[gratefulshrink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by allenf The Apple UK online store carries ER6i, HD650, E2, E3, E5 and others: http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObje...1.0?linkName=1

I just looked at the US apple online store -- they have Etymotics and Shures, but no Senns. A little odd. Anyway, it's a start.

 

[philodox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gratefulshrink I just looked at the US apple online store -- they have Etymotics and Shures, but no Senns.

Look again, there are a bunch of Sennheiser headphones there... HD650, HD201, etc.

They have the cheap but good Koss line as well... I'm impressed.

 

[Salt Peanuts]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gratefulshrink Well, Grado makes cartrigdes, too

Doh! I can't believe I forgot about their cartridges. And now that I come to think of it, they also make RA-1 and phonostage, too. I really shouldn't miss my morning coffee.

 

[milesbeyondjazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Ward Been hanging around Statement Audio, have you? BW (in K-town)

Sure have.Thats where I bought my 125s from.Nice place,good people. I also love Knoxville(except for the constant road construction.)

 

[BranMuffins]

While Ive only seen Bose headphones for audition in apple stores, they do sell some etys and shure phones next to the other ipod accessories.

 

[kramer5150]

Creative bought out cambridge sound works (from what I understand,,,)... And I think they sell Grados in their retail stores. I guess its Creatives attempt at the Apple/Bose thing.

Garrett

 

[gloco]

Not sure if this was mentioned, but chances are the majority of audiophiles and audio enthusiasts are already well informed individuals who will not rely on an advertisement in their local newspaper or local tv station to buy a product that they have already have an opinion on. Just look at us, where do we get most of our news from in regards to audiophile equipment? From head-fi and other well established sources that are strictly for audiophiles. Mainstream media plays almost no part in our decision-making process. Plus, i'm sure the average joe isn't willing to plunk down hundreds of dollars on a pair of cans and a amp (as well as a source).

 

[arspy87]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gratefulshrink Why hasn't one of the top can companies teamed up with Apple or some other mp3 manufacturer and paired some good cans with an ipod, for example? I mean Apple has paired the ipod with an entire automobile, LOL, how hard would it be to market one of the decent Etymotics or Shures with an ipod (special deal and all)?

Oh no, an RS-1 made of white birch wood.

 

[Csidinim]

It's probably a matter of common sense. There isn't enough of a demand in the mass consumer sector of the market, so why pour money to fight for a crumb of the pie. On the other hand, they do have a stronghold on the audiophile/enthusiast group so that is the market worth maintaining, which conveniently maintains itself without the need for much advertisement. It may be the same way for cars- you won't see a Jaguar or Rolls Royce commercial on UPN- there is no profit potential in that sector of the market.

 

[nikongod]

if you know to want them, you know who they are.

simple.

also, a LOT of high-scale companys dont want much to do with "the masses" for various reasons. they can provide better services in many aspects of quality to their limited clientel because of this.

 

[kschul2]

Well I was just looking at the Apple Store and noticed this:

The Apple Store (U.S.)

The problem is I can't see too many (if any) average consumers who stumble upon that while looking at iPods, shelling out $250 for headphones.

 

[catscratch]

You're assuming that the average consumer can even tell the difference. I have several friends who've tried my SR-404 rig and couldn't tell the difference between that and stock iPod earbuds.

Let's eliminate sound quality and consider other factors, and compare some cans.

Let's say Grado SR-60 vs stock iPod earbuds:

1) Comfort - earbuds win; they're not ideal but they don't clamp on your ears like Grados do.
2) Portability - earbuds win; they're 1/10th the size.
3) Practicality - Grados will leak sound everywhere, and need to be cuddled and protected, lest something breaks. The buds don't care.
4) Looks - with the white buds, you're an iPod person, you're cool. With Grados, you're a geek.
5) Price. Ultimately, it all comes down to this. Why spend money on another headphone when you already have one for free? Remember, we can't tell the difference in sound here.

So, seems to me like the buds are 5 for 5...

This isn't far-fetched, this is the logic that my friend used on me. The same friend who lives in a manshion, just bought a $6000 pool table for one of his rec rooms, and could afford Wilson WAMM's if he actually cared about it. He'd rather waste money on a new Lexus (his old one is a few years out of date).

We're a niche group interested in a niche hobby. I'm sure there are more people out there that are interested in fishing lures.

[Edit: the only real advantage for the mainstream consumer out of any gear that we would like is in the isolation that canalphones provide. Hence, you actually see Shure and Etymotic products advertised in iPod related stores. However, canalphones are fussy - which is why noise cancelling is big and they're not].

 

[GiMione]

Its called audio snobbery, that’s why high end manufactures wont touch best buy with a ten foot poll...its dumb, though, because they could make a killing in mass markets, if the prices come down. Most boutique audio stores are hitting the chopping block for the likes of big department stores (if you wanted a Big screen TV and a nice surround, one would have gone to go to a boutique hifi store. Now, however, there is the internet and the consumers are much more educated on buying high tech devices. Now, people can skip the expensive high end boutique and get that big screen TV at Costco).…so the High End industry needs to start catering to the mass markets in order to survive. BUT this is only my opinion

 

[headchange4u]

Most of the companies mention here would probably prefer to continue to make a quality product instead of trying to sell as many as they can push out the door. If they spent huge amounts of money on advertising they would either have to cut corners, usually in manufacturing, or raise the price of their product.

Word of mouth is still the best advertising a company can get. Sites like this get the word out to the people who want better sound. IMHO, most of the consumer market probably wouldn't give a crap about better quality headphones. That's why stores like Best Buy, Circuit City,etc.. don't carry expensive headphones. They don't sell.

 

[JWFokker]

The problem with going to major retailers is that Best Buy and other electronics chains aren't willing to pay nearly as much per unit as smaller boutique and online retailers and there's also no market. If they do pay as much as everyone else, they jack up the price well beyond what you can get it for online. And that puts it out of the average Best Buy customer's price range. The most expensive pair of headphones I've ever seen available through a major retailer was a pair of $99 Sony 'DJ' headphones. And despite being a much more recognizable brand than Sennheiser, Grado, Etymotic or Shure, I'm sure they still sold very few pairs. If Best Buy were to sell higher end brands, you can bet they'd hardly move because their customer base has never heard of these manufacturers and have no idea why they would want to buy them vs Sony or even Panasonic. It's primarily about brand recognition, not quality or performance. Apple should probably partner with Shure or Etymotic and rebrand the ear buds. Call them Superbuds (like their 'Superdrive' or some such nonsense), and I'm sure they'd probably sell a ton more a year. They could sell the base model of either brand and mark it up 50% and it'd still sell well. Price and brand recognition are the reasons why you'll never see any high end brand in a major retailer. If you're aware of higher quality manufacturers than what's carried in Best Buy, you probably know enough to buy it online for a lot less.