ULTIMATE HIGH END... IS IT FOR REAL?

[admin_exported]

Hello,

I've read What Hi-Fi on and off for a few years now and like most suckers I love the high-end stuff. Naim, Meridian, PMC, 802Ds etc they're all big names for me and from the magazine I gather that they're pretty damn good as well.

But this afternoon my procrastination lead me to this site: http://www.higherfi.com/audio_speakers/1 and I must say I'm confused. Is this stuff for real? £100,000 for the ugliest, most tasteless speakers I've ever seen? Who are the people that make these things? Do they have beards, corduroys and make half a speaker per year in their garden shed? Are they the audio equivalent of the Gumpert (that's a little one for the Top Gear fans out there). Half the websites were designed in 1990 and I can't believe there's enough space on the market to accommodate so many brands selling such expensive equipment.

So tell me, is it over-priced kitsch or have I been reading the wrong magazine?

Milo

ps this is my first post!

http://audiohalloffame.com/go/thumbnails.php?album=1 this page actually made me feel a little sad.

 

[Tear Drop]

milo:So tell me, is it over-priced kitsch or have I been reading the wrong magazine?

I'm afraid most of it is over-priced rubbish - high-end performance is totally unrelated to price for many reasons, one of them being that very few people actually understand, or have experience of, what high-end truly is. Most of those speakers are simply bought by people who can afford them, nothing more.

 

[ElectroMan]

milo:
http://audiohalloffame.com/go/thumbnails.php?album=1 this page actually made me feel a little sad.

Actually, some of those speakers are scary - these in particular look like they belong in a H.P. Lovecraft story!

 

[basshound]

As a kind of follow up,at what price point does the increase in sound quality become impossible to notice? For example I would think most people would have a hard time telling a 10 grand speaker from a 5 grand one because when you get to that type of money differences in quality could only be noticed by test equipment and not by the human ear (although I`d like to have the chance to find out!)

 

[Andrew Everard]

ElectroMan:Actually, some of those speakers are scary - these in particular look like they belong in a H.P. Lovecraft story!

That link seems to take me to a picture of ventilation ducting.

 

[idc]

The Goldmund Epilogue Full System are gorgeous and I want................................

 

[ESP2009]

ElectroMan:milo:

http://audiohalloffame.com/go/thumbnails.php?album=1 this page actually made me feel a little sad.

Actually, some of those speakers are scary - these in particular look like they belong in a H.P. Lovecraft story!

Yeah, but what's really worrying me is that out there could be something by H R Giger...

 

[matthewpiano]

basshound:As a kind of follow up,at what price point does the increase in sound quality become impossible to notice? For example I would think most people would have a hard time telling a 10 grand speaker from a 5 grand one because when you get to that type of money differences in quality could only be noticed by test equipment and not by the human ear (although I`d like to have the chance to find out!)

I believe that the law of diminishing returns sets in pretty early and that, beyond the best budget and mid-range kit, the improvements are not remotely proportional to the financial investment. The thought of spending £5k on a pair of speakers makes me shudder. Quite apart from the financial implications, I believe that other limitations such as room acoustics/domestic layout, recording quality etc. actually cap performance well before this level of spending.

For what its worth basshound, I think you would have to spend serious cash to make anything approaching big improvements in your system. If you make further upgrades I'd recommend home demos to ensure that you are going to be happy with the price/performance ratio being achieved.

 

[basshound]

matthewpiano:basshound:As a kind of follow up,at what price point does the increase in sound quality become impossible to notice? For example I would think most people would have a hard time telling a 10 grand speaker from a 5 grand one because when you get to that type of money differences in quality could only be noticed by test equipment and not by the human ear (although I`d like to have the chance to find out!)

I believe that the law of diminishing returns sets in pretty early and that, beyond the best budget and mid-range kit, the improvements are not remotely proportional to the financial investment. The thought of spending £5k on a pair of speakers makes me shudder. Quite apart from the financial implications, I believe that other limitations such as room acoustics/domestic layout, recording quality etc. actually cap performance well before this level of spending.

For what its worth basshound, I think you would have to spend serious cash to make anything approaching big improvements in your system. If you make further upgrades I'd recommend home demos to ensure that you are going to be happy with the price/performance ratio being achieved.

I only upgraded my system shortly before Christmas so another is highly unlikely in the near future although I would like to change the sub but as for so many people at the moment things are financially tight.If I won the lottery then maybe it would be nice to see what kind of set up you could get for 50 grand.......... dream on

 

[Anonymous]

Well the last time I checked this site...

http://www.higherfi.com/spkrlist/speakerlist.htm

...it was the Kharma Grand Enigma that took the crown @ $1,000,000.00 (Only one system made)

But now it is the Transmission Audio Ultimate @ $2,000,000.00 (Built to order only)

Phew!

 

[Anonymous]

If I won the lottery I'd love to see what a really high end valve amp could do. Always wanted to hear some good quality electrostatic speakers as well. Wouldn't mind some reference Grado headphones. Full spec LP12 would be on the shopping list.

There are some gorgeous valve amps.

 

[chebby]

Catcher:
If I won the lottery I'd love to see what a really high end valve amp could do. Always wanted to hear some good quality electrostatic speakers as well. Wouldn't mind some reference Grado headphones. Full spec LP12 would be on the shopping list.

There are some gorgeous valve amps.

Your ambitions could probably be satisfied by Quad electrostatics and Quad II 80 valve amps from their classic range.

Add the maxed out LP12 and a decent valve phono-pre and I still can't see you topping out much over £30,000 for a whole system. (And the LP12 would be about half of that)

That would barely buy the cables for some of the esoterica listed on the OP's link.

 

[Anonymous]

Just goes to show I'm a man of simple means

 

[Audioholic]

I think the he ultimate digital playback system would be the Zanden Model 5000 - Signature and Zanden transport with a pair of 9500 monoblocks. The Art Emotion Silver Signature speakers would be the front end. Throw in some decent speaker cables and you're sorted.

Oh and, I'd fund a project for Zanden to make it controllable by a dedicated Sonos-like controller.

 

[Frank Harvey]

ESP2009:[Yeah, but what's really worrying me is that out there could be something by H R Giger...Now that would be a work of art - and a huge talking point in your living room......

 

[idc]

Anyone who made a point of talking in my living room would be thrown out for disturbing the music................

 

[chebby]

Anyone talking through the music in my library would be ejected by Carruthers...

 

[Andrew Everard]

...Though of course the design of speaking-tubes to bark orders to the kitchen has moved on a bit since then

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew Everard:...Though of course the design of speaking-tubes to bark orders to the kitchen has moved on a bit since then

I still use them

 

[idc]

My Carruthers disappeared recently whilst he was doing a spot of polishing.........................

........sometimes the music is spoiled slightly by faint cries for help.

 

[Anonymous]

My wife wife would kill me if I brought some of these ridiculous monstrosities home..... then she would kill me again for trading the house in to buy them

It would be a laugh to build something that daft though. My mate built some huge speakers out of wardrobes and actually got inside one to listen to music.... Iron Maiden mostly

I might have a look in the shed tomorrow and see what odd items could be utilised, watering can tweeter [ due to a robin making a nest in it ] and a dustbin bass bin thing.

 

[matthewpiano]

Looking at these pictures, I think Ashley from AVI has a very good point when he derides high end audio.

 

[Anonymous]

I have found some plastic bins and watering cans..... I have some low end Sony speakers I couldn't even give away on Freecycle and some old speaker stands, ,,, where's my drill

watch this space ......

 

[idc]

matthewpiano:Looking at these pictures, I think Ashley from AVI has a very good point when he derides high end audio.

Matthew, what is wrong with bringing design into hifi? They are not exclusive. There is no excuse for the cheaper end of the market just bringing out boxes, check out the highly rated Lars & Ivan Bobo.............

 

[gbhsi1]

Some of these speakers are real stunners. I particularly like the Eventus Metis!