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$35K for Speaker Cables!
Perhaps not the most expensive out there, but quite a chunk of change for cables:
http://www.mitcables.com/components/...7fd6_90x90.jpg
MIT Oracle MA-X loudspeaker cable
So, can someone tell me what's happening in that little box dangling off these cables? Does it turn sound into gold? Gee I wonder if they really sound $34,781.50 better than these cables:
http://shop.mapleshadestore.com/images/DH-TH.jpg
Mapleshade Clearview Double Helix Plus Speaker Cables (also their top-of-the-line)
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Nope, the inside is lined with diamonds:D
Sick, I know...
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So what else would you use with $350K Speakers, if not $35K Cables?
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$350K? I'd put a down-payment on a house - much better investment.
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I'd buy a pair, twice over....to power my HTIB
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Quote:
Originally Posted by audio amateur
$350?
Listen to a carefully matched $350k system and you'll understand. The one I heard used Nordost Odin cabling throughout. :)
rw
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nightflier
$350K? I'd put a down-payment on a house - much better investment.
The Audiophile with $350K to spend on HiFi, probably already has a fantastic house (and maybe even has a Bentley in the driveway) so why shouldn't he drop $35K on some cables?
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For $35K they should bypass the ears altogether and direct connect to the brain. Imagine, no outside interference, no problems due to hearing loss, no large speakers taking up living space. You could do video the same way. Things that make you go Hmmmmm.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by E-Stat
Listen to a carefully matched $350k system and you'll understand. The one I heard used Nordost Odin cabling throughout. :)
rw
Amen! Boy do I miss Room 1 at Soundex. I got to hear some pretty cool gear there. And your right, with a nicely matched mega buck system, you certainly would not use a Monster cable.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nightflier
$350K? I'd put a down-payment on a house - much better investment.
Downpayment, eh? Nice house, I guess. My house is worth considerably less than $350k total, but I'm sure lots of you high-rollers wouldn't deign to live in it.
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Brilliant marketing...all they have to do is sell one or two pair to pay off any overhead. If they sell only four or five they'll be well off and you know some dudes will buy it...Pete Barnum says so.
I see guys commuting back and forth from their office jobs in 3/4 ton extended cab pick-up trucks and thats only because nobody makes a one-ton pick-up. $35K is nothing to spend on cables if a guy is willing to pay $50K for a truck he doesn't need and put up with the hassle that it is.
I guess in a way I admire the spunk of some of these exotic hi-fi snake oil salesman - the money is there for the taking and you won't find a more deserving clientel.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Feanor
Downpayment, eh? Nice house, I guess. My house is worth considerably less than $350k total, but I'm sure lots of you high-rollers wouldn't deign to live in it.
I know that word in French, from the verb 'daigner' but I didn't know it existed in English. You learn something everyday I tell ya!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by E-Stat
Listen to a carefully matched $350k system and you'll understand.
rw
Not sure I'll ever have the opportunity of doing so...
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Quote:
Originally Posted by audio amateur
Not sure I'll ever have the opportunity of doing so...
It is like riding in a two seat F1. Walls disappear. You hear details from your favorite music that you had never before heard - even for stuff you've listened to countless times. You immediately hear rhythmic patterns that were never before rendered so plainly. I hope you are mistaken.
rw
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Quote:
Originally Posted by audio amateur
I know that word in French, from the verb 'daigner' but I didn't know it existed in English. You learn something everyday I tell ya!
According to Wiktionary it's from the French, "deignier". HERE's the link.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Feanor
According to Wiktionary it's from the French, "deignier". HERE's the link.
If you read, it says that was the word in old french. I made a search for deignier which didn't yield anything. I'm pretty sure the verb is daigner.
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$35K for speaker cables but that money would buy a nice swiss watch.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnMichael
$35K for speaker cables but that money would buy a nice swiss watch.
There are quite a few, however, by companies like Patek Philipe, Brequet among others for which that wouldn't even begin to cover the cost.
Nice watches
Click the slide show at the end of the article.
rw
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Quote:
Originally Posted by audio amateur
If you read, it says that was the word in old french. I made a search for deignier which didn't yield anything. I'm pretty sure the verb is daigner.
Yep, it's 'daigner' which appears in Wiktionnaire; 'deignier' doesn't.
The English synonym is 'condescend', although of course, there will be vocabulary-challenged who don't know what that means either.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by E-Stat
There are quite a few, however, by companies like Patek Philipe, Brequet among others for which that wouldn't even begin to cover the cost.
Nice watches
Click the slide show at the end of the article.
rw
Very good article, thanks. I like when the Robb Report covers watches. I think for now I will stick with my Hamilton Jazzmaster Viewmatic with ETA 2824 "Elabore" automatic movement.
If I ever had the money for one of those watches I would have to select carefully. I would hate to discover that I no longer liked that style of watch. $500,000 of buyers remorse. Of course might sell it at a profit.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by E-Stat
It is like riding in a two seat F1. Walls disappear. You hear details from your favorite music that you had never before heard - even for stuff you've listened to countless times. You immediately hear rhythmic patterns that were never before rendered so plainly. I hope you are mistaken.
rw
I'm pretty sure riding in an F1 would be the (much) more thrilling experience.
In all honesty though, 350K? You could almost buy a lifetime of tickets to the real thing with that kind of money...
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Supra EFF-IX 2m Analog Audio Interconnect
$35K ...:) Carumbah.
Well, I am selling a pair of silver-plated Oxygen Free Copper 2m length new Supra EFF-IX audio interconnects on ebay ... they are currently at a ridiculous $9.90 (compared to about US$200 retail) and auction ends in about 48 hours, so if you know about Swedish Supra, and like a bargain ... it's here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=190375215706
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Exactly my point....
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Originally Posted by audio amateur
You could almost buy a lifetime of tickets to the real thing with that kind of money...
There is a point where the diminishing returns are outweighed by the lack of value that you're actually getting. If you can afford $350K, then why not go see the real orchestra every weekend for the rest of your life rather than try to reproduce it in your living room? These MIT cables are such a product, where the diminishing returns aren't even the issue anymore, compared to the absolute lunacy of spending that much on cables for fantasy technology, IMO.
And what is this technology anyhow? What can possibly be worth $35K in a cable? We're not talking about a piece of Lamm gear here, we're talking about a cable! Even if they were made of solid platinum and the box dangling off of them had a full PCB with the most expensive parts, I still fail to see how that would amount to $35K. Someone please explain to me what kind of magic these cables can produce that a top-of-the-line cable from a more realistic manufacturer can produce. What is MIT doing that the other guys are not? Do these cables really sound better or just an ever so slight nudge different? Or is that margin of supposed superiority just snake-oil?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by contrapunctus
Well, I am selling a pair of silver-plated Oxygen Free Copper 2m length new Supra EFF-IX audio interconnects...
So what are their LCR metrics?
rw
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nightflier
There is a point where the diminishing returns are outweighed by the lack of value that you're actually getting. If you can afford $350K, then why not go see the real orchestra every weekend for the rest of your life rather than try to reproduce it in your living room? These MIT cables are such a product, where the diminishing returns aren't even the issue anymore, compared to the absolute lunacy of spending that much on cables for fantasy technology, IMO.
And what is this technology anyhow? What can possibly be worth $35K in a cable? We're not talking about a piece of Lamm gear here, we're talking about a cable! Even if they were made of solid platinum and the box dangling off of them had a full PCB with the most expensive parts, I still fail to see how that would amount to $35K. Someone please explain to me what kind of magic these cables can produce that a top-of-the-line cable from a more realistic manufacturer can produce. What is MIT doing that the other guys are not? Do these cables really sound better or just an ever so slight nudge different? Or is that margin of supposed superiority just snake-oil?
I'd rather spend $100K on concert tickets, than own a $100K setup... but I'm sure others will and do disagree... Who am I to tell them that they should not spend their $100K (or $350K) in that manner?
Value in HiFi can ONLY be determined by the individual purchaser...
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ajani
I'd rather spend $100K on concert tickets, than own a $100K setup... but I'm sure others will and do disagree...
I certainly enjoy attending live concerts, but as a dedicated music junkie, I would find that approach way too limiting.
1. How do you choose to listen to content from decades ago? How would you hear the Beatles? Forget about them? Wait for the next oldies concert in your area?
2. How do you hear movie scores without the dialog? There are a number I like just hearing.
3. How do you actually get to hear the music and instruments that are butchered at a 120 db rock concert?
4. What if the nearest symphony orchestra is 100 miles away? I rather like spending more time listening than driving.
rw
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Quote:
Originally Posted by E-Stat
I certainly enjoy attending live concerts, but as a dedicated music junkie, I would find that approach way too limiting.
1. How do you choose to listen to content from decades ago? How would you hear the Beatles? Forget about them? Wait for the next oldies concert in your area?
2. How do you hear movie scores without the dialog? There are a number I like just hearing.
3. How do you actually get to hear the music and instruments that are butchered at a 120 db rock concert?
4. What if the nearest symphony orchestra is 100 miles away? I rather like spending more time listening than driving.
rw
Exactly! All valid reasons why someone would prefer to spend the extra money on HiFi... I'd "probably" settle for a $30K setup for all those issues and spend the remaining $70K to go out to live events... But then again, who knows what I'd actually spend that money on if I had it? So it's best to let the potential purchasers make the value decision themselves...
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Cables like these are very special. They have little mini boot camps inside, for the electrons traveling to your speakers. As each electron passes through they get insulted, beat down and then built up. This way, all the electrons are marching in order with no strays to through off your sound. You end up with a much more uniformed sound. No slop. The highs are REAL highs, and the lows are REAL lows.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by E-Stat
I certainly enjoy attending live concerts, but as a dedicated music junkie, I would find that approach way too limiting.
1. How do you choose to listen to content from decades ago? How would you hear the Beatles? Forget about them? Wait for the next oldies concert in your area?
2. How do you hear movie scores without the dialog? There are a number I like just hearing.
3. How do you actually get to hear the music and instruments that are butchered at a 120 db rock concert?
4. What if the nearest symphony orchestra is 100 miles away? I rather like spending more time listening than driving.
rw
I knew you would respond with this :)
There is a obvious trade off in what I mentionned. Perhaps you can settle with a mid-fi system when you're not attending the real deal? Heck, with 350K your can certainly make room for a very decent system!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ajani
I'd rather spend $100K on concert tickets, than own a $100K setup... but I'm sure others will and do disagree... Who am I to tell them that they should not spend their $100K (or $350K) in that manner?
Value in HiFi can ONLY be determined by the individual purchaser...
There are some who can spend over $100k on each, and then not even show up at all the concerts or turn their system on more than once a year.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nightflier
There is a point where the diminishing returns are outweighed by the lack of value that you're actually getting. If you can afford $350K, then why not go see the real orchestra every weekend for the rest of your life rather than try to reproduce it in your living room? These MIT cables are such a product, where the diminishing returns aren't even the issue anymore, compared to the absolute lunacy of spending that much on cables for fantasy technology, IMO.
And what is this technology anyhow? What can possibly be worth $35K in a cable? We're not talking about a piece of Lamm gear here, we're talking about a cable! Even if they were made of solid platinum and the box dangling off of them had a full PCB with the most expensive parts, I still fail to see how that would amount to $35K. Someone please explain to me what kind of magic these cables can produce that a top-of-the-line cable from a more realistic manufacturer can produce. What is MIT doing that the other guys are not? Do these cables really sound better or just an ever so slight nudge different? Or is that margin of supposed superiority just snake-oil?
It's the magic of being able to tell someone, "mine is better than yours."
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Originally Posted by GMichael
There are some who can spend over $100k on each, and then not even show up at all the concerts or turn their system on more than once a year.
As is their right... They can spend the money however they please...
When I was living in Toronto, I had easily the nicest looking kitchen of all my friends. The combination of Stainless Steel and Granite was breathtaking... Yet friends always joked about the fact that I rarely ever cooked...
Point is that I paid the rent, so it was my right (and mine alone) to use or just look at that kitchen (and I certainly enjoyed looking at it)... So even if someone wants to collect a $350K Stereo and use it like a sculpture, so what?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ajani
As is their right... They can spend the money however they please...
When I was living in Toronto, I had easily the nicest looking kitchen of all my friends. The combination of Stainless Steel and Granite was breathtaking... Yet friends always joked about the fact that I rarely ever cooked...
Point is that I paid the rent, so it was my right (and mine alone) to use or just look at that kitchen (and I certainly enjoyed looking at it)... So even if someone wants to collect a $350K Stereo and use it like a sculpture, so what?
You mean like all those guys who spend $20k on a Harley and then never drive it? :shocked: Sure, they can do that. But it's my right to laugh at them.:ihih:
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Originally Posted by GMichael
You mean like all those guys who spend $20k on a Harley and then never drive it? :shocked: Sure, they can do that. But it's my right to laugh at them.:ihih:
Yep... you can always laugh.... but it's their money...
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Originally Posted by audio amateur
Heck, with 350K your can certainly make room for a very decent system!
The whole point is that some folks demand the highest levels of performance. Ferrari used to charge $10k for the carbon fiber brake option!
rw
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Originally Posted by E-Stat
The whole point is that some folks demand the highest levels of performance. Ferrari used to charge $10k for the carbon fiber brake option!
rw
Many audiophiles (consumers in general, actually) look for best value for money, while others just want the absolute best...
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Quote:
Originally Posted by E-Stat
The whole point is that some folks demand the highest levels of performance.
And what I'm saying is that you regularly get to hear the real deal for that price.
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Originally Posted by E-Stat
Ferrari used to charge $10k for the carbon fiber brake option!
Are you saying 35k for a pair of cables is any less obscene ? I can see where the money is going in my carbon ceramic brakes, the technology of which is used in Formula 1. Can't say as much about them cables.
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Originally Posted by audio amateur
And what I'm saying is that you regularly get to hear the real deal for that price.
Such is a value statement. The equally obscenely priced Nordost Odins that I've heard are simply spectacular in their ability to retrieve detail. You're not going to find this design as any OEM product to be relabeled.
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Originally Posted by audio amateur
Are you saying 35k for a pair of cables is any less obscene ? I can see where the money is going in my carbon ceramic brakes, the technology of which is used in Formula 1. Can't say as much about them cables.
You're looking at the wrong end. It is all about development cost, not just materials cost. Are you aware of how many hundreds of millions are spent so that an F1 racer can shave tenths of a second off its lap time? Do you see those changes? Many opamps can be manufactured for a buck or two. How many man hours of development, however, did the design and testing take? A lot more than a minute's worth of labor time might suggest.
rw
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