Top down or bottom up? Just asking...


This is a purely theoretical question that I’m tossing out just to learn what folks might say.

Consider, say, Magico and Wilson Audio. Their top speakers are in 6 figures, but their ‘bottom’ ones go as low as 10k. Consider, say, Monitor Audio and Paradigm. Their bottom is very low 4 figures or lower; their top in the low 30s.

Now, wouldn’t it stand to reason that other things being equal a 20-30k speaker from Wilson or Magico would be better than the same from the other firms? The upper firms have all that top level technology to scale down, while MA and Para would be at the top of their game in the 20-30 range.

Obviously, there are other issues—personal taste being the most important. And room size and other components.

But ‘all things being equal’ isn’t the answer clear? What am I missing?

P.s. I am a very happy owner of MA PL100II, which I got half price used here at less than a year old. And of B and W CM9 I got 10 years ago. I’m just wondering…


128x128rsgottlieb
It depends on which company makes better speakers.
Which comes down to which one makes the speakers you think sound best.
That one will always be best for you.

Why would Wilson trickle down all their tech from the $250,000 price point to $30,000?  And how, because of cost of top-tech materials and solutions.

There is no general rule and no answer to this rather nebulous question.

Some of the best loudspeakers seem to come from boutique manufacturers, for whom neither top-down nor bottom-up necessarily applies very well. Their products tend to fall in a relatively narrow price band.  Sanders comes to mind.  The company currently sells one loudspeaker, the Model 10.  Base price is $17K.  They're not chasing huge sales volumes (which may be the main reason to have a wide range of price points).
Any speaker that I can use my car buffer and turtle wax on is not for me, ho ho ho.
The speaker sound that those companies achieve can be bettered for a lot less than those out is the statosphere prices you need to keep an open mind and look to the vintage speaker market where you will find fun, musical, and emotional speakers for a lot less money.