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Well considering that the Webb telescope was reasonable at only $10 Billion... $4k is too damn much for a headphone. I still want one though, the telescope I mean. I own the DCA Closed X and am a fan of the company and products.
It's not cheap, sure, but why do you think, the price must follow the material cost?
Would you work for years and develop a product, hire people, buy machines, to sell at this level?
I don't think so, it would be similar to writing a book and selling it for the equivalent of its paper cost.
Sidenote: A manufacturer actually doesn't need to justify anything, as long as there will be a market for the product.
Which leads me to thinking, setting a lower price would lead to loss, because of demand higher than production capability.
Prices are calculated in advance, and not since yesterday
Well considering that the Webb telescope was reasonable at only $10 Billion... $4k is too damn much for a headphone. I still want one though, the telescope I mean.
I, personally, would never spend 4K on a pair of headphones. But I do understand why it is priced this way and I do understand that some will spend the cash to buy it. For those who do: enjoy!
Very curious how they managed to engineer a low-q resonance in the 1-200hz range. Looks like a parametric EQ.
Dan Clark appears to be making special products.
EDIT: Amir speculates they are using passive electronics to create the dip, still would be curious what that looks like. My understanding is that passive filters are rare in headphones (for some reason)
Dan Clark has talked about this extensively, try to google interviews on the Stealth. it's all part of it's AMTS system. "It integrates waveguides, diffusion control, quarter-wave, and Helmholtz resonators into one compact structure." He craft the tonality not trough passive electronics but physics.
I'd by a cheap looking but great sounding HP any day over the opposite. When it's on my head I can't see it anyway
The only doubt I have, HPs with oval formed earpieces (like Sennheisers) tend not to seal around my ears, but this one could, because of its slimmer low end.
Time will show...
How is the deal tolerance on these? I know past ones would drop off pretty hard below 500hz. My head can never get a good deal.... Amazing timing though.
You know, I'm all for "good value" and I tout that many a time here on ASR, but when you have a breakthrough product that matches the Harman Curve like that at stock throughout the frequency range, and especially in the bass given it's an open-backed headphone then you're in unprecedented water, not to mention the fact that the frequency response is smooth without any high Q fine grass variations that is seen in almost every planar headphone that isn't the previously released closed back Dan Clark Stealth headphone. I think the high Q fine grass variations normally seen in planars is detrimental to overall resolution, which is why I prefer dynamic driver headphones.....but that's not seen in this headphone! (that last sentence is a theory of mine based on my experience, but it's not a fact, not enough evidence for it, but it's my current working theory). So yes, I think a lot of research went into this headphone and the execution is IMPECCABLE, and I mean that sincerely judging from the measurements.....and it's also unique given what I've said re the bass compliance & open backed headphones, so it's an aspirational product that is treading new ground, so I think the massive price is actually a reflection of what it delivers on the objective measurement front - so I think it's ok to command a crazy price! Whether or not when you listen with this headphone makes you think "wow this is worth 4K" is a whole other matter, and there's unknown variables re headphones & anatomy interaction that means that you wouldn't necessarily have a "wow moment" listening with this headphone......but the measurements show that you have the best chance for the best experience!
