Great Monitors – Joseph Audio Pulsar ?

I'm going to play devils advocate for a moment. Please note that I'm not trying to stir the pot. I'm just trying to grasp why on earth these relatively compact monitors are priced at 7 grand..

I mean, we've seen the Seas Millennium tweet / Seas Excel mid woof combo for nearly a decade now. This speaker doesn't look much different than anything else that I've seen out there. Sea's drivers? Check. A pretty/finely tuned MDF box? Check. Crossover Wizardry.. also check. Throw in healthy margin for distributors and dealers, and I could see the Pulsar's fetching around 3 to maybe 4 grand. But 7? What on earth makes them so different from everything else that uses the same above recipe?

Hell, not having even read the reviews, I'd guess that the sound flows more to the 'linear' side of the audio spectrum. The Excel driver has always been known for great bass and its general lack of warmth throughout its midrange presentation. I'd also guess that the mids could be described as very open, nicely detailed, and sports great pinpoint imaging. The highs are probably also well detailed, have a bit of natural 'grit' and texture to them, and are otherwise smooth when paired with the right gear (particularly of the tube variety). Bass is probably impressive for the size, but nothing earth shattering as far as compacts go.

Overall, I'd guess it to be a great speaker, but one that sounds pretty much like every other speaker that contains the same formula. Hell, some of you have heard them / owned them. Am I completely off in the description? And does anyone have any legit insight as to why such a speaker would fetch such a high price tag? I'm genuinely curious.

They cost what they cost. It's pointless to debate why.

If you can find something that sounds the same and costs less, then do so and report back.

Thanks in advance.

For what it is worth, I purchased a pair of Pulsars with the intent of using them in a second system. Initially, I put them in my main system (alongside my Revel Ultima Studios) to break them in and push them with my nicer amp and see what they could really do. Long story short...I ended up selling my Revels and the Pulsars are now my main speakers. Value is a matter of perception. In my case, I perceive the Pulsars to be correctly priced, perhaps even a bit on the low side. Others may disagree and that's fine, but I would respectfully suggest not to fall into pit where judgment is by looks alone. These speakers are the real deal.

I've heard great things about them as well. Thought about buying a pair. Only thing that concerns me is the resale. JA is not a no name brand but the Pulsars are a little pricey and my perception is there's not a huge demand for used JA speakers. Of course, I go through a lot of equipment, so it's a concern of mine. I expect some loss but I don't have a feel for how the price on these speakers will hold up. What if they're worth only $2500 on the used market? That's a jagged little pill to swallow. I don't audition equipment anymore either. I see something, read about it, and buy if I think I'll like it. So no-audion $5k monitors aren't really in my comfort zone. But I encourage you to try them and let us know how they sound. :)

I would not worry to much about "lower" resale value. As a Joseph dealer I try to keep up with the going rates of their products used. I would say that JA is no worse (or better) then most other speakers in it's price range.

And trust me, the Pulsars sound incredible!!