[MiffyRabbit]

On my search for a affordable bluetooth headphone, I've noticed people on Head-Fi peer pressuring others to jump up to a $1,300 bluetooth headphone that is the best headphone ever.
I saw posts that Dali was advertising that their expensive headphone sounds just like an electrostatic headphone and with the lowest distortion in a headphone.
I've attached a video below.

@2:36 - 6:08
The Dali employee here is saying almost all headphone drivers on the market are "cost effective, commoditized, no focus on the driver" they have the solution that no one else has, with the lowest distortion possible.

I felt like Sound Science was the best place to inquire about this.
I sent a message to Gregorio about this topic, and he gave me really good insight of his thoughts! There are some red flags in their marketing material such as not fully publishing evidence that their driver is actually audible in reducing distortion. Greg also mentioned that Dali's marketing is "in this case Eddy Currents and Magnetic Hysteresis but more commonly something like jitter or skin effect and then make some claim about your product being better because it reduces or removes the effect but the consumer can’t verify the claim because it’s a complex effect that only scientists/engineers specializing in those specific areas will fully understand."

I wanted to post in the Sound Science to get more thoughts on this style of Audiophile marketing that utilizes Scientific Concepts.
Is this a way just to squeeze money out of people? Creating a problem and then selling the solution?

https://www.dali-speakers.com/en-us/sound-academy/tech/patented-soft-magnetic-composite-smc/
I've attached a link to Dali's webpage about the patent for the Soft Magnetic Composite driver.

I wanted to add pricepoints for a couple of products.
Dali IO-12 Bluetooth Headphone cost $1,300 USD
Dali Kore Flagship speaker utilizing SMC driver costing $120,000 USD

I definitely am not interested in purchasing a headphone for $1,300 USD.
I am worried that people are being squeezed out of their money due to peer pressure or having to fit into a crowd to have the best headphone.

 

[KinGensai]

Be very wary about conflicts of interest when listening to people. Don't get lectures on science from people who are also trying to sell you some product that isn't the knowledge itself, sleight of hand by selective omission works here for the same reason magic tricks and hypnotism works.

Marketing technique is very sophisticated, it's part market research/Hegelian dialectic and psychological hacks, and it all depends on the power of language. My suggestion is to ignore what people say and listen to what people do, the truth is much harder to hide the further away you get from language.

 

[MiffyRabbit]

Be very wary about conflicts of interest when listening to people. Don't get lectures on science from people who are also trying to sell you some product that isn't the knowledge itself, sleight of hand by selective omission works here for the same reason magic tricks and hypnotism works.

Marketing technique is very sophisticated, it's part market research/Hegelian dialectic and psychological hacks, and it all depends on the power of language. My suggestion is to ignore what people say and listen to what people do, the truth is much harder to hide the further away you get from language.

Thank you KinGensei!
Really appreciate your response and advice.

I am starting to feel less inclined now to purchase anything in the audio realm that I don't need at this point. I am glad to have reached out to those here.

I originally started out searching for upgrades for unreachable and crazy expectations or unreasonable beliefs.
Basically a consumer that fell for marketed audio gear too.

 

[bigshot]

The thing about headphones is that they might sound different on different people's heads. You really have to audition them to get the perfect match for you. It's worth it to pay a little extra and go to a retail store to listen before you buy if you can. Otherwise, buy from somewhere like Amazon where you have a 30 day no questions asked return policy.

That said, the most important issue with transducers isn't distortion. It's frequency response. It's a good idea to learn to read response charts and figure out what your personal ideal target curve is. That will give you a head start at figuring out which headphones are best for you. The best might be reasonably priced. Expensive ones aren't necessarily better.

 

[MiffyRabbit]

The thing about headphones is that they might sound different on different people's heads. You really have to audition them to get the perfect match for you. It's worth it to pay a little extra and go to a retail store to listen before you buy if you can. Otherwise, buy from somewhere like Amazon where you have a 30 day no questions asked return policy.

That said, the most important issue with transducers isn't distortion. It's frequency response. It's a good idea to learn to read response charts and figure out what your personal ideal target curve is. That will give you a head start at figuring out which headphones are best for you. The best might be reasonably priced. Expensive ones aren't necessarily better.

Thank you Bigshot!

 

[musingclouds]

I own the Dalis. I got them for about $970, and to me, they are worth every penny. If you can’t afford it, it’s just not for you. But if you can try them out, highly recommend, what is good value for one person is terrible for another. It all depends on your financial means. Nobody can give you pressure, you’re an adult who can make decisions on your own.

This hobby is an expensive one

 

[MiffyRabbit]

I own the Dalis. I got them for about $970, and to me, they are worth every penny. If you can’t afford it, it’s just not for you. But if you can try them out, highly recommend, what is good value for one person is terrible for another. It all depends on your financial means. Nobody can give you pressure, you’re an adult who can make decisions on your own.

This hobby is an expensive one

Thank you! I appreciate your comment!
This hobby can absolute be!

 

[KinGensai]

So I'm curious, is your goal to get a recommendation for a portable BT solution or to talk about marketing in general? I assume you haven't found something you want yet given this exchange seems recent.

 

[bigshot]

Bluetooth isn’t just for portable. I use Bluetooth at home too.

 

[MiffyRabbit]

So I'm curious, is your goal to get a recommendation for a portable BT solution or to talk about marketing in general? I assume you haven't found something you want yet given this exchange seems recent.

more about the marketing from the company and the soft magnetic composite driver. It's a new thing just wanted to inquire about it.

 

[MiffyRabbit]

Bluetooth isn’t just for portable. I use Bluetooth at home too.

If you don't mind if I inquire, what Bluetooth products do you own for at home.

I have heard from my colleagues they use apple airpods pro or even just air pods even at home and it sounds great to them.

 

[musingclouds]

more about the marketing from the company and the soft magnetic composite driver. It's a new thing just wanted to inquire about it.

Do you have a place nearby where you can go try the Dalis out in person?

 

[Dalmonegrig]

It's a new thing just wanted to inquire about it.

Look here and here

 

[bigshot]

If you don't mind if I inquire, what Bluetooth products do you own for at home.

I use AirPods Max and AirPods Pro. I also have portable battery operated speakers that work over Bluetooth, and I throw from my computer to my stereos using WiFi with AirPorts.

I have three sets of Oppo Pm-1s but I don’t use them as often since I got the AirPods Max.

 

[MiffyRabbit]

Do you have a place nearby where you can go try the Dalis out in person?

Unfortunately, not. I looked at the inventories of all nearby audio shops. There is a big store that I usually would go to for hard to find equipment, but even they didn't have it in stock. I wouldn't have minded taking a train 1 hour and 30 minutes to test out gear.

I use AirPods Max and AirPods Pro. I also have portable battery operated speakers that work over Bluetooth, and I throw from my computer to my stereos using WiFi with AirPorts.

I have three sets of Oppo Pm-1s but I don’t use them as often since I got the AirPods Max.

That sounds like a great combo! My classmates in the Graduate program at my Uni and my workplace usually uses airpods.
I haven't joined my colleagues in that combo, since I am not in the Apple ecosystem. Windows laptop, and Samsung phone.