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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
audphile1's avatar
audphile1
7,925 posts
 

@mike4597 thank you for your service! And good on ya. Enjoy the system. Rogue is awesome stuff. I had RP-1 and RP-5 paired with ST100. Great sound. 

mahgister's avatar
mahgister
15,050 posts
 

The only thing i learned in that hobby is price often means "ignorance"...

Acoustics basic with simple electrical and mechanical knowledge is enough to make any system a decent sound quality experience...

And a living room is not an acoustical dedicated room...

DSP and  mechanical acoustics control of the system/room  means more for the evaluation of the sound quality of a system than the price tag of brand ...

Than 80,000 bucks is enough now for me to reach acoustic  heaven few times...smiley

parkergetdean
1,048 posts
 

I took a screenshot. It was such a low blow, I had to. I usually take the high road, but you can’t have it both ways and rely on the grace of civilized people with empathy. 

Subject-wise: if I had to spend 80K, I would give 79K to AOC and from 1K I'd buy a second sub.

mdalton's avatar
mdalton
810 posts
 

Not to let facts get in the way, but I had to check the assertion that Marantz house sound is “rolled off”.  In 2022, Stereophile did a review of the 40N, a $2500 integrated, and Atkinsons’s measurements showed it was about 0.2 db down at 20khz at 2 ohms!  That is not rolled off!  Now, I am not suggesting Marantz/D’Agostino/Wilson would sound good, but painting with such broad strokes about an entire brand seems gratuitous to me.  

Btw, 25 years ago I bought an Audio Refinement Complete integrated amp to pair with some JMLabs floorstanders.  It was a nice combo, in part because the Conplete had a “tube-like sound” that tamed the bright treble of the speakers.  “Tube-like” was polite for rolled off; an old stereophile review actually showed the roll-off in the measurements.  (It was down 2.5 db at 20hz.)  

kennyc
2,910 posts
 

What Does 80 Grand Get You Nowadays?

@devinplombier 

I’m hoping to get there with Vimberg Mino D speakers plus an Audionet Humboldt integrated amplifier. Purchase AXPONA demo speakers at deep discount, and the integrated used.  Couldn’t afford new above $80k

I approached high-end audio by listening to the best I could find the sound I resonated with, then try to recreate sonics at home within budget. This became very daunting as my tastes run to Magico and YG.  Try as I might Wilson never pulled me into the music.  Matching SS electronics like Boulder, Dartzeel, CH Precision, Constellation, Soulution, etc were also pricy.  

The Audionet Stern and HEISENBERG preamp+amp was the German scientists’s all out price no object to create a state of the art sonic performance.  After succeeding, they used this knowledge to shrink it down to the single box Humboldt while trying to preserve the sonic excellence.

I viewed the Humboldt as the lowest cost into the very best SS Sonics available.  Reviews are extremely very positive.  I’m very fortunate to find one used in my budget range and especially in my 120 voltage standard.  It will be replacing my TAS Top 50 Audio Bargains Constellation Inspiration Pre+Stereo  

 

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