How high can you go??

[onwardjames]

Sucked? That's not at all how I would describe hearing various models Harry Pearson used at Sea Cliff. Capable of an immense soundstage with fabulous dynamics.

My objection was woofers sounded like they belonged to a different speaker. Mid bass continuity was not its forte.

This, if I remember correctly, was Botty's comments as well. You both are likely correct, as you both have heard countless upper-end items that most of the proles never even see in the flesh.

Well, the speakers need proper power, be in great shape (meaning good crossovers, etc.). I heard both good and bad. I found the soundstage a not real (too wide and too tall) - it may have to do how the speakers were set up. Also the one set was under powered and that was evident.

Real world experience is a treasure, and I thank you for at least talking the truth, even if it bursted my teenage-crush bubble on this most landmark of speakers.

 

[b1lk1]

It's lineal descendant, the AMG GT-R runs a cool $159k. It was fun watching Lewis Hamilton do donuts on one at pit lane before the F1 race at COTA. His passenger had trouble getting out of the car afterwards.

Chump change compared to the original. The original now goes for over $2 million if you can even find one for sale.

Can't argue with logic onwardjames!

 

[E-Stat]

Chump change compared to the original.

In case you didn't notice, we were comparing original prices.

Collector value is a different thing altogether. As is the comparative level of performance between those two.

 

[spicer]

Probably can't be discussed on an internet forum, but it's very hard for more money to raise the SQ bar in most homes.

If you start with some base line bookshelf speaker that is highly regarded, or widely regarded. You can make the following assumptions.

1/ more expense will buy some deeper bass
2/ more expense will buy higher SPL at the same distortion level.
3/ more expense will usually also mean physically larger speakers making them proportionally harder to integrate into the room acoustics.

But, how loud does a home speaker need to play.....really?
How much can the room be modified? Can most of the furniture be hauled out? Walls filled with sand? Acoustic tiles mounted in many places? Windows removed?

If that baseline bookshelf speaker is $200, and had low distortion, low coloration and 50Hz bass, and will play at 96dB in a 15x20 room, you are already at the 90% level of what can be accomplished with 100 year old tech. It's one heck of a long way to get to $500,000 worth of improved sound.

Well... yes... but, forgetting the front side of the equation, the problem is the speakers themselves and all factors that affect delivery of audio information to the brain. What is needed is a direct input to the aural processing of the brain itself... bypassing all that clumsy mechanical chemical information gathering area of the anatomy known as the ear as well all environmental factors... a transducer directly into 'brain language', what ever that is, a goal with a cost no object for the generationally wealthy audiophile.

 

[Alobar]

I don't think many people on AK realize just how many people out there that can make a decision on this sort of speaker investment like we decide on what to fix for dinner. There are now roughly 200,000 people in the world today with net worth in excess of 30 million dollars, of them 2,229 of them are billionaires, anyone of which could easily afford these speakers.

I see absolutely NOTHING wrong with a company targeting these individuals for luxury speakers. I think it helps spread the wealth a little if nothing else, a win for the rest of us!!!
https://www.quora.com/How-many-mill...res-and-billionaires-exist-on-the-world-today

 

[spicer]

I truly wish I could spend thousands, I do not begrudge people that do either. Sometimes I get taken back when I see $1000 speaker wires and patch cables and such, but again, if I had the disposable income I GUARANTY that I would drop the cash as fast as I could.

The easiest way to identify a socialist is by asking them if it is OK to spend $10K on a set of speakers.

Yeah... me too. What the heck.. it's a hobby.

 

[DesertRatt]

Well... yes... but, forgetting the front side of the equation, the problem is the speakers themselves and all factors that affect delivery of audio information to the brain. What is needed is a direct input to the aural processing of the brain itself... bypassing all that clumsy mechanical chemical information gathering area of the anatomy known as the ear as well all environmental factors... a transducer directly into 'brain language', what ever that is, a goal with a cost no object for the generationally wealthy audiophile.

Headphones come closer to the direct brain input. And, it doesn't provide the satisfaction that "hearing music in a venue" provides.

The revolution in speakers that would really change the game would more likely be very small - getting close to a point source- but able to handle enough power to fill a room, and at a very low cost. Like what Class D did for amplifiers.

 

[spicer]

Headphones come closer to the direct brain input. And, it doesn't provide the satisfaction that "hearing music in a venue" provides.

The revolution in speakers that would really change the game would more likely be very small - getting close to a point source- but able to handle enough power to fill a room, and at a very low cost. Like what Class D did for amplifiers.

I'm just having a little fun with it... but.. yes, headphones come closer, which is the point. Closer. I mean direct nuero stimulation, no audio/mechanics what so ever, streaming into the aural area of the brain even to the point of stimulating what ever needs to be stimulated to produce the body sense of very low frequencies as though they exist in the air. Right into the data bus so to speak. While I am having fun that would be the ultimate 'listening' experience.

 

[teal'c]

Headphones come closer to the direct brain input. And, it doesn't provide the satisfaction that "hearing music in a venue" provides.

The revolution in speakers that would really change the game would more likely be very small - getting close to a point source- but able to handle enough power to fill a room, and at a very low cost. Like what Class D did for amplifiers.

I get no satisfaction from hearing music in a venue. Usually what I get is frustration and annoyance that it doesn't sound as good as at home.

And headphones are no closer to direct neuro input than speakers. Now if your headphones are cochlear implants, that would be bypassing the mechanical mechanisms of hearing that both speakers and headphones require. At this point I'm sticking with my old drum kit.

 

[Djcoolray]

That’s true...

I’ve gone to concerts where the band really mucks things up and The Stones are one of them. Mick has a bad habit of singing off key when he’s board with the routine. But I guess, if I had an endless night of world tour gigs...I’d get bored too. Either way, buying a ticket just doesn’t get it....in my book !!!

 

[bimasta]

How many do you think they need to sell before seeing a profit?

Mega bling ...

They make a profit on each one. It's a different business plan... and a different market.
The uberrich have run out of status symbols. They already have fleets of flash cars, a yacht in every port, chateaux/wine cellars et al, and the slightly more educated cannibalize the art market — but all that is very old-school, trite cliches. Audio is a new playground, only a few have picked up on it, and that puts them a leg up on their ubberrich friends/rivals.
The uberrich a couple centuries ago hired Mozart to write and 40 musicians to play music, to impress their friends. They at least left us the works of Mozart.

 

[bimasta]

I’ve gone to concerts where the band really mucks things up and The Stones are one of them. Mick has a bad habit of singing off key when he’s board with the routine.

Mick always sang off key. I saw them way back in '65 and he was off key. His gravelly voice had a natural raunch while his vocal range was maybe an octave on a good night. — except for his falsetto. Great falsetto. But all those musical terms don't matter: he was a "persona" who captured the 'geist. And he's credited with writing some all-time great songs.

 

[hnash53]

Youll notice for some strange reason the tweeter horn is rotated 45 degrees, Im sure there is a very good audiophile reason for this.