[Hutnicks]

You can buy a Utopias for $3k or less now.

That in itself ought to be telling the consumer something.

 

[watchdog507]

You can buy a Utopias for $3k or less now.

New Utopia's can be had for less than $3K even without the promo. If you're resourceful.

 

[leeperry]

a bit of patience and once v2 & v3 will be out you'll be able to snag v1 for 500 bucks used, FOTM rules this hobby.

 

[GearMe]

a bit of patience and once v2 & v3 will be out you'll be able to snag v1 for 500 bucks used, FOTM rules this hobby.

This! Stay a generation or two back and you save a ton of $$$

 

[Metalsludge]

I wonder if the sudden drop, however temporary it may be, of the Utopia price is not a sign of things to come. Also, Tyll Henderson all but openly chuckling at Dr. Fang's statement on IEM price at a trade show was...interesting. Interviews in the industry are usually just polite sessions for casual information sharing and advertising, without such displays of possible skepticism by the interviewer.

Could the collapse of hype and a turn around for the price wars finally be upon us? Markets do have downturns, at times. So anything is possible.

 

[watchdog507]

I wonder if the sudden drop, however temporary it may be, of the Utopia price is not a sign of things to come. Also, Tyll Henderson all but openly chuckling at Dr. Fang's statement on IEM price at a trade show was...interesting. Interviews in the industry are usually just polite sessions for casual information sharing and advertising, without such displays of possible skepticism by the interviewer.

Could the collapse of hype and a turn around for the price wars finally be upon us? Markets do have downturns, at times. So anything is possible.

Being an Audiophile for more than 40 years has taught me that today's hype is tomorrow's trash. If you have Utopia's and you think that the dip is temporary you are in for a reality check. These are consumer products that have obsolescence as a design feature. It's unlikely that Utopia V1's will be $500 anytime soon.. If they were I'd buy them for my children instead of "Beats" I just go with the flow and I don't care if I'm an early adopter. If you really have a problem with the prices and you need a way out of an ill advised purchase, you should stay away from expensive audio indulgences. I'm not a party pooper here. I've just been around a long time and my money is meaningful.

 

[TWerk]

Funny how people are talking about a $3,000 headphone promo like it's some kind of deal.

Right...

 

[Tim Le]

a bit of patience and once v2 & v3 will be out you'll be able to snag v1 for 500 bucks used, FOTM rules this hobby.

I had my eyes set on the Noble K10u's about a year ago, but they were priced at $1600 at the time. Massdrop just announced a collaboration with Noble offering the same IEM for $900, which means they'll be popping up on the classifieds for $700 soon enough. I dodged a bullet, but I definitely learned to always buy at least a generation behind when it comes to audio.

 

[leeperry]

HE560 & Liquid Carbon buyers hear you

1600 bucks for IEM's? what a joke.

 

[Svatopluk]

Paying too much for overpriced audio equipment doesn't bother me near as much as paying for insurance and taxes.

 

[Tim Le]

Paying too much for overpriced audio equipment doesn't bother me near as much as paying for insurance and taxes.

The people charging you for overpriced audio equipment are paying for insurance and tax too

 

[maxxevv]

Its a 'hobby'. Its the same as almost any hobby, be it audio, photography, cycling, and even collecting watches. If value preposition is the prerogative, then its always a better idea to stick with universally heralded products that have a mature audience and not the 'flavour of the month'. The latter typically have a short shelf life when it comes to price holding.

Just buy and spend on whatever value that you're prepared to write off. That way, you're enjoying the hobby as you should .... Happily.

But if retention of value is important, then better stick that money where it can retain value, be it in stocks, property or commodities ... or just the plain old fixed deposits in the bank.

 

[SHAMuuu]

Funny how people are talking about a $3,000 headphone promo like it's some kind of deal.

Right...

Well those who hover in mid-fi land looking for ultimate end game, it's probably worth it to them. It seems its technically more accurate than R10, and maybe one can work on the signal path the rest of their life to make it 90-95% as musical as the R10. To me thats up to snuff

 

[93EXCivic]

I am kind of torn on the higher end of things.

I see companies throwing another company's driver in their headphone and charging $1200 for it and that kind of bothers me.

But then a see headphones like the Mysphere which has a lot of unique development work in their headphones and are price at $3.5k and I completely understand that.

Either way it isn't like some of the old classic headphones have suddenly gotten worse or more expensive. It is still possible to enjoy good audio without spending a fortune.

 

[GearMe]

I am kind of torn on the higher end of things.

I see companies throwing another company's driver in their headphone and charging $1200 for it and that kind of bothers me.

But then a see headphones like the Mysphere which has a lot of unique development work in their headphones and are price at $3.5k and I completely understand that.

Either way it isn't like some of the old classic headphones have suddenly gotten worse or more expensive. It is still possible to enjoy good audio without spending a fortune.

Yep...Senns, Beyers, AKGs, HiFiMan, etc. can all be had for great prices...many others as well.