What Does 80 Grand Get You Nowadays?
A system was playing in a shop. I sat down and pretty soon I thought gosh, I’m glad my system sounds better than this.
That system - just preamp, amp, and speakers - cost about $80,000 new.
I didn’t make the speakers at first, because Sabrinas look far better than the usual Wilson house look. They were driven by one of those new high-end Marantz amps, and I don’t think that was a match made in heaven. The Marantz was driven by a Dan D’Agostino pre that looked like a Minion had been crushed in a hydraulic press. Audiophile music was streaming, but I did not catch whence issued those dulcet ones and zeroes.
I suppose that system constitutes high-end for some. Now, it certainly sounded competent, but it also sounded boring. I thought, this is the Audi SUV of audio: competent and boring.
Conversely, I was impressed and pleased to no end that the end sound of my modest system from the last century could play in the same league as an almost-six figure modern system, and do so in a more engaging and fun fashion - to my ears, at least.
I’m biased, of course; and I am certain many high-priced systems out there leave mine in the dust. Still, I would have thought $80,000 guaranteed a better baseline sound.
How about you, have you heard a lot of gear whose sound was way out of whack with its price?
@devinplombier well that’s a pawn shop. no not really when it comes to marantz. I owned and couldn’t get the SA-10 out of my system fast enough. It was exactly as I described. Anything that sounds like that and retails for $8,000 should not leave the factory. Marantz people of today must have never heard good equipment. Their vintage stuff was nice. Specs aren’t everything. Tells you absolutely nothing abour how a component will sound. |
The brands you mention have all made at least a few well-respected hifi products. Many more in Yamaha’s case. Perhaps your statement stemmed in part from small manufacturers that sell expensive gear that looks like DIY projects. That said, there is, if not a prejudice, then a suspicion of high design as it applies to audio gear. It comes from the same place as beautiful people must be idiots. |
@devinplombier I was trying to be funny and provocative in the same time, but yes of course: audiophiles are OK with hideous looking stuff. I hate the devolution I have gone through, I used to have high aesthetic standards. Personally I love old Marantz amps from the 70s and I am hoarding Denons from the 90s. They sound fine. If that's all I could have, I would be fine. |
@devinplombier, there's a lot of negativity in your original posting. It's as if you have to bad mouth somethings in order to feel good about other things. I question why you started this thread. Are you trolling? btw, a good dealer is going to experiment with mixing and matching components. The only way you know some combinations are better than others is to actually try the different combinations. |
@onhwy61 I think it's a very important post. I don't think anyone argues that in general a $10 anything will be better than a $5 anything. I see two points here:
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