Average Price Spent for Speakers

Lrsky, my recollection from other posts is that you now have a position at Von Schweikert. You will be able to appreciate this purchase being influenced by cosmetics. I was recently looking for good used speakers that were about 5 years old. I had been out of audio for some time due to a very expensive divorce and have recently remarried (another expensive but worthwhile pursuit). I talked to a local dealer here in Chicago who has the Von Schweikert line and had a used pair of VR-4's for sale. I was intrigued and liked how they sounded but realized that it would be an uphill climb placing these speakers in our living room. I looked at the archive section of the Von Schweikert web site and found these very nice looking Vr-4.5's and ended up buying a pair of them at auction here at Audiogon
from another of Von Schweikert local dealer (Paul Lacey...great guy by the way). The 4.5's were $600 more expensive but were worth it cosmetically. I never compared the two speakers side by side from a sonic perspective but it didn't matter! The 4.5's look great compared to the 4's. The 4.5's do sound wonderful as well. I haven't had the same success showing my wonderful spouse how great the Supertek preamp and the Berning amp look together (yet)! Bob

Larry,

I spend 30%+ on the speaker overall, another 40%+ on amp and pre amp, and remaining on source and cables.

As for look, sex sells. Any speakers that are beautifully finished sell themselves, regardless of the color. One example is B&W 802 Nautilus. But nothing illustrates this statement better than Sonus Faber. They sell tons of walnut finish speakers, tons of stained maple speakers, and even "plain" piano black finish speakers. When the design is beautiful, choice of wood or veneer will only accent the look even more.

For non-audiophile, anything non-obstrusive is good and in-wall is even better. Success story ranges from Bose to Energy Take 5, you should get the hint. It's only the crazy audiophiles who are willing to spend the equivalent of a car on something imposing and create domestic danger for young children at home. I am one of them, but I have my dedicate listening room :) for now.

I am an oddity... Former speakers, bought new Infinity RSIIa for $2,200 in 1984. Sold them for parts last year and got $1,850. cash. Bought a used pair of Magnepan MGIIb for $200 from a area dealer who had even put new socks on. (He used to be a Maggie dealer, but no more)
I am totally happy with my $200 investment.
IF repeat IF I went with something else, I would try a pair of Maggies MG3.6R's used? (local only !!)
Right now I am satified... and am blowing all my cash on LPS...
But maybe next year the 3.6R's
I looked at the Revel F30's and M20's, but the corporate picture going on with that co. made me pause. and I would up with the Maggie MGiibs.
($4,000 is my upper limit for speakers)

Before I went audiophile, my speakers were $50. Since, its been $1000, $1700 and $350, not including the buy-then-return models. Within my cost ceiling, I bought the least expensive model that most satisfied me as far as sound quality and a host of practical issues. The largest issue as far as cost was being buying "new". While there was some comic, newbie confusion during the buying processes (not that much has changed there), there were no close second places, no hard decisions. And I must state speaker cost relative to the rest of the gear was totally out the window for me at the time. I mean, I was using an a $100 Cd changer NAD 314 as a pre for a pair of $1700 speakers. I decided upgrade upchain gear later, which has been fun, not balanced at all, but fun.

Non-o-philes tend to spend a predictable amount on speakers as a funtion of their income, topping out with Bose and minisystems for the poor. Find the cheapest and most expensive speakers at Best Buy and a draw bell curve between them and that would be my guess for what non-philes spend...maybe skewed a little to the left ;)

Before you decide on what to spend on speakers, you must concider what will constitute the rest of the system. In addition what type of sound do you prefer, the orchesteral bloom of a full range floorstander, the pinpoint imaging of a good British(or Italian) two way monitor, or that transparency that only an electrostatic can give. You must also be sure that your choice will satisfy your wide range of tastes. I personally cannot be bothered with purchasing a component and when a better one comes out, sell the old one to purchase the new. If at the beginning you spent some time auditioning, going to shows,
or joining local clubs you will make the right choice & live happly with your purchase. I feel the speaker should be roughly equivalent in price to trhe amplifier.