How is the expense justified??

Messiah

Well-known member
Hi Guys,

Now this sort of thing bugs me a lot and not just with Hi-Fi. Here is an example so you know what I am on about!!

How come the Chord Signature Speaker cable is £109 per meter more expensive then the Silver Screen??

Is it purely a matter of profit because surely the actual manufacturing cost cannot be that different(PER METER!) can it????

(for another example not related to Hi-Fi, but I paid for a sexing scan for my baby a little while ago. I had to pay £95 for this service. Now if I wanted this completed in '4D' it was a minimum of £195. When I got there it turns out the only difference between a 'normal' scan and a '4D' scan is to use a different tool on the same machine so why the price difference!!!??!!! Barmy - simply a charge for profit as they know people will pay it!)
 
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Anonymous

Guest
If you pay for high end hifi that is severely overpriced, unfortunately you need a cable that is severely overpriced to draw the best from it. They're very clever you see.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
It depends what set up you have. If you own say a £3000+ stereo then I would say Chord Signature is worth being ripped off for, yes.
 

Pike900fish

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Jun 23, 2008
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Messiah:Hi Guys, Now this sort of thing bugs me a lot and not just with Hi-Fi. Here is an example so you know what I am on about!! How come the Chord Signature Speaker cable is £109 per meter more expensive then the Silver Screen?? Is it purely a matter of profit because surely the actual manufacturing cost cannot be that different(PER METER!) can it???? (for another example not related to Hi-Fi, but I paid for a sexing scan for my baby a little while ago. I had to pay £95 for this service. Now if I wanted this completed in '4D' it was a minimum of £195. When I got there it turns out the only difference between a 'normal' scan and a '4D' scan is to use a different tool on the same machine so why the price difference!!!??!!! Barmy - simply a charge for profit as they know people will pay it!)

I think you'll find it's called capitalism...Very rife in the western world so I understand.
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Another good example is the UK housing market and credit crunch...greed you see
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. Getting back to hifi though, I guess there is, as in all walks of life, a bit of "The emperor's new clothes" about it. e.g. if it's expensive it has to be good!

Only my opinion of course and what do I know, I'm just an ageing grumpy old git!!!
 
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Anonymous

Guest
High End System = High End Cables = High Price (proportionately better also in terms of quality as oppossed to budget/mid-range cables : BIG ???)
 

kena

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May 28, 2008
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Would imagine at the high level you are paying 100% for 5% improvement if you are lucky, and so many people wouldn't hear the difference.

Russ Andrews top of the range mains lead 1 metre (I know it's a contentious subject!) is £1,805 , you can buy a nice system for that.

I always remember being told the cheapest HI-FI upgrade is to have your ears syringed!
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I had an old fella on a Goan beach clean my ears with a spatula once. You should have seen the size of the pebbles he took out!
 
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Anonymous

Guest
You see there are swindler's the world over, it's not just limited to cable manufacturer's. It's an ancient Indian trick to be played on naive Western traveler's with Thaidie and braid's. (At this point I will say it wasn't me but my mate).
 

professorhat

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Dec 28, 2007
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Okay, at the risk of being ridiculed like Alan Davies in IQ, my guess is, these kind of really high end speaker cables take years of research from many scientist types and, once they come up with something, they work out the millions of R&D it cost them in terms of labour and materials and price the speaker cable appropriately so that, over the next 10 years, it not only recoups the cost of research and development, it actually helps make the company make a profit (I know people, it's a shock, but in a capitalist society, this is actually what companies aim for).
It's just a theory, but that might actually be how these mystical figures come about...
 
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Anonymous

Guest
professorhat:Okay, at the risk of being ridiculed like Alan Davies in IQ, my guess is, these kind of really high end speaker cables take years of research from many scientist types and, once they come up with something, they work out the millions of R&D it cost them in terms of labour and materials and price the speaker cable appropriately so that, over the next 10 years, it not only recoups the cost of research and development, it actually helps make the company make a profit (I know people, it's a shock, but in a capitalist society, this is actually what companies aim for).
It's just a theory, but that might actually be how these mystical figures come about...

Ok, but in a scientific point of view, cable wise, scientists reached the limits of electric cable technology a long, long time ago. So that doesn't explain for the expense of cables today.

Don't get me wrong I know the difference between a ? and a ? they just restrict the price fittingly.
 

professorhat

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Octopo:[Ok, but in a scientific point of view, cable wise, scientists reached the limits of electric cable technology a long, long time ago. So that doesn't explain for the expense of cables today.
That's where I fall over scientifically and rely on pure old capitalist competition to keep these things priced fairly. Of course if all cable manufactures gave up a long, long time ago and signed a pact to just charge us loads for stuff that they researched 30 (or more?) years ago, then I'd be surprised.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
EDITED for house rules violations - Mods I mean over such lengths as a 1m interconnect, this is ridiculous. I'm not talking conspiracy theory here, I'm talking price against demographic.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I wouldn't say cable technology has stagnated. Just look at MIT, they have patents pending for tech they've developed, in addition to the numerous patents secured as recently as last year (just check their website). Whether the new technology is worth the premium you pay is another question entirely. That said, I think its a trick question - It really depends on how much value you put on something that is subjective (the sound quality). If you want it and prepared to pay for it then the expense justified in my opinion.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
It's not justified in any way shape or form Even allowing for the potential research costs.

However my friends the fault is ours. If we didn't buy the overpriced stuff then there would be no market and those who make it would have to compete in the real world.

Sadly it is our desire to boast that these companies depend on. You may well not be able to afford the latest Ferrari but when you are down the pub you can boast about your £1k plus RA mains lead to your mates in order to enhance your HiFi guru status in their eyes.
emotion-2.gif
 

John Duncan

Well-known member
welshboy:
It's not justified in any way shape or form Even allowing for the potential research costs.

However my friends the fault is ours. If we didn't buy the overpriced stuff then there would be no market and those who make it would have to compete in the real world.

Sadly it is our desire to boast that these companies depend on. You may well not be able to afford the latest Ferrari but when you are down the pub you can boast about your £1k plus RA mains lead to your mates in order to enhance your HiFi guru status in their eyes.
emotion-2.gif


This would presuppose that any of us have any mates who give a toss.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
professorhat:Okay, at the risk of being ridiculed like Alan Davies in IQ, my guess is, these kind of really high end speaker cables take years of research from many scientist types and, once they come up with something, they work out the millions of R&D it cost them in terms of labour and materials and price the speaker cable appropriately so that, over the next 10 years, it not only recoups the cost of research and development, it actually helps make the company make a profit (I know people, it's a shock, but in a capitalist society, this is actually what companies aim for).

It's just a theory, but that might actually be how these mystical figures come about...

Exactly. That's why the 4D scan was more expensive than the standard one. To achieve the more complex results, more development was required and consequently the software license will cost more.. the fact it runs on the same computer is neither here not there.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Why do people moan about the price of "non-essentials" like Hi-Fi equipment? If you can afford it buy it, if not, don't. Let the rules of capitalism do the rest. The cost of R&D etc. is a good point but in any case why should any company have to justify its prices. If enough people are willing to pay, then the product will succeed - if not, either the product will stop being produced or the price will be lowered. Either way, an equilibrium is reached.

We will all go out and happily spend 50p on a can of Coke - how much do you think it costs to make - I would guess less than 1 pence. Even if you add all the other costs, Coke still make a hefty profit - why are we not moaning about that.

I think what is far more important is the cost of fitted kitchens since the damn things are eating way at my hi-fi budget!
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Anonymous

Guest
JohnDuncan:welshboy:
It's not justified in any way shape or form Even allowing for the potential research costs.

However my friends the fault is ours. If we didn't buy the overpriced stuff then there would be no market and those who make it would have to compete in the real world.

Sadly it is our desire to boast that these companies depend on. You may well not be able to afford the latest Ferrari but when you are down the pub you can boast about your £1k plus RA mains lead to your mates in order to enhance your HiFi guru status in their eyes.
emotion-2.gif


This would presuppose that any of us have any mates who give a toss.
...and that any of us would be so superficial to brag about spending a lot of money on a hifi accessory, or even mention it for that matter...
 

John Duncan

Well-known member
igglebert:JohnDuncan:welshboy:
It's not justified in any way shape or form Even allowing for the potential research costs.

However my friends the fault is ours. If we didn't buy the overpriced stuff then there would be no market and those who make it would have to compete in the real world.

Sadly it is our desire to boast that these companies depend on. You may well not be able to afford the latest Ferrari but when you are down the pub you can boast about your £1k plus RA mains lead to your mates in order to enhance your HiFi guru status in their eyes.
emotion-2.gif


This would presuppose that any of us have any mates who give a toss.
...and that any of us would be so superficial to brag about spending a lot of money on a hifi accessory, or even mention it for that matter...

I'd be too ashamed to. "You bought what?!?!?!?!?"
 
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Anonymous

Guest
JohnDuncan:
I'd be too ashamed to. "You bought what?!?!?!?!?"
...coupled with counseling vouchers for Christmas from the parents of the missus...
 

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