Are more expensive speakers better?

As I have moved up through the Vandersteen speaker line 2Ce, 3A, 3Asig, and now 5, I have found that more money does buy better sounding speakers, but this is always assuming that I was driving them with good quality components. But speakers are probably the most colored component in the stereo chain. It is well known that there are some fairly inexpensive but good sounding speakers out there, ie Stereophile has reviewed some B&Ws-- that are real overachievers, but there are others such as Paradigm, NHT, PSB etc.

Really expensive speakers (IMO) only sound good with really expensive components (well, at least good quality electronics). $20K speakers will likely sound lousy if driven by cheap sounding electronics. But then there are also some inexpensive, but good sounding electronics, ie NAD, Rotel, Adcom etc come to mind.

The approach I've taken is to up-grade speakers only when I'm pretty sure my electronics will support them with better quality music-- the "diminishing returns" principal applies here too.

And as always, audition, audition, audition. It's essential to learn critical listening skills, and this takes time and effort, if you're going to be consistently successful in up-grading. Books have probably been written on this subject. Good Luck, and Cheers. Craig.

Not always. Speakers, like all other components, are subject to the law of diminishing returns. If you want what high enders think are the ultimate speakers, you will have to spend gobs of money. In some circles, quoting $50,000, $75,000 or even $100,000 for a pair means state-of-the-art. Anything less and they think you are missing something. The ultimate integrated insult/putdown being to call anything mid-fi. So with a price point in shallow orbit, this leaves an awfull lot of room to for such mid-fi speakers as Vandersteen 5s, Thiel CS 7.2, Magneplaner 3.6, and the list goes on. Speakers happen to be the most difficult component to design and build, the most prone to likes and dislikes in the litener and the one having to contend with interfacing with the room in which they will operate. If cost is not a consideration for you, you can disregard all mention of bang for the buck etc. If, on the other hand, you, like most, have a budget, then you will have to live with a certain degree of compromise. Believe me, if you take cost into the equation, you will realise how precious little return you normally get even by doubling or tripling your initial investment. Get the best you can afford of a size that fits your room and enjoy the music. Naysayers say nay, no matter what.

Don't waste your money on speakers. Save it for expensive cables instead. The cable manufacturers will be glad you did...

More expensive advice is always better. Send us money, and we'll give you a better answer.

Are expensive cars always better ? Not if your requirement is that it have a wheel at each corner and get you where you're going to.

It depends on your requirements.