[Tano]

I think the prices we are forced to pay for everything today is an outrage...food, shelter,energy etc..that said as much as it upsets me to see the insane prices today of audio equipment and other tech it is not a necessity so less outrage from me..I have to eat, I dont have to buy a 5k HP...although I do lol

Of course. The situation is really bad. This doesn't upset me as the food situation does, we are really privileged.
But it sucks that this hobby is really getting out of hand with prices.

 

[Pharmaboy]

I'm lucky to have enough money to dabble in audio as well as put food on the table. Regardless, I find myself reacting emotionally to pricing: I start to lose interest in any headphone priced over $3,000. I lose even more interest when it's over $4,000, and when the price crosses $5,000, I stop reading or even thinking about that headphone.

I had similar reactions to big amps, preamps, and speakers in 2-channel systems, though at different price points than headphones.

When the price is too high, I start to question the rationale for buying that component. It starts feeling less like a rational transaction and more like some kind of price blackmail situation. Specific to Final, if they're raising prices simply because they can (as so many companies are doing for so many things--not triggered by any need to recoup their own rising costs), then I quickly lose interest in them.

Sorry if this doesn't make sense. Emotions usually don't...

 

[jlbrach]

a few years ago the Bartok came out and I believe it was 10K which was expensive but piqued my interest...today I believe it is 20K...insane...no interest even if I could scrape up the money...so yes

 

[OctavianH]

In audio world prices do not have anything in common with manufacturing costs. And unfortunately in the last years collector editions replaced inovation. Many companies are releasing the same product in different colors, shape or with different accessories instead of investing in research for a totally new product. Here we can look at Feliks Audio (released 3 amps which are basically upgrades of the same amp), Meze (they have a lot of limited painted editions), ZMF (with their unique woods painted) and why not Final considering that D8000, Pro and LE have somehow the same original design. One more thing is that, in audio, companies do not understand to reduce profit ratio during passing of time. It is true that "technology" does not evolve so fast as in other areas (mobile, PC) but I see that Chord DACs increased with 20% after Brexit and Dave was released almost 10 years ago. At least Chord does not paint it and re-released it every year. So we do not have the concept of aging, like for example in PC market where each year we receive a new series of processors and the old ones are realigning in price accordingly. Audio has become more a museum or a proof of social status than a competitive and performance measured hobby.

 

[ardbeg1975]

In audio world prices do not have anything in common with manufacturing costs. And unfortunately in the last years collector editions replaced inovation. Many companies are releasing the same product in different colors, shape or with different accessories instead of investing in research for a totally new product. Here we can look at Feliks Audio (released 3 amps which are basically upgrades of the same amp), Meze (they have a lot of limited painted editions), ZMF (with their unique woods painted) and why not Final considering that D8000, Pro and LE have somehow the same original design. One more thing is that, in audio, companies do not understand to reduce profit ratio during passing of time. It is true that "technology" does not evolve so fast as in other areas (mobile, PC) but I see that Chord DACs increased with 20% after Brexit and Dave was released almost 10 years ago. At least Chord does not paint it and re-released it every year. So we do not have the concept of aging, like for example in PC market where each year we receive a new series of processors and the old ones are realigning in price accordingly. Audio has become more a museum or a proof of social status than a competitive and performance measured hobby.

I don’t contest your general argument but I wouldn’t personally put ZMF into this category. Yes, they release different woods, colors, etc. seasonally but they are also investing in innovation like the Atrium damping system or a custom driver in their first planar the Caldera. Just my 2 cents.

 

[ChJL]

I think the prices we are forced to pay for everything today is an outrage...food, shelter,energy etc..that said as much as it upsets me to see the insane prices today of audio equipment and other tech it is not a necessity so less outrage from me..I have to eat, I dont have to buy a 5k HP...although I do lol

My observation of the situation let's say starting march 2020 is that the human condition is so unbelievably messed up that the normal man and woman tolerates,
and endours outrageous dictates.

The old price in yen was ca. 3170 € and was sold for 4K. Taxes on taxes to get less and less.

Like George Carlin said: no choice of important things but 30+ flavours of skittles...
Why own anything when we're supposed to be happy nevertheless? What a brave new normal world it shall be.

I'm lucky I got the D8Kpro for 2.6k used from a respected and honest HeadFier.

 

[duranxv]

In audio world prices do not have anything in common with manufacturing costs. And unfortunately in the last years collector editions replaced inovation. Many companies are releasing the same product in different colors, shape or with different accessories instead of investing in research for a totally new product. Here we can look at Feliks Audio (released 3 amps which are basically upgrades of the same amp), Meze (they have a lot of limited painted editions), ZMF (with their unique woods painted) and why not Final considering that D8000, Pro and LE have somehow the same original design. One more thing is that, in audio, companies do not understand to reduce profit ratio during passing of time. It is true that "technology" does not evolve so fast as in other areas (mobile, PC) but I see that Chord DACs increased with 20% after Brexit and Dave was released almost 10 years ago. At least Chord does not paint it and re-released it every year. So we do not have the concept of aging, like for example in PC market where each year we receive a new series of processors and the old ones are realigning in price accordingly. Audio has become more a museum or a proof of social status than a competitive and performance measured hobby.

The D8KP LE has a bit different tuning and special pads. The difference between it and the regular D8k Pro isn't purely cosmetic.

 

[joshUKUSA]

I've recently purchased a d8k Pro and have been experimenting with EQ. Has anyone got any profiles they've built or recommend that go well with these headphones?

So far ive tried resolve and oratorys which I didn't like at all and chronos which I do like

cheers

 

[Tano]

I've recently purchased a d8k Pro and have been experimenting with EQ. Has anyone got any profiles they've built or recommend that go well with these headphones?

So far ive tried resolve and oratorys which I didn't like at all and chronos which I do like

cheers

This is the profile that I was using with my D8K pros. Give it a try if you
Use -7,5 db preamp

 

[joshUKUSA]

Similar concept to chronos one I've been using but think I prefer yours

 

[Tano]

Thanks. Never used Chrono's profile.
I made this one using Crinacle's graph tool with Harman 2018 as a reference. It's not full Harman cause I like to keep the bit of extra mid bass that the D8K has. Plus I keep the air frequencies above 10khz the same.

Overall I feel that this one keeps the D8K pro signature making them a bit more engaging in the bass and making vocals/instruments more present because of the upper mids boost.

 

[joseG86]

This is the profile that I was using with my D8K pros. Give it a try if you want

Does this have any negative preamp or 0dB?

 

[bagwell359]

Im not complaining, plus I already own the D8K pro and the LE.
Is it bad to worry about the consumers? I don't see anything bad about it.
Plus raising the prices for an already niche company means that they would be less competitive.

It looks like that some people actually works for the companies ...

Supply and demand. What the market will bear. Increased costs of materials used to make them. They have a lot of competition, yet managed to find a niche to be successful with. I think the HFM Susvara is far more over priced vs the cost, than the 8000's. If they went Schitt, you could see a 40% price drop, but all the retailers that carry them would drop them, so that would be a very big risk.

Both 8000's are wonderful, but I can only consider the used market given I'm retired. For myself when I see the used prices for cans such as the OG LCD-4 and HFM HEK v2, etc. I can't do it. I can score what I consider the cheapest pair of SoTA speaker for $3700 (BMR Philharmonic Tower), that would easily be my choice over headphones. So, the market works.

 

[Tano]

Does this have any negative preamp or 0dB?

Sorry, I forgot. -7,5 db pre amp. Gracias!

 

[joseG86]

Sorry, I forgot. -7,5 db pre amp. Gracias!

I like that EQ profile, instruments shine just the right amount and of course the bass, 10/10 amigo

I use this most of the time, just a bass increase which gives a nice impact without modifying much of its original tuning