A Million Dollar Audio System

[Ron Texas]

https://www.stereophile.com/content/estelon-and-vitus-audio-lead-way-million-dollar-system

I noticed this over at The Stereophile in their coverage of Axpona 2023. This is over the top with $330,000 of cables and amps which need powered equipment to move. You can't listen to music without gear, but this is absurd. Of course the next question is when does it become absurd?

 

[Cbdb2]

And I would bet you could replace everything except the speakers and over priced room treatment with $2000 worth of electronics and $10 cables (toss out the snake oil) and those idiots couldn't tell the difference in a blind test. Then replace the speakers with some Revel Salons and they would pick the Salons.
Stereophile should be called Snakeophile.

 

[Blumlein 88]

There was that time around 12 or so years ago Wilson setup a system to compare in the same large space against I think a B&W based system. Both costing something like $250k. Except Wilson was using a hidden 16 bit iPod for a source running thru an expensive preamp and an $1100 amp. The other stuff was just for show and not actually in use.

 

[JeffS7444]

Clearly those cables must incorporate more $ worth of know-how and materials than say, a measly 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, which sells for less than half as much.

 

[DVDdoug]

It's kind-of funny that they couldn't hit the $1 million mark without $300K in cables.

 

[FrantzM]

https://www.stereophile.com/content/estelon-and-vitus-audio-lead-way-million-dollar-system

I noticed this over at The Stereophile in their coverage of Axpona 2023. This is over the top with $330,000 of cables and amps which need powered equipment to move. You can't listen to music without gear, but this is absurd. Of course the next question is when does it become absurd?

Not to sound blasé .. There are fora where this kind of budget is almost run-of-the-mill.. Have a look at some of the "virtual systems" at Audiogon to have an idea. I have heard personally, a few systems, where the total would easily surpass that budget ... Frankly, some were acceptable but most were downright bad...
It would be of bad taste to name names... but for many folks $350,000.oo speakers are not an issue... from there, you "just" add a $150,000.oo amplifier, a $85,000.oo "Line Stage".. a $30,000.oo Phono Stage, a $125,000.oo DAC... and you must cable these, since the Line Stage is dual mono , that's 2 AC Cable.. The Amplifiers are mono Block that also 2 AC power cords, the DAC is a "stack" with each a Power cord, that's 4 AC power cords and you must link those DAC components with, yes, more audiophile cables and that could be 8 cables .. Yes.. Then there are the Interconnects ... Then the speaker cables and in many case you bi-wire.. so for each speaker you have a pair of cables and ... you have to use " cable lifters", let us not forget the AC Power conditioner ... I was going to stop but .. I remember the Turntable , itself usually a $100,000.oo item, plus the arms each at around $20K, plus the variety of cartridges.. each at least 5 K ... then you may have to figure out the R2R decks (none cheaper than $10,000.oo) and their preamplifiers (usually around $20,000.oo) ... and their AC and interconnect cables too ... Now you think that I am finished? Noooo!. You must figure out the "vibration control" systems, with some of these contraption, actually these are stands (for everything.. even for the power conditioner... ) some costing upward of $50,000.oo...

Are you still counting? . I stopped and am out .. for now

Peace

 

[nonnyno]

Clearly its not all that good. They said that Diana Krall sounded breathtakingly naked and intimate in the review but I'll bet she was wearing clothes. Fidelity is almost certainly lacking though I'll admit the colouration is interesting.

 

[Slayer]

I don't know what's worse, that ridiculously over-priced system or reading the comment section from the article.
Is everybody over there and their readers, just plain delusional? Cables and sound, youtube sounds (you can tell) bla bla bla.
Frankly, i now have a headache from reading it all.

 

[krabapple]

And I would bet you could replace everything except the speakers and over priced room treatment with $2000 worth of electronics and $10 cables (toss out the snake oil) and those idiots couldn't tell the difference in a blind test. Then replace the speakers with some Revel Salons and they would pick the Salons.
Stereophile should be called Snakeophile.

Hey, snakes are cool, they don't deserve such a diss.

 

[nonnyno]

I don't know what's worse, that ridiculously over-priced system or reading the comment section from the article.
Is everybody over there and their readers, just plain delusional? Cables and sound, youtube sounds (you can tell) bla bla bla.
Frankly, i now have a headache from reading it all.

Why care if someone is daft enough to relieve themselves of 1 million for somewhat questionable improvements in sound let them. Its cost you nothing

 

[nonnyno]

The scrap value on that system is worth more than my topping in the weight of metal alone. Not sure its worth a million though.

 

[MoreWatts]

This was discussed in the Extreme Snake Oil thread. Take a look.

 

[Somafunk]

I bet a kii3/bxt and wim mini setup would sound better, and leave you with $960,000 in your pocket

 

[MaxBuck]

First of all, it's Serinus. So we should be prepared for some woo.

Second, those speakers might be significantly great in the right room and the right playlist. So I won't throw any shade there. But give me some Purifi, Hypex or Boulder amps and Mogami interconnects and I can save the customer a few hundos.

 

[Keith_W]

Clearly its not all that good. They said that Diana Krall sounded breathtakingly naked and intimate in the review but I'll bet she was wearing clothes. Fidelity is almost certainly lacking though I'll admit the colouration is interesting.

"Clothes were lifted"?

 

[robwpdx]

Many audio magazines, bloggers, and vloggers are focused on selling equipment components.

There are a small number of handfuls of qualified of listening room acoustical designer-architects.

The people who need them know how to find them.

The high-end snake oil media outlets don't have a corrupt selling relationship with those qualified designers, the designers have enough business, and they would be insulted/it would hurt their business to be involved with the snake oil media.

Museum quality art is a better investment than speakers, cables, tube amps/giant amps, or turntable fetish. If you want to get into tape, buy a rebuilt Ampex ATR-1xx and have a tech on call.

 

[CDMC]

The smile of the people in the photo os one of those that just sold a customer something for 10x what it cost them.

 

[Andysu]

 

[Mart68]

Why care if someone is daft enough to relieve themselves of 1 million for somewhat questionable improvements in sound let them. Its cost you nothing

if it's just some anonymous bloke squandering their money then yes, it's just mildly amusing, but when it's people you know being taken in by the scam it's quite hard to just stand by and watch.

 

[nonnyno]

"Clothes were lifted"?

Was trump involved? I didn’t see him in the images of the review?