[hurryup]

Think about it, some Sennheiser and Grado headphones have been out for more than a decade that are still being sold today. And their price has been constant all these years. The PS2/xbox etc all had their price drops after their peak, so why not headphones?

 

[EugeneK]

Cause headphones don't get outdated like PS2s, Xboxes and other computer tech.

 

[Uncle Erik]

It's probably because they've kept their wholesale prices consistent over the years.

Also, the volume is small. They will never ramp up to millions of units and realize economies of truly mass production.

 

[fluffygdog95]

Headphone/speaker technology has not really made any huge advancements like the consoles. The consoles have upgraded to hd DVD and Blu-ray technology which is huge.

P.S. Uncle Erik, remember to send the pictures

 

[Miths]

I don't know about the officially listed prices, but whatever is happening in the retail supply chain I definitely get the impression that prices must be dropping somewhere over time for at least certain brands or models.
I managed to get my HD650 for DKK 1,800 ($338) while quite a few stores here in Denmark still sell them for DKK 2,995 ($562). I seriously doubt I could have found them that cheap here the first few years after their release.

But in any case, as others pointed out this kind of technology doesn't get quickly outdated in the way eg. computer tech does.

 

[hurryup]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fluffygdog95 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Headphone/speaker technology has not really made any huge advancements like the consoles. The consoles have upgraded to hd DVD and Blu-ray technology which is huge. P.S. Uncle Erik, remember to send the pictures

Maybe because there is a lack of market and so a lack of initiative for the headphone companies? The only "good" deal I have seen and possibly a price drop was the Sennheiser HD 580, basically a HD600 for $124 shipped @ Amazon in 2006.

 

[doping panda]

The truth is that audio equipment just doesn't evolve very quickly, whether or not the initiative is there. Most amplifier designs, especially tube designs are based on old designs, and there's certainly a big enough market for them. Also, there are plenty of reasonably priced headphones. If you're too cheap to spend any money, then that's your fault. If even buying used is more money then you're willing to spend, then just pick another hobby.

 

[java]

Quote:

Originally Posted by doping panda /img/forum/go_quote.gif The truth is that audio equipment just doesn't evolve very quickly, whether or not the initiative is there. Most amplifier designs, especially tube designs are based on old designs, and there's certainly a big enough market for them. Also, there are plenty of reasonably priced headphones. If you're too cheap to spend any money, then that's your fault. If even buying used is more money then you're willing to spend, then just pick another hobby.

Well said friend.

 

[nirvanaxp]

Good SQ never goes out of style.

 

[hurryup]

Quote:

Originally Posted by doping panda /img/forum/go_quote.gif The truth is that audio equipment just doesn't evolve very quickly, whether or not the initiative is there. Most amplifier designs, especially tube designs are based on old designs, and there's certainly a big enough market for them. Also, there are plenty of reasonably priced headphones. If you're too cheap to spend any money, then that's your fault. If even buying used is more money then you're willing to spend, then just pick another hobby.

I don`t use used items.

 

[rjoseph]

Though not generally the same, headphones while in production drop in prices as new models are brought into the market. I have a K501 which I bought a few months ago, From what I've read, while in production they were selling for around $150-200 and towards the end of their product life cycle they were being sold by AKG for around $90. (this is just a case in example). After production was stopped, there was no more supply to meet the demand. And hence the 'in circulation' pieces tend to become more pricey as there are relatively more buyers than units available. this is true for the more famous models like I've quoted (or HF-1s).

Thus it would appear that products generally become more costlier when production stops. But madcaps like us at head-fi also are prepared to beat recessionary trends. Eat waffles, save up and buy headphones like I do.

 

[mookowz13]

Keep in mind while audio technology does improve over time, listening is still a subjective activity. Yes, you get what you pay for but there's no true, definite, uncontested benchmark. Even some of us here throw frequency graphs and other measurements for audio out the window.

In computers, there may be some subjective argument, but its essentially true that a 512MB video card will outdo a 64MB video card or that a quad core is MUCH faster than a single core processor

 

[hurryup]

An example would be the hd800 coming out, but no price drops on the hd600 or hd650

 

[doping panda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hurryup /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don`t use used items.

Sucks then. That's where most of the deals are. For example, there was recently an HD580 that sold for like $70 on the F/S forum.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjoseph /img/forum/go_quote.gif Though not generally the same, headphones while in production drop in prices as new models are brought into the market. I have a K501 which I bought a few months ago, From what I've read, while in production they were selling for around $150-200 and towards the end of their product life cycle they were being sold by AKG for around $90. (this is just a case in example). After production was stopped, there was no more supply to meet the demand. And hence the 'in circulation' pieces tend to become more pricey as there are relatively more buyers than units available. this is true for the more famous models like I've quoted (or HF-1s).

I agree. As in production headphones get older, the street prices tend to drop in relation to the original MSRP. For example, the HD600 are about $250 - $270 new now compared to their original $500 MSRP. However, the prices never depreciate as much or as quickly as computers or video game consoles, etc. Even now, a used HD600 generally goes for about $200-$230 compared to the original MSRP of $500 and these prices are stable unless Sennheiser decides to slash the street prices like they did for the HD580. If Sennheiser ever decides to stop making them, the prices will likely drop for the short term, but a few years later they'll probably sell for more than they do now used.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjoseph /img/forum/go_quote.gif But madcaps like us at head-fi also are prepared to beat recessionary trends. Eat waffles, save up and buy headphones like I do.

Or attempt to forgo eating entirely to save up and buy headphones.

 

[hurryup]

The hd 580 was bought probably for 124, been put on someones ears for years, and then sold for 70. oh yeah that sucks alright.