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Extreme Snake Oil

PristineSound said:
A pair of monoblock amplifiers for $790k.

Are ultra high priced HiFi equipment considered snake oil? Assuming they made no claims of extraordinary sonic magic.


twitteringmachines.com

Axpona 2026: Rhythm Distribution to Debut the $790k/pair Goldmund Telos 8800 Monoblock Amplifiers - Twittering Machines

Michael Lavorgna's Twittering Machines: HiFi with a twist
twitteringmachines.com twitteringmachines.com
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I can't even formulate a coherent reply to something so crazy. The people manufacturing that and asking that price should be run out of town. There is snake oil and then there is crazy snake oil. Wow!
 
Spkrdctr said:
I can't even formulate a coherent reply to something so crazy. The people manufacturing that and asking that price should be run out of town. There is snake oil and then there is crazy snake oil. Wow!
Click to expand...

I would ask the question: Is this any different than a car costing $1.5m? The answer is yes in my opinion, the $1.5m car has objective performance on the track.

Any extraordinary objective performance of an amplifier is already achieved by a $3,500 Benchmark AHB2. The only way I say this $790k pair of amplifiers is justifiable for it's price is if the physical material that is used to make this pair of amplifiers are precious metal, gems, stones and diamond.
 
PristineSound said:
A pair of monoblock amplifiers for $790k.

Are ultra high priced HiFi equipment considered snake oil? Assuming they made no claims of extraordinary sonic magic.
Click to expand...
Considering that a Bugatti Veiron's cost is comparable, but the engineering required to build it overshadows that of a monoblock (for as good as it might be... we already know very well how to build amplifiers, uh?), I would say yes: these monoblocks are definitely snakeoil. But as the saying goes: a fool and his money are soon departed, let time do its work... I'll share no tear.
 
Nutul said:
Considering that a Bugatti Veiron's cost is comparable, but the engineering required to build it overshadows that of a monoblock (for as good as it might be... we already know very well how to build amplifiers, uh?), I would say yes: these monoblocks are definitely snakeoil. But as the saying goes: a fool and his money are soon departed, let time do its work... I'll share no tear.
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But ownership of the Bugatti doesn’t stop with the purchase. Insurance and servicing/parts are not inconsiderable. In fact they are effing extortionate.
 
Thighsofsteel said:
But ownership of the Bugatti doesn’t stop with the purchase. Insurance and servicing/parts are not inconsiderable. In fact they are effing extortionate.
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Yes, you are right. That is why a couple of monoblocks for 1000 USD is more than enough.
 
I remember hearing the MFSL pressing of the Dark Side of the Moon on an SP10 Mk III turntable with an SME series III arm and Shure V15 series III cartridge, a Krell preamp & power amps (pair, don't know the models) and Martin Logan Neolith speakers.

Prices of the vintage turntable setup were among the highest in their day. Krell is maybe not the most outlandish in pricing, but it's way out of most people's reach. And the Neolith pair is just insanely expensive.

Is there snake oil among high-end audio equipment? Definitely! Was any of this snake oil? I don't think so (I didn't look at the cabling). If I had the wherewithal to afford the Krell/Neolith combo, I'd drop the cash in a heartbeat. It was one of the most incredible listening experiences I've ever encountered in a private home.

Edited to add: My point being that its being expensive doesn't mean it's snake oil.
 
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Nutul said:
Considering that a Bugatti Veiron's cost is comparable, but the engineering required to build it overshadows that of a monoblock (for as good as it might be... we already know very well how to build amplifiers, uh?), I would say yes: these monoblocks are definitely snakeoil. But as the saying goes: a fool and his money are soon departed, let time do its work... I'll share no tear.
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Bugatti are awesome cars, but you could go get a Corvette zr1x for the fraction of the price that beats it in a lot of areas.


Rich guys just like expensive stuff sometimes. Not sure what kind of a market exists for a 750g mono block though.
 
A Veblen Good is one who's demand goes up as the price increases.
 
Revy said:
Bugatti are awesome cars, but you could go get a Corvette zr1x for the fraction of the price that beats it in a lot of areas.


Rich guys just like expensive stuff sometimes. Not sure what kind of a market exists for a 750g mono block though.
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Revenge market? A way of getting back at an Arab oil sheik?
 
PristineSound said:
A pair of monoblock amplifiers for $790k.

Are ultra high priced HiFi equipment considered snake oil? Assuming they made no claims of extraordinary sonic magic.


twitteringmachines.com

Axpona 2026: Rhythm Distribution to Debut the $790k/pair Goldmund Telos 8800 Monoblock Amplifiers - Twittering Machines

Michael Lavorgna's Twittering Machines: HiFi with a twist
twitteringmachines.com twitteringmachines.com
Click to expand...
I read the entire detail page here and I can't call this snake oil.

It's wildly overpriced and the marketing copy is somewhat dishonest, but they don't outright lie or claim the amp can do things that amps don't.

In my view, snake oil claims to do the impossible (i.e. things that cables or ethernet switches simply don't do), this is just a ripoff or a flex for rich people, depending on the customer...
 
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kemmler3D said:
I read the entire detail page here and I can't call this snake oil.

It's wildly overpriced and the marketing copy is somewhat dishonest, but they don't outright lie or claim the amp can do things that amps don't.

In my view, snake oil claims to do the impossible, this is just a ripoff or a flex for rich people, depending on the customer...
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So, all snake oil is fraud, but all fraud is not snake oil. I can live with that.
 
For that money i expect the telos mono to have the same performance as the benchmark but deliver their 1400 watts, but their specs are quite normal, Veblen goods ?
 
Magico speakers supposedly is very high performing. Also ultra expensive. Are they considered fraud?
 
Just expensive.
Keith
 
Purité Audio said:
Just expensive.
Keith
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In my personal opinion, any pair of speakers over $35k to $45k USD in 2026 is overpriced. And for that price, I have a lot of expectations.
 
It's likely they're not even trying to sell a single pair of these monoblocks except to the billionaire with ADHD. They probably cost 1/100th of the price to make custom 1-of-1, and it's all the advertising they're going to need to attract viewers to their booths.
 
AaronJ said:
It's likely they're not even trying to sell a single pair of these monoblocks except to the billionaire with ADHD. They probably cost 1/100th of the price to make custom 1-of-1, and it's all the advertising they're going to need to attract viewers to their booths.
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1/100th! Don’t be silly. 1/1000th more Likely
 
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