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When someone tells you it's a $40,000 amp, does it sound better?

I've always been a little bit suspicious when gear costs more than $25,000 . At $25,000 all the components should be the finest, and allow room for designer Builder and the dealer to make some money.

I mean that seems fair, these boxes are not volume sellers no one's making a ton of money selling the stuff.

But if I'm listening to a $40,000 amplifier I imagine me Liking it a whole lot more just because it costs $40,000. How many people have actually experienced listening to a $40,000 amplifier.  It doesn't happen that often and usually when you do there's nothing else around to compare it to.  
 

I'm just saying expensive gear is absolutely ridiculous.  It's more of a head game I'm afraid. Some how if you have the money to spend, and a lot of people do, these individuals feel a lot better spending more money for something.  Now you own it, and while listening to it you will always be saying to yourself that thing cost $40,000 and somehow you'll enjoy it more.

 

jumia
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,615 posts
 

Something to keep in mind is that a $40,000 amp is likely not going to be playing $200 speakers; its likely to be playing on speakers that have a similar price tag. Some speakers with that sort of price really are wider bandwidth and lower distortion. So it may well be that the $40,000 amp sounds better on that account alone...

unreceivedogma's avatar
unreceivedogma
899 posts
 

The best sounding gear are that which you can afford. I’ll leave discussion of the rest to the masochists. 😬😝

ps
744 posts
 

Once we’ve agreed on a suitable, appropriate, and applicable definition of "better" in the context of reproduced music, only then can the dialog proceed. My first questions, and of course they are simply mine, is: "’better than what?". How and why? That question is only answerable when a detailed study/revelation of specific systems, the owner’s hearing acuity, and her/his musical/audio tastes are factored in. And even then..... It’s tough nut.

So, I posit that OP has asked a question which is both rhetorical and unanswerable in any meaningful way.

Ultimately: word games, at best.

FYI/ and full disclosure : as i type this, I’m binging Ahmad Jamal with a modest CJ control tube amp and vintage Franco ( may he RIP,) Serblin speakers. My investment is no where close to $40K for everything.

But is sure sounds durn bueno. And I humbly submit that bueno is ultimately preferable to better.

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,615 posts
 

Better:

Smoother, more detailed, greater center image palpability. Wider bandwidth, particularly in the bass. Greater speed and so on.

ps
744 posts
 

"

Better:

Smoother, more detailed, greater center image palpability. Wider bandwidth, particularly in the bass. Greater speed and so on."

@ atmasphere: With great respect, since I'm well-aware of your expertise- is it possible to assign a monetary value to those attributes?  I think my question gets to the essence of OP's post.  Of course, I could be wrong.   It wouldn't be the first time.

 

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