1. Home
  2. amps-preamps
  3. 136050-9784

Art Dudley Calls B.S. but without naming names - PLEASE DO!

Hey all,

As someone who hasn't been reading the audiophile press for all that long, I stumbled upon this article that I'm sure it lit up these airwaves when it was first published: https://www.stereophile.com/content/skin-deep

It's a great article and one that any knowledgeable person would most likely agree with, but hey, spending your own hard-earned (or inherited) money is a right and a privilege.  Art does call out some brands that he perceives to give great value:  AMVR, VPL, Conrad-Johnson, DeVore and Harbeth and Kimber and Peachtree and Quicksilver and Rega and Rogue and Spendor and Wavelength.  Shouldn't NAD be on this list?  

But what he doesn't do and I think is warranted, is name the companies that are most egregious in selling high-end products where the performance is far below the cost.  

I, for one, would love to see a list of those manufacturers from the people who read this forum.  You can group them by what they manufacture or just put them in order as you see fit.  I think it would be most helpful in calling b.s. but with "added-value", which is what this whole article was all about.  Right?

lgoler
jhills
323 posts
 
@geoffkait
Right?
Regardless, the quot still holds true...Jim

geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
14,147 posts
 
jhills
@geoffkait
Right?
Regardless, the quot still holds true...Jim

Hey, whatev.

hifiman5's avatar
hifiman5
1,611 posts
 
@johnk  A bit of a cynical post.  Not disputing that one-upmanship does exist between or among some manufacturers, but there are thankfully many very forthright, honest manufacturers well recognized for delivering great value in their products.  Thank goodness they're out there.  I have tried very hard to purchase only what I perceive as high value products.  It's quite remarkable the amazing sound quality many 'philes manifest from very modestly priced systems. Very satisfying outcomes!
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
Screwing people? any bank or credit card.
Then toss in the so called retirement account folks who happily let your money drain away.
MY personal favorite is credit cards.
Back in the day, when bank account interest rates hovered around 5% to 6%, and credit cards could be had at 8%
Funny how the Bank account rate is 1% to 2% and yet the CC are all at 20%.
Gee scam anyone?
Then the fact you 401k takes 2% every year, good or bad.2%
Banks and investment companies have become monstrously rich on your 2%.

And don't start on medical insurance...

So compared to those startling rip offs. The audio world is a bargain
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
1,457 posts
 

It's so difficult to judge value in audio products, especially speakers.

OK, so we know that the actual cost of wood (or other materials), drivers, and a few electronic components is nothing like the retail cost of the speaker.

But... production has to be set up, with all that that entails.  And then there's the question of how you amortize all the preparatory work (some would call it research) that went into finalizing the design.  There are all kinds of costs everywhere.  Employees, buildings, packaging, advertising, distribution, the dealer (up to 50%), to say nothing of profit for the maker.

It would be fascinating to see a pie chart, provided by a real speaker manufacturer, of how the retail price is divided up.  Then we might be better equipped to judge value.

That being said, there are plenty of instances where, to the outsider at least, there are two speakers that seem to belong in the same bracket yet have radically different prices.  That's what leaves me scratching my head.

More to discover