Are more expensive speakers better?

In any given price range, there are X number of speakers. The best of those are going to give you the most bang for your buck in that price range. This works if more expensive speakers are better, the same or worse. While not all speakers that cost more are better sounding, the general trend is that way.

Look at any line of speakers. Do their cheaper speakers sound better than their flagship ones? Doubtful, because any smart company would just increase the price of the speaker that is out of line if it is too cheap or discontinue it if it was too expensive.

Some brands offer a better sonic value than others (almost anything vs. Bose or Bang & Olufsen) because some other speakers are offering something other than just sound. Bose offers ease of use and easy to hide speakers, while B&O offers speakers that you would NOT want to hide (although they must match your decor).

What you want in a speaker should guide your decision. Do you want to see them or not? Should they be pretty, or are looks unimportant? How much bass extension do you want? How large or small do you want them to be? How much do you have to spend?

The last one will immediately cut down your field of choices to a workable number. Choose the best of what you want from the category you are in.

Reading Pbbs post I think he was supporting Vandersteens and pointing to the sometime ridiculas reviews given in high-end mags. Stereophile sometimes seems almost incapable of admitting that anything without a ridiculous price tag is listenable. I remember a review of Vandersteens 2ce sometime in fall of 2000 that left me thinking that they (John Atkinson) do not even know how to set up a test correctly. On the other hand they have given hugely favorable reviews to very pricey stuff, Wilsons and Genesis, that can't keep a flat frequency response. Needless to say I'm not excactly a big fan of that mag and there is some sweet irony that the folks who bought the parent company last year are pushing them toward HT.

Sincerely, I remain

Hey, I resent that comment about B&O speakers Mike. I think it's insensitive and insulting. (Sorry, couldnt resist.) But seriously, I remember quite a few B&O speakers that sounded fine. They were just always too expensive for their performance, so you either had to be indifferent to price or buy them new for 50% of retail. If they still make speakers, I have no idea what they sound like now.

Mike is on the right track, though. Is one maker's more expensive speaker better than the lower priced speakers by the same maker? With some exceptions of course, I should hope that the more you pay Vandersteen or B&W or whatever, the better speaker you get. (I really have no idea of what their actual prices are) better than a $2,000 something else? Maybe, maybe not.

Paul

Well, it's a new day, and my temperature has returned to near normal. Several posters above-- whose opinions I respect-- had a considerably different "take" on Pbb's apparently inflammatory (to me) comments. So perhaps I was out of line to "blow up". And thanks to those who offered support for my irascibility. BUT, Pbb should write more clearly.

It may also be that I am especially sensitive about the V5s because I've only had them 2-3 months, really like them, and it took me a year to pay for them.

One thing I have learned re audio and this Forum is that you NEVER, EVER insult another person's stereo system-- that may be an even worse offense than insulting his family members, including the dog.

My apology to Ddhpark for being a distraction on your interesting thread. Calmly, Craig.

Somehow my last sentence got cut off and I didnt notice until it was too late to edit it: Is a $6,000 B&W speaker (I really have no idea what their prices are) better than a $2,000 speaker made by someone else? Maybe, Maybe not. I certainly know of a few $2,000 speakers that I think are better than a lot of more expensive speakers.

Under $2,000 is a more expensive speaker better than a cheaper one? With a few weird exceptions (good and bad), probably.