2. misc-audio
  3. 1263253622

Is Hi-fi getting more expensive?

When I first get into high end audio in 2003, $3000 can buy you a very good cd player. Now $3000 just get you started. All of sudden, most of the major high end cable companies all ask $10,000.00+ for their top of the line speaker cables. The economy is bad but you don’t see high end audio getting cheaper. The entry ticket to Hi-Fi is getting more expensive and Hi-fi is getting far away from average people.

I guess the reason is that if the economy is bad, less people buy high end audio. So companies have to charge more for each unit to cover their development cost, and even fewer people will buy their equipment. This will be a vicious cycle that never ends. I think some company should cut the price by 50% to break the cycle. I know there is lots of pressure for companies not to follow the price trend when one cable company list its cable for $10,000+. If you don’t follow it, people might think you cable is not as good as the high price tag cable. But if you cut unit price by half, your sale volume can go up to make up your lower price. Volume is important. Windows 7 is more complex and powerful than Sooloos, but why Windows 7 is $200 while Sooloos charge yoy $10,000? You can also look at computers, they are always getting faster and powerful while still keep at the same price point or cheaper. Once other companies see the benefits, they will join it too. Pioneer and Sony are not incapable of making great audio gear, they just choose not to because of the tiny market size. If big companies like Pioneer or Sony see there is a big market for high end audio, they will come and join the game.

I feel Hi-Fi almost double its price from 2003-2009.We really need some companies to take the first step(cutting the price) to break the vicious cycle. Now these days more people are listen to compressed music like MP3/ipod. We really need to find a way to attract more people to good quality audio to benefit all of us, otherwise we all lose in the end.

This might be my wishful/unrealistic thinking. People are welcome to share their thought.
yxlei

Showing 3 responses by mapman

mapman's avatar
mapman
22,636 posts
 
Not necessarily.

In 1978, ~ $600 would buy you a decent entry level system new (receiver, speakers, turntable and cart).

YOu can walk into Best Buy today and get an entry level 2 channel system with multi format DVD or even blu ray player for probably about that or perhaps a tad more maybe, but certainly not much more adjusted for inflation.

On the other extreme, there are more boutique brands that cater to rich people out there today as well and these systems WILL cost you way more than anybody could ever imagine back in 1978.

Then there is everything in between + more ease than ever buying used so all in all you are way better off soundwise today than ever before. Hooray for progress!
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,636 posts
 
Tvad is probably right.

On the bright side, fewer people interested might result in increased availability of good used pieces and drive down the cost for many fine pieces for the remaining dinosaurs like us.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,636 posts
 
"Is Hi-fi getting more expensive?"

Perhaps as viewed through this, the "high end" audio site, but not overall in general.

The high end in western culture is just that, the extreme portion that will tend to become even more extreme over time.

But the "extreme high end" statistically of any normal population is but a very small percentage of the overall population.

So take what you see or read on this site regarding the current state of audio with a grain of salt realizing that there is a very real yet useful bias at play.
More to discover