Big expensive quality amplifier market dead?
- Thread starter EPB
- Start date
- Status
Register to hide this ad
Doghouse
Super Member
It depends on your circumstances.
It makes "sense" if it's something you want and you can afford it
.
I'm happy with all my vintage audio, nothing younger than 40 years.
I kept my last car, a Honda CRV for 20 years, there was nothing wrong with it, but this year, I fancied a change and I bought a new Jazz Crosstar.
I'm 85.
Since I have a pair of both in my listening room I say absolutely as both have their place here. The Fosi's are great at great background listening and I could easily see them being end game for some folks where space is at a premium or apartment living with neighbors only a wall away. But when it's time to move some air and really enjoy a favorite cd there just isn't any comparison to a pair of 1200wpc 147lb monoblocks driving a big pair of floorstanders.
It's really an unfair comparison to both. My little Ford Ranger serves my needs quite well nowadays. But there was no comparison to my full sized 3/4 ton truck overloaded on a daily basis for work. A more fair comparison would be is it worth it to own any vintage receivers or integrated vs. the Fosi's.
Last edited:
"Big expensive quality amplifier market dead?"
I have to presume you meant "expensive" VS the word "expansive" you used in your thread title since your asking about expensive high end amplifiers. So, I have changed expansive to expensive in your thread title.
Now to answer your question, no, I don't ever believe the market will die for expensive audio equipment because there will always be people with big money looking to buy.
What's changed now from years ago is that you no longer need to spend big money to get a quality sounding system. Sure, your not gonna fill an auditorium with booming bass with a modern well built (relatively) inexpensive system, but it's gonna sound really great in your average house's listening space.
So yeah, IMO, there's always gonna be a market for both, as manufacturers/retailers DO make money catering to both markets......
I have to presume you meant "expensive" VS the word "expansive" you used in your thread title since your asking about expensive high end amplifiers. So, I have changed expansive to expensive in your thread title.
Now to answer your question, no, I don't ever believe the market will die for expensive audio equipment because there will always be people with big money looking to buy.
What's changed now from years ago is that you no longer need to spend big money to get a quality sounding system. Sure, your not gonna fill an auditorium with booming bass with a modern well built (relatively) inexpensive system, but it's gonna sound really great in your average house's listening space.
So yeah, IMO, there's always gonna be a market for both, as manufacturers/retailers DO make money catering to both markets......
Great SQ from new gear has never been "cheaper"
Thank you for the correction in spelling. English is not my first language, I am in Europe. I hope you are right, big money is good for progress and the economy. I wish there was some data on how many 50K amps, 15k Dacs and 200K speakers are actualy sold every year, not to mention million dollar systems. If you compare to the car market and the watch market we are in trouble. Porsche is way down in sales and Jaguar is close to folding."Big expensive quality amplifier market dead?"
I have to presume you meant "expensive" VS the word "expansive" you used in your thread title since your asking about expensive high end amplifiers. So, I have changed expansive to expensive in your thread title.
Now to answer your question, no, I don't ever believe the market will die for expensive audio equipment because there will always be people with big money looking to buy.
What's changed now from years ago is that you no longer need to spend big money to get a quality sounding system. Sure, your not gonna fill an auditorium with booming bass with a modern well built (relatively) inexpensive system, but it's gonna sound really great in your average house's listening space.
So yeah, IMO, there's always gonna be a market for both, as manufacturers/retailers DO make money catering to both markets......
Gigantic
A big, big love
To me, no. If I were wealthier, I might tell you differently, but as it stands, I’d be hard pressed to get 4 130 watt mono amps for even double what I have invested in my modded Fosi ZA3 mono blocks. In fact, I’d have to spend closer to 4x as much and it would likely be a marginal improvement in SQ and still within the rubric of “mid-fi.” Now, increasing the amp price to 20x what I’ve got in the modded ZA3s puts me in the bottom end of the atmospheric price range and there may very well be an improvement in SQ, but then we’re looking at $36,000 for four amps and I’d still need another pair to replace the valve amps I’m using on my mids, so ultimately, we’d be comparing a $2400-3000 total investment vs a $50,000-60k expenditure. For that extra money, you get more heat, higher utility bills and sacrifice more space, so it better sound effing exquisite, but is the sound 20-25 times as good? Doubtful. For me, it makes zero sense, but if I were pulling 7 figures or more per year and had eff you money, why not?
Dollar for dollar, affordable gear has never been better, which really raises the potential for mid priced gear to be more performance competitive and makes high end stuff even more of a trophy than gear for actually listening to.
twiiii
Lunatic Member
Ask us that question after having owned the more reasonably proceed amps after 30 years. I have some Mcintosh stuff thats 40 + years old is as good as new! Most everything I have except two mono amps and a phono pre-amp are over 20 years old. The reason for the almost like new mono amps is to power the pre-owned line arrays speakers I bought that needed some real 4 ohm horse power. Close to 600 watts each, though I seldom use more than 120. They are direct coupled, which I prefer, and therefore weigh a lot less. I didn't need quad balanced amps either.
RVT1K
Super Member
There will always be people with more money than many of us can imagine let alone achieve. Private jets, private 200' yachts, private islands...
Based on that, I feel there will always be a market for the "very high end" in luxury goods of all kinds stereos included.
I don't know what's going on with Porsche but Jaguar tried very hard to alienate their traditional customer demographic.
IMO the days of 'big iron', at least for me, are over. I'm a convert to small, easily shippable, inexpensive, high performance, Class D/PFFB amps and will never again lug a large Class AB box into my house. That includes my 'main' system.
My only caveat is that sometimes in the winter I miss the glow and heat radiation of tubes. I could see myself buying a moderately priced tube amp again at some point simply for the nostalgia and ambiance they provide.
They could have tried the Harley-Davidson strategy of aiming at a nostalgia market of well-heeled wrinkly boomers, a demographic dramatically shrinking by the day. In a shrinking motorcycle market, I have zero idea how H-D will remain in business even ten years from now. Their lineup is almost entirely wildly overpriced Shriner bikes that nobody will buy anymore.
Jaguar was wise to at least TRY to move away from the rich, entitled gerontocracy with some bold designs. I agree Jaguar has been left behind but at least they tried.
Regarding the several posts discussing the need for massive wattage to drive large line arrays and the like, those are (IMO) the distinct province of the extreme fringe of the audio hobby. For them, yes, large power, ability to absolutely crank low impedance loads, the ability to obliterate one's hearing in an afternoon, the ability to power small rock venues, these are things they want/need. For 99.9% of the home listening market such concerns are 100% superfluous and for that 99.9% of the market, something like the Fosi V3 Monos would drive most any stereo speaker system to far more than adequate levels and provide objective performance matching almost any amplifier that has ever been on the market.
Gigantic
A big, big love
With a multi-amped system, class d and valves integrate together quite well.
A trio like this for each speaker performs superbly and all in, I’m still in the ballpark for a mid-fi stereo power amp, including the DSP speaker management hardware for 250 watts total.
jayvis
Addicted Member
Great SQ from new gear has never been "cheaper"
Another here saying the same. Absurd level of goodness can be had with proper room treatment, speaker placement, and selective choosings from the shallow end of the pool.
A great time to love music? Lord yes.
RVT1K
Super Member
Perhaps but every other motorcycle manufacturer came up with their own version of a "Harley" especially the big four Japanese. The resurgence of Indian can also be seen as an increase in the collective desire for that style of bike.
The global motorcycle market is dominated by small bikes because most of them are used as economical transportation and not entertainment or status. There are LOTS of small, inexpensive, Chinese bikes on the roads here in Belize.
One thing I have found through my travels is that "rich" is very relative. To the vast majority of the locals, I am rich despite me having less than most of my ex-pat neighbors. But I've also seen people who make some of the locals here look rich.
RVT1K
Super Member
I agree!
There is a huge assortment of really nice stuff out there that isn't very expensive.
- Status