The new dynamic in speaker pricing


Yesterday I received the latest issue of the Absolute Sound mag. This issue has the round up of the varying speaker manufacturer’s wares along with the retail pricing. One thing that struck me is the number of speaker manufacturer’s who have a speaker in their line up that cost close to a $1M!! There are good number of speakers now available with prices in the $700K+ range. A few manufacturer’s are also a little ’glib’ with their top model pricing, such as Oswalds Mill--who state- price upon inquiry only!

This new speaker pricing dynamic is interesting, as it clearly indicates that there are buyers out there who are happy to pay these prices and presumably enough buyers to make these products viable. A trend that is certainly interesting and yet questionable as to how it will impact the hobby as a whole.

Opinions on this trend?

128x128daveyf

I will confess that I have never heard $1 million speakers.  I am sure that they sound amazing, paired with equally amazing electronics, room, cables, etc.  But the point is that there are plenty of very wealthy people in this country and in the world, and if they have $1 billion+, or hundreds of millions, dropping $1 million on a pair of speakers is nothing . . . it is meaningless to them, just like buying a Bugatti Veyron for $1.8 million is meaningless. Do you think someone that has a 200 ft. yacht gives a hoot about yearly maintenance?  Or someone who has a Gulfstream 550, that costs more than $1 million a year just to maintain and for pilots, not to mention fuel?  They have the money to indulge in whatever they want and cost is irrelevant. I don't think that the existence of these folks impacts the industry as a whole at all, other than the "trickle-down" effect of the technology that went into building the audio equipment.

It is called a halo effect in Marketing speak. It elevates the brand. They don't expect to sell many (if any of them) but will tell you that the technology trickles down to their lower priced models (which it probably does in most cases).

If someone is playing with monopoly money, it doesn't matter what it costs. Some people want something just because it is rare or hard to get. That's their primary motivation.

I was never into the collector aspect of things. If I don't use it, I sell it. Mostly with records, but other things as well. 

Grand Karma Enigma $1,000,000.00 USD

Moon Audio Opulence $1,100,000.00 USD

Transmission Audio Ultimate $2,000,000.00 USD

Cessaro Horn Acoustics Omega 1 $1,000,000.00 USD

Kipnis’ Outer Limits Theater $6,000,000.00 USD

Kharma Enigma Veyron 1D $1,500,000.00

...and last but by no means least:

Hart Audio D&W Aural Pleasure +/- $5,000,000.00 USD: features a 10 or 12" coaxial Tannoy driver, an equally obtainable and rather generic, not to mention inexpensive dome supertweeter which brand I do not recall at the moment, in a hand cast 18K gold enclosure. The gold surely has increased in value since the product was produced, but as a speaker system it seems it would be rather average considering the absurd price.

@deludedaudiophile considering some of these companies are more known for being "lifestyle" companies than for the products they produce, what you say is likely true to a point. 

Holy Grail, End Game, such descriptions are used frequently to describe ultra high end audio gear. Those who are familiar with jays’ audio lab get a steady diet of his latest and greatest. I enjoy jay’s channel, but only for entertainment. The Absoute Sound is routinely criticized by its readers for focusing too much on the ultra high end, but hey, that’s their prerogative, and if you don’t agree, don’t subscribe. Like some have already said, it’s a lot of fun to put together a cost effective system that has the right synergy to egage you with the music. For me, that’s what it’s all about. Big systems do have a big sound which can be quite engaging, I have to admit it, but I have not been moved enough to continue up that path. Back in the day when this hobby was more grassroots, speakers like the Spica TC50 and amplifiers like the Berning EA230 could be combined for a really satisfying sound. I had a pair of Dahlquist DQ10’s and a Luxman L100 integrated amp, and to this day I still think that was a superb sounding combination. The point is, you DON’T necessarily have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to have a good sounding system. You just need to do your homework and trust YOUR ears.