Oh, to be a high end dealer for a year.


I love hifi. But high-end mystifies me. I can't help but think it's my lack of deep exposure.

I'd love to know if $100,000 amps matched to $100,000 speakers really sound so much better than the few-thousand dollar systems in my foreseeable future.

Is the worth of a quarter-million dollar system purely a function of sound quality, or some interaction between sound quality + one's idle disposable funds + time on one's hands?

And lordy, assuming they don't become the next Conrad Johnson, how do these companies that only produce a couple of high-road-to-nirvana-reviewed $50k-ish components fair in the short- and long-term, financially? Do they live long and prosper, and how? If not, are they cleaning up in their short stay, or losing their shirts to their dream?

I'll probably never know.
river251

Showing 1 response by islandmandan

My son makes his living selling automobiles. He is sales manager for two of the largest Audi dealers in the Pacific Northwest. His salary is largely based on comissiions. The last two years, he has made more in salary than he has ever made, with last year being the highest. Audi's are not inexpensive, yet sales records continue to be broken. It makes you wonder, what recession?

Large expenditures of cash can result in extraordinary music listening systems. But not always. There are other ways of acheiving it. DIY vintage speaker systems and components with premium parts and enclosures can sound as good as those in the mega-buck range.

I think it's great that some can afford such expensive systems. I just wish the economy would improve so more of us little guys can afford modest, yet good-sounding systems, and more old-style brick-and-mortar hi-fi dealers could thrive. I miss those days.

Regards,
Dan