Price matching components

[Quickben]

Is this really good marketing or does it actually make any difference ? I mean, I'm looking to buy a marantz cd6003/pm7004 system in the near future. Does this mean that should only by speakers in the £300-£500 range. Does it mean that if I buy a nice set of Acoustic Energy Radiance 2 or Triangle Altea EX they will sound rubbish because they retailed at £1100 ish ? Frankly, I'm inclined to believe it's nonsense and think a good set of speakers will sound good on a good source/amp regardless of price. Any thoughts ? The reason I'm asking is I'm looking to spend around £1000 on some nice floorstanders as, and I know I'm going to upset some people with this, I don't like the look of any of the cheaper ones. I need to like the way they look as well as the way they sound. That's also why I refuse to mix and match cd player and amp. It just looks untidy. Shallow, I know.

 

[Bodfish]

For me, it's a question of balance. Will a set of £1,000 speakers work with your cd/amp choice? Yes, and probably very nicely too. Will you be getting the best from those speakers with the sort of components you are talking about? No. Should you make sure that you audition your choice to make sure there are no fundemental mismatches in sound terms? Yes, of course. And if there are no speakers that are aesthetically pleasing to you until you get to the £1000 price mark then so be it.

Lord knows there enough components out there (especially speakers!) that cost 100 times that figure but look like they fell out the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down (and then landed on a trampoline and hit every branch on the way back up again too).

 

[ESP2009]

Bodfish:

For me, it's a question of balance. Will a set of £1,000 speakers work with your cd/amp choice? Yes, and probably very nicely too. Will you be getting the best from those speakers with the sort of components you are talking about? No. Should you make sure that you audition your choice to make sure there are no fundemental mismatches in sound terms? Yes, of course. And if there are no speakers that are aesthetically pleasing to you until you get to the £1000 price mark then so be it.

Lord knows there enough components out there (especially speakers!) that cost 100 times that figure but look like they fell out the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down (and then landed on a trampoline and hit every branch on the way back up again too).

Nice response!

Though it is very subjective. I am very traditional - I like my speakers to look like well-crafted pieces of wooden furniture that fit in with their surroundings, NOT like something out of War of the Worlds or Star Trek, irrespective of cost. However, that aside, there are plenty on this forum who will advise in a similar way: a £1k pair of speakers, partnered with £300-£500 components can easily show up short-comings. On the other hand, they can bring out the best in components that are the very best in the 'budget' category. So, if buying £1k speakers to go with cheaper separates, audition well. Yes, they may well be a good investment for future upgrades. But take care when making that investment. You may even want to give serious thought as to what that next step is, otherwise you could find that those speakers aren't ideal for the next stage. Oh, it's such an uncertain path!

 

[Quickben]

So by this rationale, would the speakers I listed above sound better when partnered to something like Arcam CD17/A28 ?

 

[ESP2009]

Quickben:So by this rationale, would the speakers I listed above sound better when partnered to something like Arcam CD17/A28 ?

Personally, I have absolutely no idea.

Sorry to say, my experience is far too limited. I really do recommend taking some time to get out and listen to a selection. Any dealer who is serious about their hi-fi and their customers will be happy to give you a chance to take a fair listen across a reasonable range of kit. In some cases you will find that 'budget' kit is capable of sounding great with more expensive items thrown into the mix, but only you can decide what actually works for you. Hopefully, more experienced members will chip in with some sound advice.

 

[Quickben]

You know, I really should stop asking stupid questions.

Music is such an emotive subject that one person may find a particular combination sounds amazing yet the next guy might hear it as being overly bright or too bass heavy.

 

[ESP2009]

Quickben:You know, I really should stop asking stupid questions. Music is such an emotive subject that one person may find a particular combination sounds amazing yet the next guy might hear it as being overly bright or too bass heavy.

Too bloomin' right!

Keep reading the posts and see the blood flow!

But seriously, yes, it is a very emotive subject and only you can decide in the end. However, it is best to get some informed advice and guidance first.

It's Bank Holiday weekend, so you might have to wait a while for that!

 

[Craig M.]

sometimes a more expensive speaker will turn out to be a trickier amp load then a cheaper one, as the designer knows the cheaper one will have to work with cheaper, less powerful amplification. it's not always the case, but a demo is vital to make sure the amp can drive the speakers properly.