OpticElement
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2009
- Posts
- 96
- Likes
- 0
Ha! I've been doing research on closed headphones for purchase and was about done. Now I think I may wait to hear some opinions on these/listen to them
Originally Posted by analogbox /img/forum/go_quote.gif It would be lovely to have velour pads as an alternative but I wonder if it would tip up the bass a bit more than necessary. |
Originally Posted by odigg /img/forum/go_quote.gif Does it really matter? My guess is that every, and I do mean every, manufacturer purchases some part of their headphone from somebody else. It may simply be a screw, washer, or even cable, but probably every manufacturer does it. And why not? If a company that specializes in something (like Fostex and drivers) can manufacturer a part faster, with better tolerances, to a higher quality, with better durability, for a cheaper price, why wouldn't companies take advantage of that by outsourcing their parts supply? Most electronics products nowadays contain parts from many different manufacturers. It's just too expensive, and maybe even inefficient, for one company to invest in all the equipment and staff to produce every part of a product they sell. As long as the Shures sound good, are built well, and last a long time, that's all that should matter. |
Originally Posted by elitiste /img/forum/go_quote.gif Getting back to the Shure headphones, I would think drivers are critically important to a headphone. If the drivers are designed and made by others, then Shure's technological advantage is probably questionable and my willingness to pay for them is also diminished. Of course, I hope Shure is pushing the envelope here. By doing so, it is creating value and then it can rightfully capture some of it. |
Originally Posted by elitiste /img/forum/go_quote.gif Allow me to use a few examples. Think about the value chain in sports shoes. The design (R&D, aethetics) and sales marketing are where value lies. Manufacturing is not a high value adding step. So a company such as Nike designs and markets its shoes but makes it in low cost countries. That's a successful model. |
Originally Posted by rds /img/forum/go_quote.gif It takes more than slave labor to make a headphone driver Also (and this is a little ot, I know), manufacturing is a high value step in terms of brand value. That's why Nike is so tacky now. |
Originally Posted by MaloS /img/forum/go_quote.gif Your logic almost works...but consider this case: what if Honda makes an excellent engine, but GM thinks that Honda's body design is whack? Designing a new engine for a car that is not even marketed for its power and such is questionable, and could be a waste of time. Just buy someone else's design, produce your own everything else, and you are set. You can even optimize the design of the engine a bit for your product. Similarly, that scenario can be easily imaginable with headphones (think how much sound can be changed as the dampening of the driver is altered). Stax SR-404 and 4070 use the same driver, but don't sound much alike - and would you wrong someone for buying the 404 driver and making a completely different headphone out of it? Then why frown upon Shure? |
Originally Posted by cegras /img/forum/go_quote.gif No it doesn't. Computer manufacturers employ random people all the time, and I'm sure soldering requires much more handiwork than winding a driver. Same with indians who polish diamonds which are the size of strawberry seeds. |