Insanely Expensive Audio

[Ron Texas]

Out of this whole insane list, this item is the one that really gets me.

Phono stages are pretty simple circuits and, yeah, low-noise is the big engineering trick for MCs, but it doesn't take $80k to get SOTA.

I thought $164k for shelves was wildly insane.

 

[Rod]

The only thing in audio that I could see someone justifiably spending a lot of money on(within reason) are speakers.

 

[JJB70]

Stereophile at Capital Audio Fest:

"The system: Von Schweikert Ultra 11 loudspeakers ($300,000/pair) and V12XS Shockwave subwoofers (two of 'em, at $11,500/each); two pairs of VAC Statement 450iQ monoblock power amplifiers ($120,000/pair) plus VAC's Statement phono stage ($80,000) and Statement line stage ($75,000); Esoteric Grandioso P1 transport ($38,000), Grandioso G1 master clock ($26,000), N-01 network audio player ($20,000), and two Grandioso D1 monoblock DACs ($19,000/each); Kronos Pro turntable with SCPS-1 power supply ($51,500); Air Tight Opus phono cartridge ($15,000); and $164,000 worth of Critical Mass Olympus V12 Luxury equipment supports."

That's comfortably over half a mil...

It's a lot nearer a full million than half a million, absurd. And there was me thinking the likes of Accuphase were pricey!!

 

[Rod]

The only thing in audio that I could see someone justifiably spending a lot of money on(within reason) are speakers.

That advice came from Mr. Floyd, my freshman electronics teacher. This was the 70's when the boys wanted a good stereo, a car, and a girlfriend. His words were "buy the best speakers you can afford and cut back on the equipment if money is tight. Good speakers will sound good on mediocre equipment, but bad speakers will still sound bad no matter what gear is powering them." It stuck with me more than tube theory.

 

[Ron Texas]

It's a lot nearer a full million than half a million, absurd. And there was me thinking the likes of Accuphase were pricey!!

Yeah, and that's without wires.

 

[JJB70]

The audiophool dark web!

 

[cjfrbw]

Stereophile at Capital Audio Fest:

"The system: Von Schweikert Ultra 11 loudspeakers ($300,000/pair) and V12XS Shockwave subwoofers (two of 'em, at $11,500/each); two pairs of VAC Statement 450iQ monoblock power amplifiers ($120,000/pair) plus VAC's Statement phono stage ($80,000) and Statement line stage ($75,000); Esoteric Grandioso P1 transport ($38,000), Grandioso G1 master clock ($26,000), N-01 network audio player ($20,000), and two Grandioso D1 monoblock DACs ($19,000/each); Kronos Pro turntable with SCPS-1 power supply ($51,500); Air Tight Opus phono cartridge ($15,000); and $164,000 worth of Critical Mass Olympus V12 Luxury equipment supports."

That's comfortably over half a mil...

Strange, some attendees said that the sound was not particularly good. Of course, show conditions are nearly impossible to optimize a 'large' system like this.

 

[Ron Texas]

Strange, some attendees said that the sound was not particularly good. Of course, show conditions are nearly impossible to optimize a 'large' system like this.

I don't have to worry about buying anything like that. Besides, $3k of gear in my finished attic sounds great. If I was a billionaire I wouldn't buy that system. Perhaps $50 or $60k would do it. I have no interest in vinyl. My lazy ass prefers to pick music off a hard drive.

 

[Wombat]

Strange, some attendees said that the sound was not particularly good. Of course, show conditions are nearly impossible to optimize a 'large' system like this.

As with cars, audio shows are for show not go.

 

[watchnerd]

Don't mean to throw barbs at our vinyl lovers but it totally amazes me what they will spend on a even decent entry level system when superior sound can be had with a sub $100 DAC? Sorry but I just don't get it.

That's like trying to compare a Casio G-shock to a Rolex Submariner.

The Casio is undeniably superior at time-keeping, a hell of a lot cheaper, and absent an EMP, more durable.

But one doesn't buy a Rolex for any of those reasons.

Thus, despite what Fremer and fans say, rational audio enthusiasts don't get into vinyl because it's (supposedly) higher fidelity.

They get into it because it's a pain in the ass and costly.

Automatic vs stick shift.

 

[watchnerd]

I thought $164k for shelves was wildly insane.

I didn't even notice that part....

Are they made of titanium and diamond?

 

[Wombat]

That's like trying to compare a Casio G-shock to a Rolex Submariner.

The Casio is undeniably superior at time-keeping, a hell of a lot cheaper, and absent an EMP, more durable.

But one doesn't buy a Rolex for any of those reasons.

Thus, despite what Fremer and fans say, rational audio enthusiasts don't get into vinyl because it's (supposedly) higher fidelity.

They get into it because it's a pain in the ass and costly.

Automatic vs stick shift.

More like bicycle pedals.

 

[Theo]

This was the 70's when the boys wanted a good stereo, a car, and a girlfriend.

Isn't it kinda of the same today? I would think that the guys who buy that sort of equipment are the ones who have a "good" stereo, maybe a car and no girlfriend? (xcept for those who have so much money that 10k$ is just pocket money)

 

[cjfrbw]

That's like trying to compare a Casio G-shock to a Rolex Submariner.
They get into it because it's a pain in the ass and costly.

Don't forget nostalgic and pretentious. Guilty as charged!

 

[JJB70]

Automatic vs stick shift.

The thing is that until fairly recently high performance cars were better performing than automatics and a half competent driver could get better economy with a manual gearbox. However, the shift to sequential gearboxes like DSG and the newer generation automatics has flipped that and nowadays these automated gearboxes perform better and for most drivers can deliver better economy. I always drove a manual, but now drive a car with a DSG box as it is just a much better gearbox. In the case of vinyl I don't think there has ever been a rational argument for favouring it over digital.

 

[watchnerd]

The thing is that until fairly recently high performance cars were better performing than automatics and a half competent driver could get better economy with a manual gearbox. However, the shift to sequential gearboxes like DSG and the newer generation automatics has flipped that and nowadays these automated gearboxes perform better and for most drivers can deliver better economy. I always drove a manual, but now drive a car with a DSG box as it is just a much better gearbox. In the case of vinyl I don't think there has ever been a rational argument for favouring it over digital.

I think this statement used to be true nearly all the time.

These days, however, with some digital versions of releases having less dynamic range than the LP (note: *not* because of the format, but because of mastering choices), the truth is that, yeah, sometimes the LP can sound better.....not because vinyl is a better medium, but because it's seen as more 'audiophile' / home listening, gets a wider DR master, as opposed to a more compressed DR for the digital version.

But in any case, I don't have a rational reason for playing with vinyl or reel-to-reel, except that I find them to be more fun.

And they get more 'wow' factor from visitors, too.

 

[Thomas savage]

I think this statement used to be true nearly all the time.

These days, however, with some digital versions of releases having less dynamic range than the LP (note: *not* because of the format, but because of mastering choices), the truth is that, yeah, sometimes the LP can sound better.....not because vinyl is a better medium, but because it's seen as more 'audiophile' / home listening, gets a wider DR master, as opposed to a more compressed DR for the digital version.

But in any case, I don't have a rational reason for playing with vinyl or reel-to-reel, except that I find them to be more fun.

And they get more 'wow' factor from visitors, too.

Good point.

 

[cjfrbw]

There's just SOMETHING about dragging a rock through a groove....

Snap, hiss, pop, click, thuck thuck thuck.

 

[Sal1950]

In the case of vinyl I don't think there has ever been a rational argument for favouring it over digital.

These days, however, with some digital versions of releases having less dynamic range than the LP (note: *not* because of the format, but because of mastering choices), the truth is that, yeah, sometimes the LP can sound better.

Don't see how a bit better DR can make up for the surface noise issue, vinyls #1 weakness, not to mention all the rest. But I can understand the nostalgic side of the vinyl playback ritual. Just way too much work for too short a playing time to interest me..

I drive manual and have almost all my 55+ years behind the wheel. Auto's have their place, including better, more consistant times at the dragstrip.
But the dang puss-cases always seem to blow up at the most inopportune times.

 

[watchnerd]

Don't see how a bit better DR can make up for the surface noise issue, vinyls #1 weakness, not to mention all the rest. But I can understand the nostalgic side of the vinyl playback ritual. Just way too much work for too short a playing time to interest me..

I'm not trying to defend vinyl as a medium (I have fun with it, but it's obviously obsolete), but I'll be honest, I've rarely heard all this surface noise people talk about. I mostly only hear it during lead-in and lead-out grooves.

Maybe it's because most of the vinyl I own are pricey 180-200g audiophile reissues and I tend to use 'advanced' stylus shapes and modest VTF?

I *have* heard it on vintage vinyl I've bought, but I thought it was just because they were worn out and/or dirty.