims of something you cannot find proof of.

 

[aardvarkash10]

yup, and a kitchen with a pine bench cooks just like one with marble. Your car goes no better with leather, chrome and alloys, and your accountant does the same stuff regardless of the depth of the plush carpet in his office or the hourly rate of the receptionist.

Everyone has a way to spend money faster than they need to. Who am I to stop them or question their motivation?

 

[TonyTecson]

pride of ownership, these pricey gears make you feel heads and shoulders above the rest.....

well. until you get invited to these low cost gears and then you realised that your purchase sounded not much better... for the price you spent.....

 

[hbc]

This fits in with all that other "audiophile snake oil" crap that's been going on for a few decades now, and it's a shame, honestly.The greed, outlandish marketing, and outright blatent lies that some of these companies are spewing is beyond disgusting.

Amused to see EAR accused of "audiophile snake oil" crap.

 

[billshurv]

From the resident grumpy old man? Nah, this is his MO.

 

[cnpope]

pride of ownership, these pricey gears make you feel heads and shoulders above the rest.....

well. until you get invited to these low cost gears and then you realised that your purchase sounded not much better... for the price you spent.....

Sadly, the audiophool who has spent his thousands on amplifiers of dubious intrinsic worth has probably lost all ability to make impartial assessments of the relative sonic performance of equipment.

 

[50AE]

Another thread with participants looking for self-justification with lots of energy to spend. Grabbing my bag of pop-corn.

But it makes me order again if technology and modern lifestyle aren't making our daily schedules too loose?

 

[wiseoldtech]

Amused to see EAR accused of "audiophile snake oil" crap.

It's like this....... I call it like I see it.
This preamp, with its mirror-polished front panel, and its jewelry store engraving, is all nothing but adornments to please the eye. I had the chance to inspect it, up close, and there's absolutely nothing about it worth what they ask. Bloated pricing designed to fool the consumer, nothing more.
Also "amusing" is billshurv's comment - I'm actually only "grumpy" before I've had my morning coffee LOL!

 

[audiowize]

Yeah, Tim DP is not really the type to make unsubstantiated claims.

Producing anything in England is not particularly inexpensive. Lower priced goods are available, this just a small piece of a (mostly) free market economy.

 

[Ken Newton]

It's like this.......
I call it like I see it.This preamp, with its mirror-polished front panel, and its jewelry store engraving, is all nothing but adornments to please the eye. I had the chance to inspect it, up close, and there's absolutely nothing about it worth what they ask. Bloated pricing designed to fool the consumer, nothing more!

Did you at least audition it before reaching such a dismissive conclusion? Or, did your intellect bias you to presume that there was no point in doing that?

 

[century tek]

I think it's pretty easy to look at a circuit and be able to distinguish it against other designs.

 

[wiseoldtech]

Did you at least audition it before reaching such a dismissive conclusion? Or, did your intellect bias you to presume that there was no point in doing that?

Being a long-time (45 yrs) audio/video service tech, I've had plenty of experience with hoardes of products over the decades.And being able to just look at a schematic and it's design/components, it's quite easy for me to determine what the result would produce from said design.I was weened on tube equipment early on, and for me it's elementary stuff.This overpriced box is as I said - 3 common 12AX7 tubes and their relatively simple RIAA tailoring design, not much different from any other designs. You can feed those 12AX7's with only so many resistances and capacitances to render a proper, respectable RIAA output, there is no secret to that. It's been done since RIAA was born.In other words, I don't need to listen to this thing, because I've heard plenty of them beforehand. Nothing biased about it.

And checking out those "reputed audio reviewers" about this, hints that it's just another "touted" item to make people buy it - the usual spewing of "deliciousness" and "soundstage" among other reviewer keywords tells me the manufacturer compensates the reviewer for his generous opinion.

 

[wiseoldtech]

I think it's pretty easy to look at a circuit and be able to distinguish it against other designs.

Bingo!
Indeed.

 

[wiseoldtech]

I'd love for someone to tell me that this box justifies a $800++ price tag.
Perhaps someone can find the precious diamonds embedded in there somewhere?

 

[Markw4]

I think it's pretty easy to look at a circuit and be able to distinguish it against other designs.

Audiophiles are sometimes accused of listening with their eyes rather than with their ears.

 

[sq225917]

Perhaps you should try making a few that look and sound as good, cost out your time and parts, your margin, shipping, insurance, premises, advertising, tax, duty, accounting, dealer margins, support cost, staff costs, pension contributions etc etc.

Seems like a typical COG 10x to retail mark up to me.

 

[Michael Bean]

Perhaps you should try making a few that look and sound as good, cost out your time and parts, your margin, shipping, insurance, premises, advertising, tax, duty, accounting, dealer margins, support cost, staff costs, pension contributions etc etc.
Seems like a typical COG 10x to retail mark up to me.

You forgot to mention one specific biggie...the owner/CEO compensation...which is frequently over-the-top-way-high.

Mike