Does Technology Trump Quality?


Would you select:

A) Two speakers with radically different technology (i.e. dynamic, horn, panel) at a perceived 85% performance level.

OR

B) One speaker with a perceived 100% performance level.

Assume: The speakers in example A are half the price of the speaker in example B. All speakers represent excellent build quality and sonic performance relative to price point. No hybrids involved.

In other words, for you does Technology trump Quality, or Quality trump Technology?
douglas_schroeder

Showing 1 response by stehno

Hypotheticals, eh? Well, let's establish some numbers. It's no secret that some with a passion for live music and also for high-end audio freely claim that we're lucky if even our very best state-of-the-art (sota) systems can capture at most 15% of the so-called magic of the live performance. Some think even that low number is too optimistic but I think it's relatively accurate.

For argument's sake, let's assume we've established that you can only hope to obtain at most 15% maximum of the magic or believability of the live performance.

Next, you say that speaker A offers 85% of the performance of speaker B and speaker A also costs exactly half the price of speaker B which offers 100% of the performance.

Gimme a minute.... {click, click, tap, click, tap, cha-ching, click, tap, click, cha-ching, cha-ching}

Got it!!! Assuming a price of $10,000 for speaker B, speaker B will ensure you can obtain up to 100% of the 15% of the believability of the live performance.

Speaker A, on the other hand, will ensure you can obtain up to 85% of the 15% or 12.75% of the believability of the live performance and you would also save $5,000.

In other words, either way you're starving for believability in your music presentation.

If we're talking USD, then I'd suggest going for broke with speaker B, but if we're talking giving up gold, silver, or other precious metals, then I'd definitely suggest going with speaker A as you'll hardly notice an audible difference between 15% and 12.75% of the believability.

Also, if per chance your system is less than today's sota performance levels, then you should hear an even less audible difference between speaker A and speaker B.

-IMO