In my personal experience, speakers are the most important piece of the chain so they are roughly half the $ of the total system for me. I happened to buy them slightly used but at list, my Harbeth SHL5+ and stands are about $9K of a roughly $18K system (digital streaming only, no turntable/phono stage).
Average Price Spent for Speakers
Everyone reading this, please respond if you will. What is the average price you spend on a pair of loudspeakers? What determines that expenditure amount? Earlier in your hobby life, what determined how much when you were a neophyte?
Also, for non audiophiles, if there are any reading this site, what do you spend, and what determines that amount?
In the absence of non audiophiles, everyone out there, what do your non audio friends spend for speakers (if they do buy)? Where do they shop? What is the determining factor in HOW much?
Thanks for your response.
Larry
Also, for non audiophiles, if there are any reading this site, what do you spend, and what determines that amount?
In the absence of non audiophiles, everyone out there, what do your non audio friends spend for speakers (if they do buy)? Where do they shop? What is the determining factor in HOW much?
Thanks for your response.
Larry
53 responses Add your response
Before the Covid lockdown my speaker budget was under about $1000 used. Then because I had more time at home than usual, with more free time than usual, I started buying, listening for a while, then reselling various gear. I was able to try a pretty wide variety that way with very little extra budget. When I found a great deal I'd buy, and gradually worked my way up to spending $3,400 on a pair of Tekton Double Impact SE's. As much as I love music, that was a large outlay, but I knew I could resell them if I didn't like them. Loved the DI's in many ways but had the itch to try other's and ended up selling them. IMHO it's almost a waste of time to listen to speakers anywhere but your own space. I've spent hours and hours listening at various shops over the years and there's no frame of reference to that approach. My family room is far from ideal acoustically, but it's what my ears know. I've gone through a pretty wide variety of speakers, amps, preamps, and other gear as well, and in my space I feel I can assess the sonic differences pretty easily. I currently have a set of Zu Druid MK4/08's that I bought with the intention of upgrading the drivers, and for the music I enjoy, they sound fantastic! After the upgraded drivers I will be in about $3,500. Two years ago that would have seemed crazy. Today it seems like a serious bargain. |
$600 Klipsch RP-600M-PB $1.5k KEF LS50 $25k Magico A5 Caveat: I’m not your typical audiophile who upgrades over a long period, I’m working on my bucket list first audiophile analog/digital system hoping to land somewhere mid-fi (for lack of a better word). My strategy was to find a speaker sound I love, then try to duplicate the sound as cheaply as possible while minimally sacrificing sound quality. After listening to many speakers via shops and shows, Magico and YG seemed to rather consistently sound great to me. I figured if I heard something I liked through the speakers, I should be able to closely reproduce the sound quality through these same speakers at home as long as I support it with the proper components and room treatments. Normally, Magico and YG speakers were out of my budget, but in 2019 Magico introduced the $12k A3 and recently the $25k A5. The A3 sounded lightweight for my tastes. After reading many positive reviews, I am purchasing the Magico A5 which I believe is a bargain that sonically punches significantly above it’s price point- it surpasses the S3 and competes with the S5. The first 2 speakers, Klipsch RP-600M-PB and the KEF LS50, were purchased to satisfy my curiosity itch because these speakers garnered great reviews at their price points. |
My situation is a little unique I suppose. I had a pair of $2500 Infinity speakers about ten years ago, when I happened to meet a really gifted speaker designer in Australia. A decade later, while working for Lenehan Audio I spent well over USD$5k on the components to build my own pair of speakers. According to Mike Lenehan, he would have to sell the speakers I built for at least USD$12k to make even a meager profit. They aren't strictly DIY, however, I did actually build them myself from component level. While I was building my speakers I took photos, which I have shared in my system page. I truly enjoy seeing other's system pages, regardless of cost, it's interesting and educational. With my wife's approval I purchased myself a USD$12k power amplifier (I purchased it cheaper, used) which is about the same cost of the speakers. The rest of my gear, the stands, music source, DAC, interconnects, Puritan power conditioner are all under the USD$12k total. **Note: Lenehan Audio fine tune all of their speakers with a tuning bay on the back of the speakers, so that the impedance curve, the frequency response and the anti-phase measurements are almost completely matching throughout the frequency sweep in final tuning - I did not do this, Mike Lenehan did it for me. |
I don’t know what to call myself — the equipment I purchased since January 2020 is definitely higher than mass market, but the $8,000 or so total is much less than the $20,000 and up that some here have invested for their total system. Not to mention, they have much more experience with various equipment than I. I bought my new pair of Martin Logan 60XT tower speakers for $2200 plus tax last year. I have neither the room nor acoustics to go with the electrostatics, though I am curious about their vaunted sound. I hesitate to go to hifi stores to listen to their equipment when I have no intention of buying from them and don’t want to waste their time. |
Everyone reading this, please respond if you will. What is the average price you spend on a pair of loudspeakers? What determines that expenditure amount? Earlier in your hobby life, what determined how much when you were a neophyte? Not sure whether to answer the questions as if it is still 2004, or, well, 17 years later. Phrases like "Earlier in your hobby life" could still be 10 years after the question was posted. Weird. Not as weird as asking my non audio friends what they pay for speakers, I guess. I'll try to check back in 2038. |
you should also be thinking of where you want to place your speakers. Generally rear ported speakers need to be placed away from the front wall. Maggies need to be away from the wall and need an amp that can deliver current. Its my understanding that ohm speakers work well up against the front wall. I recommend sealed enclosed speakers which generally sound well up against the front wall. Efficient speakers need less power from the amplifier. Class D amplifiers need less ventilation and can be placed into tighter spaces than class A/B amplifiers.. Choosing a veneer that matches your furniture helps in the overall visual appeal and WAF. Keeping your wife happy and involved should be your number one priority. No stereo is worth a divorce. If you live in an apartment or town house keeping your neighbors happy should be another consideration. Bass notes generally penetrates walls more so than treble notes. If that is your living situation than you need a speaker that works well with low level listening volumes such as the Harbeth P3ESR which comes in many different veneers. If you're looking for specific brand then I recommend using Hifi shark https://www.hifishark.com. |
~ 1999 - Acoustic Research 303 - $400 - 2001 - Vienna Acoustics Haydn - $900 - 2002 - Infinity Intermezzo 2.6 - $1,600 - 2004 - B&W N804 - $3,000 - 2006 - B&W N802 - $5,500 ~ 2010 - Vienna Acoustics Bach Grand ($600 pair), Mozart Grand ($490 pair), Waltz Grand ($150) - picked up floor models cheap when Best Buy dropped the line. ~ 2010 - Thiel 2 2 - $1,000 - 2012 - Thiel 3.7 - $7,000 (never getting rid of these) - 2014 - ATC SCM110 - $5,000 Many of these were trade ins, I traded my way up and rarely spent more than a few grand. I got the ATCs because I'd always wanted a pair and they came up in a classified at a price I knew I'd never see again. |
I live in an apartment and my listening area is my living room, so cosmetic is a huge factor in speakers choice. If I live in a big house with my own dedicated music room, the story might be different. Anything that is not cosmetically pleasing to me (very subjective of course) will not interest me at all. I bought my first pair of speakers while in high school in the late 70’s with my hard earned summer job money. I’m not the kind that buy and replace stuff all the time. Most purchases I’ve made are aimed for long term. I do the same for my cars. My current car is a Volvo from 2004. I’ve only owned 4 pairs of speakers so far in my life time: Pioneer speakers - purchased in 1978. Part of a $500 Pioneer system of receiver, turntable, and speakers. Definitive Technology - purchased in 1991. Part of a 5 pieces HT set with center and surrounds at around $2000. B&W CM7 - purchased in 2007. Around $1700. B&W 804 D3 - purchased in 2020. Around $10000. This is the 3rd most expensive purchase I’ve ever made, after my home, and my car. So my average is between $3000 and $4000. |
Everyone reading this, please respond if you will. What is the average price you spend on a pair of loudspeakers?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I bought the Seas Thor kit back in 2004 @ $1700 Just months ago, I upgraded the xovers and new Millennium tweets at $1400. Salvaged 1/2 that upgrade. I could never see paying more than say $2500, which i will spend ona new speaker in late September. In 3 years when i sell my house, I will take some of that cash and buy a $10k speaker. So yeah $2500 is my limit. Now. |
Around 2006, I was very dissatisfied with the B&W P-series speakers I had and sought advice, here. Someone suggested I buy a "like new" pair of Silverline SR 17.5's listed on the 'Gon and for some reason, I took his advice. I didn't even check on the color, before-hand. (What was I thinking? Good thing I like piano black). I don't remember what I paid-- $2500, maybe? Could've been less. Now, I'd never buy gear at the drop of a hat, without having heard it first in my room. With the Silverlines, I was just very lucky-- my "listening room" is our livingroom and there's really only one possible location for speakers but the Silverlines work well enough, there. I've gone through a few upgrade cycles since 2006 and at this point, have 20-25K invested in the system. I'll probably move up to the Silverline Supremes that list for $7500 eventually, but I'm in no hurry. So, there you go -- no engineering background; no research; no demo. . . just luck. Another reason I can't seriously call myself an audiophile! |
Average price is of course nonsense, being measured as it is in fiat currency units of no intrinsic value and that have had almost all their purchasing power inflated away over time. But, this got me thinking. We could instead measure it in something stable like gold. But while the gold price has been more stable over time, it has been so egregiously manipulated since Bretton Woods this only works over large spans of time. Back in Roman times a top quality toga cost about an ounce of gold. Today, about the same. There were however no loudspeakers in Roman times. So far as we know. (University courses teaching Critical Speaker Theory notwithstanding.) In any case, there were such huge price moves (gold priced in FRN), from 1973 to the high in 1980, to the ridiculous low in 2000, speakers priced in gold moved all over the place. Then it hit me, hours. Back when I was working minimum wage it took about 100 hours to buy my first pair of JBL. Now working x-ray it took about 100 hours to buy my Moabs. The VIX on hours is much lower. I would say the average is right about 100. |
At the time I bought my current Home ( which I sold 2 weeks ago) I made a deal with my Wife, she could get new furniture for the Home (which is 4,000 sq ft), if I could spend an equal amount on my dream system for my new Man Cave. Hope to keep her happy, I bought a pair of bookshelf speakers, B&W 805 D3’s at a cost of 7k with stands. I’m now downsizing to 1,500 sq ft and my Man Cave is going to be my Living room. I’ll find a way to squeeze them in if it kills me. |
Funny but interesting thread. Cosmetics would have counted some in the living and music room, but not much, and piano black gloss would have been fine. I have loved the sound of Raidho and finally traded my dealer three sets of my own mint speakers and sold one used motorcycle I owned, all to get to the needed 17k for used D2s almost five years ago. (And they were the stunning Walnut Burl with rare black stands.) I have never looked back and smile every day. Once DSP room-corrected for their little bass hump they sing and will probably be the last pair I will ever need. The money (or asset trade) was a small price for the next 25 years of pleasure they will provide. (I don't need Starbucks... ;-) |
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Good question! I own the ultimate speakers for me (Ohm Walsh). They list for ~$6500. If your room is small they might only cost <$2000. Imho $1500 gives you access to many very good smaller speakers including kef ls50 meta which are close to as good as it gets for their size. You might then choose to add a powered sub in some cases. of course as always ymmv. |
ptmconsulting1,000 posts04-06-2004 3:52pmJust a guestimate but: - for DIY enthusiasts < $1000 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yes DIYers try to spend the least amt of a project., your less than 1G is correct. Now they have a average speaker, but better than most labs which list at more than 2X's their cost. My plan is to spend *best bang for the buck* so its not all about the money, its what can my mondy afford as *best bang* I recently found the game plan. Single FR/point source Vox/Neo @ $2G’s and $100 in sanded plywood from HD. Most likely my last speaker. Unless I upgrade to a FC. Then I;’ll sell the Vox/ Neo and get the Vox/FC |
Before you decide on what to spend on speakers, you must concider what will constitute the rest of the system. In addition what type of sound do you prefer, the orchesteral bloom of a full range floorstander, the pinpoint imaging of a good British(or Italian) two way monitor, or that transparency that only an electrostatic can give. You must also be sure that your choice will satisfy your wide range of tastes. I personally cannot be bothered with purchasing a component and when a better one comes out, sell the old one to purchase the new. If at the beginning you spent some time auditioning, going to shows, or joining local clubs you will make the right choice & live happly with your purchase. I feel the speaker should be roughly equivalent in price to trhe amplifier. |
Before I went audiophile, my speakers were $50. Since, its been $1000, $1700 and $350, not including the buy-then-return models. Within my cost ceiling, I bought the least expensive model that most satisfied me as far as sound quality and a host of practical issues. The largest issue as far as cost was being buying "new". While there was some comic, newbie confusion during the buying processes (not that much has changed there), there were no close second places, no hard decisions. And I must state speaker cost relative to the rest of the gear was totally out the window for me at the time. I mean, I was using an a $100 Cd changer NAD 314 as a pre for a pair of $1700 speakers. I decided upgrade upchain gear later, which has been fun, not balanced at all, but fun. Non-o-philes tend to spend a predictable amount on speakers as a funtion of their income, topping out with Bose and minisystems for the poor. Find the cheapest and most expensive speakers at Best Buy and a draw bell curve between them and that would be my guess for what non-philes spend...maybe skewed a little to the left ;) |
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Larry, I spend 30%+ on the speaker overall, another 40%+ on amp and pre amp, and remaining on source and cables. As for look, sex sells. Any speakers that are beautifully finished sell themselves, regardless of the color. One example is B&W 802 Nautilus. But nothing illustrates this statement better than Sonus Faber. They sell tons of walnut finish speakers, tons of stained maple speakers, and even "plain" piano black finish speakers. When the design is beautiful, choice of wood or veneer will only accent the look even more. For non-audiophile, anything non-obstrusive is good and in-wall is even better. Success story ranges from Bose to Energy Take 5, you should get the hint. It's only the crazy audiophiles who are willing to spend the equivalent of a car on something imposing and create domestic danger for young children at home. I am one of them, but I have my dedicate listening room :) for now. |
Lrsky, my recollection from other posts is that you now have a position at Von Schweikert. You will be able to appreciate this purchase being influenced by cosmetics. I was recently looking for good used speakers that were about 5 years old. I had been out of audio for some time due to a very expensive divorce and have recently remarried (another expensive but worthwhile pursuit). I talked to a local dealer here in Chicago who has the Von Schweikert line and had a used pair of VR-4's for sale. I was intrigued and liked how they sounded but realized that it would be an uphill climb placing these speakers in our living room. I looked at the archive section of the Von Schweikert web site and found these very nice looking Vr-4.5's and ended up buying a pair of them at auction here at Audiogon from another of Von Schweikert local dealer (Paul Lacey...great guy by the way). The 4.5's were $600 more expensive but were worth it cosmetically. I never compared the two speakers side by side from a sonic perspective but it didn't matter! The 4.5's look great compared to the 4's. The 4.5's do sound wonderful as well. I haven't had the same success showing my wonderful spouse how great the Supertek preamp and the Berning amp look together (yet)! Bob |
I sould mention that im a University student, and am accordingly very much budget limited. I spent $350 Canadian on a discntinued model ($550 list) that sounded better than any other locally available speakers in that price range. They are inacherrywood venner that was chosen over the other options after the speakers were chosen (it was not a consideration in speaker choice, but that they look nice is a plus). Most people I knw have a $150-300 mini system. |
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Maple is the speaker veneer of choice in our home. It seems to blend unobtrusively inti the decor. When we bought them, it was black or maple. If black had been the only finish, it would have been a harder spouse sell. When we were looking to upgrade the sub and the amount I was looking to spend was about 2-3 times what I'd spent before, the fact that the custom sub would come in maple helped sell my wife. Speaker finish importance really didn't hit me until I mentioned that we could upgrade the bookshelf monitors in the bedroom (the analog setup) with some nice Soliloquy speakers in Rosewood. Responses that I got about Rosewood being too dark and we already had brown speakers in there and they won't match the others set me and probably my search for new (used) monitors back months. Cosmetic importance seems to be growing at our home. The only possible way around this is if she hears speakers that aren't maple and really likes them, but living in rural Montana makes store auditions very difficult and many hours on the road with the children. So it goes..... |
To further consider this question, what impact does the cosmetic component play in this choice? Is a small black box like the b&w more or less acceptable to the wife (gender assumption there, sorry) as the, say dark red cherry cabinets they put on their more expensive models? While Vice President of Sales for THIEL Audio, we sold 58% Cherry finish, which always surprised me. The cherry we used, was not darkened, only finished with a lacquer. Real cherry looks somewhat salmon like, for want of a better description; and some people thought it bland looking. So when I asked the question to start the thread, I thought more people would respond about the looks of their speakers, with greater passion. For example: Has anyone out there ever bought a speaker simply based on it's cosmetics? Dumb question? I'm thinking of the appeal of the B&O, gear. Audiophiles generally dismiss the B&O's sonics, so cosmetics must make up a goodly portion of some buyers decision making. Just asking. Larry |
Although I'm single I want good looking gear. None of the black, mindless looking boxes. Too many companies nowadays are putting a lot of thought into the appearance of their products. From past experience I'd say the majority of people spend around $500, if they want something that really lights their fire. The other people would be estatic over a $100 pair og speakers. I wish I had enough room for my Apogee Stages. Someday.... |
The determining factor in how much I spent was the speakers I wanted to buy. My new speakers are about $16,000 retail. I had a short list of speakers that I was interested in, including: Sony SS-M9ES B&W Signature 30's Kharma Ceramique 1.0 Wilson Audio Watt/Puppies. After I did my homework The Kharma's were number one on the list. So I bought them. I think most peoples speakers are in the $100-250 range. |
Regarding the last part of your question, non-audiophiles pay well under $500 for their speakers (as do many audiophiles -- please don't misinterpret) and their choice is based on what they hear in the Best Buy, or equivalent, sound room. Folks either look for bass (larger speakers) or compact size (and, does it match the decor). Folks who are both interested in getting better gear and who understand their own lack of knowledge tend to go to the home theatre installers to ask for advice -- these folks tend to spend more and usually end up with something pretty decent. That's my experience. I'd be interested to hear other viewpoints. My speakers approach roughly 30-40% of my total system costs. I'd rather upgrade components than speakers so I tend to buy higher quality (IMO) speakers first -- they are just too darned difficult to constantly audition in your home and then go through the sell/buy cycle over and over again. |
Speakers are very important and since they can have such a visual impact that elegance gets them into the living room and this can make up for all of the components that one's spouse will only...tolerate. this is one reason that B&W Nautilus can cause marital problems. I took mine to a local high-end shop and showed her the KEF 207s, having first explained to the (female) salesperson that we would be buying the somewhat smaller 205s. So, by the end of the session we agreed that the 207s sounded better but the 205s would 'look better' so I got what I wanted. Of course, I bought my speakers here on Audiogon but I still dropped lots of money on a Marantz DVD player and I bought some neat stereo stuff from this salesperson so she was more than happy to help out. How much did I spend? I bought my 205s for about $5,000.00 while they retail for about 30-40% more. |