What does 90% of the Absolute Best Sound Cost?


Like many things, I have come to believe that the cost of incremental improvements in audio come at exponentially increasing costs - e.g., big improvement from $5K to $10K, less so from $10 to $15K, etc. All of us have our limits regarding what we can/will spend to achieve our best possible/practical audio experience. So, a couple of questions that I am sure are at least somewhat subjective.

A. What does it cost, in terms of components, interconnects, and direct furnishings (e.g., racks, isolation pads, surface room treatments, etc.) to achieve 90% of the absolute best sound possible?

B. What % does $50,000 get you?

FWIW, my setup is at about $21,000 actual cost ($32,000 original retail) and I am really happy with it right now. All of my incremental spend for the next couple of years is going to be working the room itself. Looking forward to your perspectives!

mattsca

Showing 1 response by bugredmachine

It’s not a linear equation. It is a series of simultaneous equations:

Great gear

Great room dimensions and construction

Proper speaker and listener position set-up

Proper room tuning

Commensurate cabling that extracts the best from the gear

Electronic noise reduction (black background)

The best recordings (some redbook is great, some is not so great, for instance)

 

Did I miss any pieces?

This is why it is difficult.