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how come some speakers cost more than the ones that are used in production and mixing studios ?

MeZoX

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I am very new to the world of sound systems , but I have noticed that there is a lot of audio monitors that is being bought for listening to music that are much more expensive than the most high end gear found in professional studios that is used by the audio engineer to produce the song.
Isn't the purpose is to have an audio system that replicates the artist intent ?
I would understand if those expensive speakers are made to produce sound in an area that is much bigger than most studios , or they aim to have a bigger center stage , but the vast majority of the listening rooms that I see over at reddit are the same size of studios or even smaller and there seems to be a preferred seating position as they have like a fancy couch or recliner , so I guess the center stage isn't that much different either
I would also understand the speakers that come with like an automated room correction mechanism as that would add alot to the listening experience , but again thats not always the case specially with very expensive speakers I have seen that cost from tens of thousands to several hundreds of thousands
So what am I missing here ?
 

Rick63

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^^ Indeed! :)

mike-tyson-laugh.gif
 
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Purité Audio

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Capitalism.
Keith
 

DVDdoug

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I think the "big studios" do use expensive monitors, but not as crazy-expensive as some "audiophile" speakers. I've seen pictures of big & exotic-looking monitors used for mastering.

But there are a LOT more home & small studios using affordable monitors and if you want to make a profit you have to watch the costs. The pros are also more concerned with actual performance so they don't use super-expensive cables either... They do want rugged-reliable cables.

P.S.
I found this "random" Nashville mixing studio. There's a probably few hundred thousand dollars worth of monitors.
 
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tomtoo

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You miss nothing, looks like your brain works well.
Welcome to the world of audio science. You just left the world of audio fairy tails.
 
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MeZoX

MeZoX

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You miss nothing, looks like your brain works well.
Welcome to the world of audio science. You just left the world of audio fairy tails.
or could be just my wallet isnt big enough to join the elitist club lol
 

Inner Space

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I am very new to the world of sound systems , but I have noticed that there is a lot of audio monitors that is being bought for listening to music that are much more expensive than the most high end gear found in professional studios that is used by the audio engineer to produce the song.

So what am I missing here ?
"A lot" is a bit vague, and in general I feel your perception isn't borne out by evidence. I have been in hundreds of studios and enthusiasts' living rooms over many years, and I would guess the average studio set-up is at least 10x the price of the average domestic set-up.

Direct pro/domestic alternative versions - e.g. ATC - are more expensive for the domestic because of veneer plus polishing and finishing, as opposed to black paint.

And quite naturally the domestic scene has concerns about visual acceptability as furniture, etc, which the pro scene doesn't have, so some dollar margin is not always due to foolishness.
 
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MeZoX

MeZoX

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"A lot" is a bit vague, and in general I feel your perception isn't borne out by evidence. I have been in hundreds of studios and enthusiasts' living rooms over many years, and I would guess the average studio set-up is at least 10x the price of the average domestic set-up.

Direct pro/domestic alternative versions - e.g. ATC - are more expensive for the domestic because of veneer plus polishing and finishing, as opposed to black paint.

And quite naturally the domestic scene has concerns about visual acceptability as furniture, etc, which the pro scene doesn't have, so some dollar margin is not always due to foolishness.
ofcourse i am not well educated about that subject , that was just my perception as amuater person who just got recently interested in audio systems
I was only referring to the Speakers though in both setups , of course studios spend alot more on room design and treatment and other processing equipment that i have no knowledge of, and of course home users would spend more on aesthetics and maybe affected by the WAF
, I am not talking about the total cost comparison , just the speaker to speaker comparisons , ofcourse i might be misguided by my simple search for what high end professional studio monitors cost but is there ever studio monitors that cost like these as an extreme example for both cases ?
 

Inner Space

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I am not talking about the total cost comparison , just the speaker to speaker comparisons , ofcourse i might be misguided by my simple search for what high end professional studio monitors cost but is there ever studio monitors that cost like these as an extreme example for both cases ?

Yes, I'm talking about speakers only, too. Any realistic post room will have multiple tens of thousands minimum in main monitoring - and probably more individual units in that one room than are sold in a year from that What Hi-Fi list.
 

MusicNBeer

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You also have the differing power requirements. A home user may wish to get a large speaker system with extremely linear drivers that handle high power very cleanly.
 

LTig

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You also have the differing power requirements. A home user may wish to get a large speaker system with extremely linear drivers that handle high power very cleanly.
Just as any good recording or mastering Studio. Look at the soffit mounted main speakers, not at the small monitors on the meter bridge.
 

Bob from Florida

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I am very new to the world of sound systems , but I have noticed that there is a lot of audio monitors that is being bought for listening to music that are much more expensive than the most high end gear found in professional studios that is used by the audio engineer to produce the song.
Isn't the purpose is to have an audio system that replicates the artist intent ?
I would understand if those expensive speakers are made to produce sound in an area that is much bigger than most studios , or they aim to have a bigger center stage , but the vast majority of the listening rooms that I see over at reddit are the same size of studios or even smaller and there seems to be a preferred seating position as they have like a fancy couch or recliner , so I guess the center stage isn't that much different either
I would also understand the speakers that come with like an automated room correction mechanism as that would add alot to the listening experience , but again thats not always the case specially with very expensive speakers I have seen that cost from tens of thousands to several hundreds of thousands
So what am I missing here ?
A lot of the expense is cabinet work and the type of finish used. Piano gloss will be more as well as hard wood finish. Some speaker manufacturers use all hard wood - Daedalus Audio - with hand rubbed finishes. The drivers can be expensive and exotic crossover components add more to the cost. None of these items are "cost" and can easily add a factor of 10 X - where X=cost. Then you have Brand name appeal and positive well regarded reviews. Add it all up and now you have some high dollar speakers that may or may not lose a lot of value outside the product return window.

Seriously, buy speakers you like and can afford.
 

escksu

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Since when there is a rule that recording studios must have the most expensive equipment around?? Since when there is any rule that commercial entities (for making money) must be using the most expensive equipment? Since when professionals must be using most expensive equipment?

Reversing it, since when there is a such that there cannot be more expensive equipment than whats used in recording studios? That these studios are built to make money, not to see who has the most expensive gear.

This is really just a click bait thread.
 
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MeZoX

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As for speakers, they're a bit like cars. You can buy a fast Camaro for less than 45,000 USD. A Bugatti may cost 50 times as much .... but you're paying for "exclusivity". It's an "enthusiast" game. Jim
There is a a quantitive advantage in owning a buggati and its supported by laws of physics , it one of the fastest cars ever built , price difference isnt proportionate but thats the premium you pay for wanting the best.
but I guess with speakers its something that needs to be experienced rather than read about.
 

XpanD

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I'd argue looks, ease of use and the whole pride of ownership/"look what I have" angle are factors that will affect things here, as mentioned. Good finishes and appealing designs can get pretty pricy depending on tastes, and features like wireless capability are often nice to have in a home setting. That does of course not mean that there isn't a lot of ridiculous nonsense around, but the pro world isn't entirely impervious to that either.
 

BlackTalon

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The expensive home speakers often have crossovers "stuffed with premium audiophile-grade parts".
 

Frgirard

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damn, i like that answer!
Atc, pmc, harbeth, psi audio, genelec, Neumann... Are not cheap speakers compared to krk, berhinger, presonus, mackie...
The ego in the pro business has nothing to envy that of the audiophile world.
Remember the straw and the beam.
 
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