Stereophile Recommended Components Fall 2020 is out

[FrantzM]

Plebeians! Tin-eared!

if you knew what’s good, you would drop all pretenses and start saving for the absolute best DIgital Conversion and playing system, and I can say it proudly, my latest acquisition: the dCS Vivaldi 2.0: $116,496/system as reviewed.
Thanks S’Phile!!!!

 

[scott wurcer]

These numbers are from pre-covid, so they're badly out of date. Even under perfect conditions, the count can't be precise. Nonetheless:

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/21/millionaires-now-hold-nearly-half-of-the-worlds-wealth.html
The world’s 46.8 million millionaires are now worth a combined $158.3 trillion. The United States still leads the world in total number of millionaires and growth. The U.S. added 675,000 new millionaires over the past year, bringing its total to 18.6 million. Japan added 187,000 to bring its total to just more than 3 million. China, whose economy is slowing due in part to the trade tensions, still added 158,000 new millionaires, bringing its total to 4.5 million.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...naire-ranks-shrinks-by-500-000-in-record-time
At the close of 2019, there were an unprecedented 11 million American millionaires

https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow...aires-america-all-50-states-ranked/index.html
Indeed, a record 6.71% (or 8,386,508 out of 125,018,808 total U.S. households) can now claim millionaire status.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/30/why-2019-had-a-record-high-number-of-billionaires.html
There were 2,825 billionaires in the world in 2019, up 8.5% from 2,604 billionaires in 2018

 

[asruser2020]

Why would they recommend a $17,000 product that has no audible benefit over products costing 100 times less?

This seems really dishonest and really shameful. They're basically trying to coax people into wasting money.

Because build quality and fit & finish are more important than audio quaility.

 

[scott wurcer]

These numbers are from pre-covid, so they're badly out of date. Even under perfect conditions, the count can't be precise. Nonetheless:

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/21/millionaires-now-hold-nearly-half-of-the-worlds-wealth.html
The world’s 46.8 million millionaires are now worth a combined $158.3 trillion. The United States still leads the world in total number of millionaires and growth. The U.S. added 675,000 new millionaires over the past year, bringing its total to 18.6 million. Japan added 187,000 to bring its total to just more than 3 million. China, whose economy is slowing due in part to the trade tensions, still added 158,000 new millionaires, bringing its total to 4.5 million.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...naire-ranks-shrinks-by-500-000-in-record-time
At the close of 2019, there were an unprecedented 11 million American millionaires

https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow...aires-america-all-50-states-ranked/index.html
Indeed, a record 6.71% (or 8,386,508 out of 125,018,808 total U.S. households) can now claim millionaire status.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/30/why-2019-had-a-record-high-number-of-billionaires.html
There were 2,825 billionaires in the world in 2019, up 8.5% from 2,604 billionaires in 2018

What's the point of this post? I'm one of the 11 M and don't give a flying f*** about any of these products.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Stereophile's list of recommended DACs is spectacular. Here are a few:

- Ayre Acoustics QX-5 Twenty: $9950
- Benchmark Media Systems DAC3 HGC: $2199
- Chord Electronics DAVE: $10,900
- dCS Bartók w/ headphone amp: $17,250
- Mytek Manhattan DAC II: $5995
- T+A DAC8 DSD: $4450
- Weiss DAC502: $9850

Just stunning. You can tell that Stereophile really emphasizes high-end quality, performance, fit and finish, reputable brand, and available dealerships and repair in the USA.

Only one even remotely worth it, and only b/c of the form factor, fit & finish, features, and resale value is, obviously, the Benchmark.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

These numbers are from pre-covid, so they're badly out of date. Even under perfect conditions, the count can't be precise. Nonetheless:

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/21/millionaires-now-hold-nearly-half-of-the-worlds-wealth.html
The world’s 46.8 million millionaires are now worth a combined $158.3 trillion. The United States still leads the world in total number of millionaires and growth. The U.S. added 675,000 new millionaires over the past year, bringing its total to 18.6 million. Japan added 187,000 to bring its total to just more than 3 million. China, whose economy is slowing due in part to the trade tensions, still added 158,000 new millionaires, bringing its total to 4.5 million.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...naire-ranks-shrinks-by-500-000-in-record-time
At the close of 2019, there were an unprecedented 11 million American millionaires

https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow...aires-america-all-50-states-ranked/index.html
Indeed, a record 6.71% (or 8,386,508 out of 125,018,808 total U.S. households) can now claim millionaire status.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/30/why-2019-had-a-record-high-number-of-billionaires.html
There were 2,825 billionaires in the world in 2019, up 8.5% from 2,604 billionaires in 2018

If anything, Covid would have driven those numbers up, where they will undoubtedly stay.

 

[Angsty]

The Stereophile list is a chance to engage in fantasy for most. For some, it’s the fantasy of owning some of those really expensive, often pretty, things.

For others, it’s the fantasy that all the money spent to buy those items genuinely produces a superior performing system than spending less.

For the cost of the copy, it’s a cheap thrill.

 

[Ron Texas]

Yawn.

 

[David Harper]

For some entertaining reading go to stereophiles home page now where you can read a review of a TT that costs $145,000.00! A turntable called the TechDAS air force one premium. And the reviewer (Fremer) explains in specific detail , with much imaginative prose, how the "sound quality" of this thing is deserving of its price. And for an extra 17 grand you can get the titanium upper platter. No explanation is offered as to why a TT that costs 145K doesn't already come with the titanium platter. Cartridge not included. Nor is the 20K component stand. Considering that you can get not one but two brand spanking new 2021 BMW M3's for roughly the same amount of scratch this begs the question; at exactly what point does the law of diminishing returns come into play at stereophile? Or is the placebo effect so all-powerful over there that even something like this is not, how can we put it, a somewhat unwarranted expenditure given that what you're getting is essentially a record player?

 

[GDK]

For some entertaining reading go to stereophiles home page now where you can read a review of a TT that costs $145,000.00! A turntable called the TechDAS air force one premium. And the reviewer (Fremer) explains in specific detail , with much imaginative prose, how the "sound quality" of this thing is deserving of its price. And for an extra 17 grand you can get the titanium upper platter. No explanation is offered as to why a TT that costs 145K doesn't already come with the titanium platter. Cartridge not included. Nor is the 20K component stand. Considering that you can get not one but two brand spanking new 2021 BMW M3's for roughly the same amount of scratch this begs the question; at exactly what point does the law of diminishing returns come into play at stereophile? Or is the placebo effect so all-powerful over there that even something like this is not, how can we put it, a somewhat unwarranted expenditure given that what you're getting is essentially a record player?

I am pretty sure this isn’t being sold on the basis of SQ, but on the basis of being able to tell your friends that you have a turntable that costs the price of two brand spanking new 2021 BMW M3s. I would be shocked if they ever even got played.

 

[MRC01]

Why would they recommend a $17,000 product that has no audible benefit over products costing 100 times less?

I'm willing to pay extra for higher quality parts & construction. I want equipment to last, saving me the hassle of returning or repairing it. And the pleasure of using high quality switches & knobs. By high quality I don't mean gold blingy, but professional quality parts. For me, "extra" doesn't mean 100:1, maybe 5:1 or 10:1 at most.

 

[teched58]

For some entertaining reading go to stereophiles home page now where you can read a review of a TT that costs $145,000.00! A turntable called the TechDAS air force one premium. And the reviewer (Fremer) explains in specific detail , with much imaginative prose, how the "sound quality" of this thing is deserving of its price. And for an extra 17 grand you can get the titanium upper platter. No explanation is offered as to why a TT that costs 145K doesn't already come with the titanium platter. Cartridge not included. Nor is the 20K component stand. Considering that you can get not one but two brand spanking new 2021 BMW M3's for roughly the same amount of scratch this begs the question; at exactly what point does the law of diminishing returns come into play at stereophile? Or is the placebo effect so all-powerful over there that even something like this is not, how can we put it, a somewhat unwarranted expenditure given that what you're getting is essentially a record player?

How good can all that spit be if, even after you spend tens of thousands of $$ on a platform to stabilize your $120k TT (which I think is the TT that Fremer has, although he presumably paid the accommodation price, which is half off), YOU STILL NEED TO PUT BOLTS IN THE WALL (click to see the photo) to protect against the record skipping from footfalls???

 

[Sgt. Ear Ache]

I am pretty sure this isn’t being sold on the basis of SQ, but on the basis of being able to tell your friends that you have a turntable that costs the price of two brand spanking new 2021 BMW M3s. I would be shocked if they ever even got played.

I'm pretty sure that isn't what Fremer said in his "review." I don't care if someone is dumb enough to drop $145,000 on a turntable to scrape a needle over a plastic disk just because they want to impress their rich friends. I also don't particularly care if these golden-eared audiophile critics want to pretend they can actually hear what they think they are hearing. But there's no reason at all any of us who know better should'nt point out how idiotic it all is whenever we get a good opportunity to - especially here of all places.

 

[asruser2020]

I'm willing to pay extra for higher quality parts & construction. I want equipment to last, saving me the hassle of returning or repairing it. And the pleasure of using high quality switches & knobs. By high quality I don't mean gold blingy, but professional quality parts. For me, "extra" doesn't mean 100:1, maybe 5:1 or 10:1 at most.

I agree on all parts. People with money smartly spend their money to save time. People without money spend their time to save money.

 

[mafelba]

You forgot to buy cables Sir. Being an audiophile of impeccable taste, may I recommend these?

Fono Acustica Virtuoso: $20,384/1.5m pair

(“Yes, I’ve been eyeing a new nav station for my sailboat and selling a pair of these cables could make that happen for me.” thinks the sales guy.....)

You wouldn't see this kind of product if we were still on the gold standard, I can tell you that much.

 

[GDK]

I'm pretty sure that isn't what Fremer said in his "review." I don't care if someone is dumb enough to drop $145,000 on a turntable to scrape a needle over a plastic disk just because they want to impress their rich friends. I also don't particularly care if these golden-eared audiophile critics want to pretend they can actually hear what they think they are hearing. But there's no reason at all any of us who know better should'nt point out how idiotic it all is whenever we get a good opportunity to - especially here of all places.

I don’t disagree with you. The only point I was trying to make is that the buyers of these things likely don’t care about sound quality and may never even play it. It is all about bragging rights to people who are similarly naive.

 

[Wes]

I am not opposed to aspirational products, like say a 250 Lusso. But I am opposed to stupid stuff.

 

[asruser2020]

What's the point of this post? I'm one of the 11 M and don't give a flying f*** about any of these products.

Did you read the context of the post? The post was replying to the question:

but just how big do they think the market is for components with those eye-watering prices?

The market for expensive audio gear is huge. It's not just Jeff Bezos who can afford a $15K DAC. There are millions of millionaires who want high-quality gear.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

There are millions of millionaires who want high-quality gear.

Sure. Millionaires are no more foolish than those with smaller bank accounts, perhaps even less so. It's just that they get to express their foolishness more lavishly.

 

[mafelba]

Sure. Millionaires are no more foolish than those with smaller bank accounts, perhaps even less so. It's just that they get to express their foolishness more lavishly.

I would guess that very few of these insanely high ticket items are actually sold. Then again, at those prices one doesn't need to sell that many. How many Fono Acustica Virtuoso @ $20,384/1.5m pair do you think were sold worldwide in a year. 20?