How people choose very expensive High-End speakers?

[pablolie]

"word of mouth" is missing in the list. There are a ton of "lifestyle consultants" that cater to newly minted millionaires. Most of them don't know sh*t, it's just about relationships. I know an audio lifestyle consultant here in the Bay Area, rich-born crackhead that simply gets the Rolodex through rich people events (VC appreciation events and celebrations, especially). He has "facilitated" at least 20 different, million+ dollar rooms around the area, and doesn't care what it is as long as he gets the best cut. Have heard 3 of them - they are abominable..

 

[ahofer]

Exclusive shops selling 6-figure audio gear hire sales people who are comfortable around POWs. They dress right, talk right, etc.

This never described Lyric Hi-FI, which sold immense amounts of pricy gear.

 

[radix]

I'm not convinced of that. As I mentioned before, yes no doubt there is a super rich contingent, as there is for any product.

But I don't think $100K speakers only end up in the homes of the super rich audiophiles. If someone gets obsessed in a hobby like this, then you can end up spending more-in-relationship-to-what-you-earn than the average person. And for many audiophiles their gear is something of a financial stretch, they have to make a choice where to spend their disposable income. I have friends who are in to watches, and if I only judged them on their expensive watch I'd think "oh, you are very well off!" But, no, they earn no more than I do, that's just where their money goes. Likewise, I've even had someone in this forum infer that I was rich or well off due to some of my audio/home theater gear. But I'm very far from rich. I don't have any other expensive hobbies and what I have is a result built up over lots of time.

Similarly, you can see $100,000 speakers in the homes of audiophiles who aren't "super rich" but who are well off enough to afford them, but it doesn't mean it was easy or inconsequential financially or otherwise. They are just audiophiles playing in a somewhat higher price bracket than lots of us here.

I didn't mean to say that only the super-rich buy $100k speakers. I meant to say that for the super-rich, $100k is close to a rounding error on their income (maybe even on their passive interest/dividend income).

Yes, if a regular person is very serious about a hobby, they could spend that money. People buy fancy RVs or off-road vehicles or speedboats. Some people buy airplanes. If it gives you enjoyment, go for it.

 

[pablolie]

I didn't mean to say that only the super-rich buy $100k speakers. I meant to say that for the super-rich, $100k is close to a rounding error on their income (maybe even on their passive interest/dividend income).

Yes, if a regular person is very serious about a hobby, they could spend that money. People buy fancy RVs or off-road vehicles or speedboats. Some people buy airplanes. If it gives you enjoyment, go for it.

Except the more you outsource such expensive decisions, the liklier is get someone is defrauding you. John Travolta's pilots (didn't everybody say he flew his own plane?) did skim him for years, supposedly, for example.