Revel - Big Price Increase

[USER]

One warning too much.

 

[AdamG]

One warning too much.

Dealt with. Post deleted and poster earned a Warning and thread reply ban. I missed it the first time. My apologies.

 

[Descartes]

I just checked, and after keeping the list price on the Salon2s the same since 2008 at just under $22,000/pair, Music Direct is listing them for $24,198. Still a good value, IMO, but after a stable price for so incredibly long it seems like the end of an era.

Revel - Salon2 Tower Speaker (Each)

The world's largest online retailer of high-end audio, audiophile music, and accessories. We specialize in vinyl records and turntables.

www.musicdirect.com

It’s about time they update them!

 

[Helicopter]

It’s about time they update them!

The big disappointment is that few have taken this time as an opportunity to launch newer and better products at much higher prices. DCA got it right this year with the Stealth. Topping has done some really cool stuff. But many firms, especially in speakers, disappoint.

 

[Epos7]

Figures, just as I was starting to consider a pair

 

[Zvu]

It’s about time they update them!

I was thinking about this yesterday.

I don't really see what they can do to really update them.

Laws of acoustics didn't change. It still needs large roundovers so front baffle is the same. They could implement a newer waveguide and transducers with lower distortion and better power handling perhaps - but the audibility of it would be reserved for those who really crank up their systems a lot for a long periods of time (to whom i'd recommend buying JBL M2 in the first place).

They could make an active version of it but the price would skyrocket and i'm not sure anyone would buy it. This is a passive system with very little flaws and most of it is inaudible.

 

[blueone]

I was thinking about this yesterday.

I don't really see what they can do to really update them.

Laws of acoustics didn't change. It still needs large roundovers so front baffle is the same. They could implement a newer waveguide and transducers with lower distortion and better power handling perhaps - but the audibility of it would be reserved for those who really crank up their systems a lot for a long periods of time (to whom i'd recommend buying JBL M2 in the first place).

They could make an active version of it but the price would skyrocket and i'm not sure anyone would buy it. This is a passive system with very little flaws and most of it is inaudible.

Revel was created during the final years of Sidney Harman’s time as CEO. Harman was passionate about home audio and loudspeakers. Looking at the Harman leadership team, from the Chairman of the Board on down, it is not clear that anyone in a senior leadership position is as knowledgeable or passionate about home audio as Harman was. Because of that, and the focus of Harman shifting to automotive systems and “personal” audio, I am doubtful an Ultima 3 version of the Salon is in the works.

 

[Asinus]

Revel was created during the final years of Sidney Harman’s time as CEO. Harman was passionate about home audio and loudspeakers. Looking at the Harman leadership team, from the Chairman of the Board on down, it is not clear that anyone in a senior leadership position is as knowledgeable or passionate about home audio as Harman was. Because of that, and the focus of Harman shifting to automotive systems and “personal” audio, I am doubtful an Ultima 3 version of the Salon is in the works.

Harman Intl took over Becker Automotive 10 years before Sidney Harman retired and also before Revel existed, and going by the records from the time it was a public company automotive was already one of the main income sources at that time. They probably make more from Lincolns than from Salons so hard to blame them for shifting focus when they have to please their Korean overlords.

Another way to see it is that automotive has always been the safety net for other endeavors, but the pandemic stopped the lines of nearly all major car makers while also killed live performances so no income from big venues; add in the chip crisis. Even if Harman is the 400-lb gorilla in the audio market something's gotta give.

 

[richard12511]

I was thinking about this yesterday.

I don't really see what they can do to really update them.

Laws of acoustics didn't change. It still needs large roundovers so front baffle is the same. They could implement a newer waveguide and transducers with lower distortion and better power handling perhaps - but the audibility of it would be reserved for those who really crank up their systems a lot for a long periods of time (to whom i'd recommend buying JBL M2 in the first place).

They could make an active version of it but the price would skyrocket and i'm not sure anyone would buy it. This is a passive system with very little flaws and most of it is inaudible.

I'd love an active system with low frequency directivity control.

 

[Zvu]

That is hardly an update of existing Salon system.

Isn't Beolab 90 something of that sort ? As far as i remember, it can change directivity but i don't know if it can change directivity of low frequencies.

EDIT: Found it, it can.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

I remember the inflation from the 60's. My father stated it was bad as the 30's for a small businessman. I still doubt his opinion. This inflation spike is probably different. When supply bottleneck ends, prices will drop. I pity desperate used vehicle buyers after the bloodbath that will arrive in about a year or 2. I purchased new 2021 Sentra for son. I asked dealer why he didn’t jack up price over MSRP. He replied, "this will end." I need customers to return. Greedy dealers jacking up prices now will pay 1 or 2 years down the road. I know many friends that will never do business with Casey's gas stations to this day because they jacked up gas prices exhoribitantly the evening of 9/11. The pandemic smoke will clear and the consumer has a long memory.

 

[amirm]

Let's hope you are right. The alternative of having high inflation on top of everything else is pretty scary thought. Was just looking at prices of fish at Whole Foods Market and it was $30/pound for Sea Bass! That's so crazy.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

I hope so too. Most members have not experienced persistent inflation. It is awful.

 

[amirm]

I remember when interest rates hit something like 20% during Carter presidency and I thought were lucky to get a mortgage at 12% for our first home!

 

[Ron Texas]

I remember when interest rates hit something like 20% during Carter presidency and I thought were lucky to get a mortgage at 12% for our first home!

It was just awful.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

I remember when interest rates hit something like 20% during Carter presidency and I thought were lucky to get a mortgage at 12% for our first home!

So do I. My first purchase in 1980 was a three year balloon contract with 10%. Took risk could finance mortgage within 3 years. It worked out but we can remember the pain of the inflation squeeze by Paul Volker. He did the right move, but my oh my was he hated and labeled the Old Grinch.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

If one can read the tea leaves, I think the Chinese economy may enter recession. The Chinese consumer invested in real estate because they do not trust their stock market. I didn’t realize until the Evergrande blowup that buyers prepaid in full before completion for condos for investment. According to Fortune,, Chinese investors store 70% of wealth in real estate. Recipe for disaster.

 

[TLEDDY]

Supply chain comment.

I have had a run-of-the-mill GE refrigerator on order for 5 months, with no delivery in sight. Although my existing one is 25 years old, our appliance repair person manages to keep it running. If it finally cannot be repaired…damn.

 

[Destination: Moon]

I have to say that when I visit China now and look around me, and when I look at the quality of research in Chinese universities, technological capability etc I ask myself which country is undeveloped. And it isn't China.

I spent 6 weeks there in 89 and then was back in 95. The difference was staggering then. Today? They have made strides most Americans don't understand or are able to accept.

 

[jonfitch]

When the average minimum monthy wage is around $300, from a labour cost point of view, it is the third world.

What I don’t get is why American manufacturers even bother when they can get practically free labor in the US through leasing prison labor thanks to the 13th amendment. Other than bad publicity maybe…[I know the legalities would require exporting the goods so they would have to be for sale outside of the U.S., but I wonder if they could be re-imported]