WILSON AUDIO/ cost vs. value

come on! You believe David Wilson's rap. His whole ad campaign has him sitting on the king's throne tuning his crossovers. I must say they have a very effective adverstising strategy, but it don't fly with me. Also, I don't paticulary like the Wilson sound. I don't take any ad that seriously except on its' creative/artistic merits. Wilson ads are ho hum at best, but I'm sure they appeal to oodles. They must. They are keeping Sterophile afloat and he ain't hurting for business....

Even though I'm not crazy about the
Wilson sound, or like their ads and very high prices: This is America. Wilson can charge whatever he wants. Fair? Not a factor. We have the freedom to buy or not to buy? Many factors are involved in speaker purchase for some, and sound isn't always the deciding factor. IMO, the cream usually comes to the top. Bottom line?-- if their speakers do not deliver the goods, they will ultimately go under. The Mont Blanc ball point pen that goes for a $100? I know for a fact costs them $6 to manufacture. Unfair to charge a retail of $100? Of course not. Outrageous? Maybe, but they certainly sell oodles of 'em. It always boils down to "what the market will bear." New York's Newsday has bashed teachers for years. Whether rightfully so, or not, teachers complain the hell about it, but still purchase the paper. If every teacher decided to stop purchasing the paper, do you think things might change?

I don't understand, yet, what all the hoopla is about regarding profit margin, R&D, advertising, outrageous prices, and outrageous justifications. Wilson, JMlabs, Zuaudio, Kharma, whoever: they can charge whatever they want. I don't believe, in a free market,- in calling prices unfair, unjustified, etc. Are the new Wilson 8 Watt Puppys worth, what?--$28k. If they sell them and audiophools are happy? Yes indeed. Anything is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Manufacturers don't have to make their products accessible to everyone. Don't like it? Too costly? Too much bad PR? Don't buy it. I think we've heard that on this thread before. It's more fun to find the $5k speaker with the $15k sound. That is until we find out that the $5k speaker costs $250 to produce..

"only $28k, is that all they are?" I love it...

I've used that spin on my wife for many an upgrade. How's this? I'm looking at $20k speakers. Really considering them. Decide, however, on $10k speakers, and go to my wife all excited that I just saved her $10k, so my new speakers won't cost anything...you married guys know the deal...It's an Abbott and Costello routine...

Dave, excellent point. There are things I do, own, have done for me that, when I was a young buck, I thought to be ridiculous to spend the money on. Now I do those things and oodles more. Why? Because I have the means. As to Wilsons, being worth the money? I haven't heard their new Puppy, but the ones I have, I'm not wild about the sound. I don't understand why all these audiophools are picking on Dave Wilson and his (to me) over priced speakers. Don't buy em and clam up. He's entitled to his markup. Fair or unfair. Wilson does give you a lot of weight and fine craftmanship...sound? Not my cup of java..

I meant the Wilson's I have "listened" to. Not ownership "have." Sorry for the confusion...

Miccrojack between Zu on Zu and this thread: do you have any time to listen to your rig? lol... :)