# How Far Does The Extent of SQ Go?



## BJG (Feb 7, 2021)

Is there really anybody who could justify something like this sake of Sound Quality? I mean that's a brand new mid-engine Corvette + another $25,000. I definitely fall into the category of SPL and to me bass is like money.. you simply cannot have too much. That being said, would any of you hardcore SQ guys even consider shelling out the $$ for something like this.. even if you had it to spend?


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## ckirocz28 (Nov 29, 2017)

BJG said:


> View attachment 292473
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Not a chance, I'd build something better and way cheaper, then spend the money I saved on that Corvette you mentioned plus some nice car audio stuff for it.


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## Ge0 (Jul 23, 2007)

I'm putting together home office speakers using top tier drivers for about $3k a set including integrated DSP amplification. I guarantee you my solution will absolutely blow away prebuilt home audio solutions ranging $20K and up. It's all about technical competence and willingness to build your own. Although admittedly DIY can look a little rough compared to professional speaker enclosures.

Most folks just throw money at a problem to find a solution. Fortunately there are a lot of companies willing to take their money and give them a solution regardless of cost.


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## haakono (Apr 5, 2009)

It's not (all) about sound quality with products like these. You can spend the same amount on a watch like this:





Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Chronograph Diamond Black Dial Men's Watch 116589BLADL


Shop for Cosmograph Daytona Chronograph Diamond Black Dial Men's Watch 116589BLADL by Rolex at JOMASHOP for only $0.00! WARRANTY or GUARANTEE available withevery item. We are the internet's leading source for ! (Model # )




www.jomashop.com





but it won't tell the time any better than a Rolex at 1/10 the cost. Or a Casio for 1/1000 of the cost for that matter. 

Same with "designer" audio gear like this B&O speaker. You pay a lot for design, tech and status(?). 

Is there a final limit of SQ? Possibly, but at that level you're far into the realm of paying 10% more for 0,1% difference, or something like that.


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## couchflambeau (Apr 18, 2006)

***See also "The Law of Diminishing Returns."

"There's a sucker born every minute."

-attributed to P. T. Barnum


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## Anu2g (Nov 4, 2020)

I think you're just paying for design at that point, which some people (likely not members of this forum), would value above sound quality. I.e. they'd rather spend 85k on something that looks incredible and sounds 90% versus something that looks average and sounds 100%. I've sat in some home theaters that costed more than this speaker, and they sounded absolutely incredible, but they also involved acoustic engineers to design the room, etc, so that money was spent more on engineering than aesthetic.

I've always dreamt of owning Nautilus speakers one day. No idea how good they sound. I'm sure for that kind of money, there are much better sounding speakers. But do they look as cool?

Anyway, I would pay for engineering over visual aesthetic, but if I had extra dollars to spend and I already got the sound I wanted, I might be willing to spend for visual aesthetic.

Definitely not 85k for a B&O speaker, no matter how much money I had.


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## daloudin (Nov 2, 2020)

You CAN have too much money... built and helped design many Home Theaters in equally extravagant homes that were simply a way for someone who'd made too much money to have the necessary expenses to keep from paying taxes on all the gains they made in the same fiscal year. When you build a 3rd or 4th home for $2.5M with a HT that replicates the iMax experience and then NEVER even show up on site before selling that home at a loss means you have do indeed have too much money.

As for the "extent of SQ" the answer is; No, this phenomenon knows no limits and if $5K/ft speaker cables and interconnects (things that don't add to the aesthetic because they are hidden) are not evidence of that then I don't know what is... Speakers like this and the Nautilus are at least "art" worthy depending on the buyers opinion.


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## Jroo (May 24, 2006)

couchflambeau said:


> ***See also "The Law of Diminishing Returns."
> 
> "There's a sucker born every minute."
> 
> -attributed to P. T. Barnum


At this level this is correct. Sometimes it is just a matter of the person has the money to spend. We have a very high end home audio store near my house. Over the years, I would stop in just to see what they have and what people would spend money on. The same two salesmen had been there for years. They would often tell me the most expensive stuff in the store actually was not the best sounding. In some cases, they 30k speakers were any better than the 10k speakers or if they were it was so slight, but the purchaser had no issue with 30k. 

B & O knows they can find a buyer willing to part with 85k. Right now there is a lottery winner, hedge fund manager, plastic surgeon that just has to have them.


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## BJG (Feb 7, 2021)

I would take 60 JL 13.5" W7AE's and Sony sound bar over those B&O speakers.. but I guess that shows how much I value SPL over SQ LOL


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## CCole (Sep 9, 2020)

Once you’re content with the Ferrari collection in your garage you might have a different opinion. I could list 10 manufactures who offer $100k+ tower speakers. I promise the people who keep these companies in business are far from idiots.
I’ve heard many people say they can build a $5000 speaker that could compete with a $20k manufactures solution. I’ve still not heard one that does. Close a couple times. Granted most $20k speakers cost the manufacturer $3-5k to build. It’s the $20M in testing equipment, facilities, and RND that is hard to replicate on a DIY scale. 
If someone can design and execute the same level of sound as a Magico or Wilson Audio flagship speaker under $5000 boy do I have an opportunity for you!!


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## Anu2g (Nov 4, 2020)

CCole said:


> Once you’re content with the Ferrari collection in your garage you might have a different opinion. I could list 10 manufactures who offer $100k+ tower speakers. I promise the people who keep these companies in business are far from idiots.
> I’ve heard many people say they can build a $5000 speaker that could compete with a $20k manufactures solution. I’ve still not heard one that does. Close a couple times. Granted most $20k speakers cost the manufacturer $3-5k to build. It’s the $20M in testing equipment, facilities, and RND that is hard to replicate on a DIY scale.
> If someone can design and execute the same level of sound as a Magico or Wilson Audio flagship speaker under $5000 boy do I have an opportunity for you!!


Wow, Magico speakers look fantastic.


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## BJG (Feb 7, 2021)

CCole said:


> Once you’re content with the Ferrari collection in your garage you might have a different opinion. I could list 10 manufactures who offer $100k+ tower speakers. I promise the people who keep these companies in business are far from idiots.
> I’ve heard many people say they can build a $5000 speaker that could compete with a $20k manufactures solution. I’ve still not heard one that does. Close a couple times. Granted most $20k speakers cost the manufacturer $3-5k to build. It’s the $20M in testing equipment, facilities, and RND that is hard to replicate on a DIY scale.
> If someone can design and execute the same level of sound as a Magico or Wilson Audio flagship speaker under $5000 boy do I have an opportunity for you!!


Fair enough.. but when it comes to the SOUND QUALITY of music how far can you go? I'm sure those $100,000 towers sound a lot better than a portable bluetooth speaker.. but I mean how good can a CD possibly sound?


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## magmun (Feb 17, 2021)

BJG said:


> Fair enough.. but when it comes to the SOUND QUALITY of music how far can you go? I'm sure those $100,000 towers sound a lot better than a portable bluetooth speaker.. but I mean how good can a CD possibly sound?


I think the testing, and R&D aspect CCole mentioned is a big part of sq. I think the limit of sq is where the company stops designing and testing and sets manufacturing goals. I watched a Bernie Boland interview, and he seemed to have a pretty good recipe for sound quality, (I would love to have one of his amps), and I think there are probably other ingredients that could be added/incorporated into a system design that would improve sound quality that have either not been discovered yet, or not yet implimented.


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## Gary S (Dec 11, 2007)

Overkill for hi res music - you just don't need equipment that advanced or expensive anymore.


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