2. misc-audio
  3. 1333818841

Oh, to be a high end dealer for a year.

I love hifi. But high-end mystifies me. I can't help but think it's my lack of deep exposure.

I'd love to know if $100,000 amps matched to $100,000 speakers really sound so much better than the few-thousand dollar systems in my foreseeable future.

Is the worth of a quarter-million dollar system purely a function of sound quality, or some interaction between sound quality + one's idle disposable funds + time on one's hands?

And lordy, assuming they don't become the next Conrad Johnson, how do these companies that only produce a couple of high-road-to-nirvana-reviewed $50k-ish components fair in the short- and long-term, financially? Do they live long and prosper, and how? If not, are they cleaning up in their short stay, or losing their shirts to their dream?

I'll probably never know.
river251

Showing 2 responses by river251

river251 OP
154 posts
 
Thank you all for the very enlightening discussion.

David12, as to this super rich always being with us, I wonder if startups thinking of taking the risky plunge go for the very high end, thinking it less risky than swimming with the masses, for that very reason. If you are a good promoter and get a hundred customers lined up in that price range maybe that spells survival. Maybe that's why there are so many ultra-expensive components these days.

For what it's worth, vintage audio prices are climbing again (been checking them for my gear). I think the economy is on its way back. And the advent of $1000 iPhone DACs would seem to bode well :-).
river251 OP
154 posts
 
Ebm:

It's not when you're sleeping that it's a problem.

It's when you're listening to your insufficiently expensive hifi and imagining that your are satisfied.

=]
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