[aamefford]

It's not bling (or not in a properly structured pricing regime), it's more component quality.  Sure, you can get great sound with reasonably priced components and proper implementation, but you get better sound when component materials and fabrication are more optimized towards its function, precision, and/or reliability.  And then it becomes an exponentially diminishing return, where each quantum level increase in component quality and price gets you successively less increase in sound quality.

The tipping point becomes how much you are willing or can afford to pay for that last little bit of attainable sonic bliss available to you.  Such is the curse of audiophiles.   

In a reasonable world, I agree. In the real world, my personal belief is that the aim is not necessarily always chasing those diminishing returns so much as it is using style, buzzwords, packaging and prose to separate the well heeled but insecure audiophile from his money. Sort of like the Ferrari side of the Corvette vs Ferrari argument. Wait. I just shot my whole point in the foot. I'll never own a Ferarri, but thanks to a fun afternoon sponsored by my lovely wife, I have driven a Ferarri. I completely get the Ferrari argument. Dang it.

 

[jacal01]

Well, my argument does assume a knowledgeable and well researched consumer.  Of course there will always be a ready market for the P.T. Barnum variety, however well heeled.  For some, it'll always be about the price.  Even cheap can be flashy.
 
And Ferrari is just an Alfa Romeo wannabe. 

 
Ohhh.... that audio company.  Well, it is tubes...  <deadpan>

 

[wine-fi]

True there is nothing like the Ferrari experience, but try and drive that Ferrari in a fun manner on the 405 freeway in southern California at 3pm on a Friday afternoon... Zipping along at 5 to 10 MPH in stop and go traffic. For those unfamiliar with the 405 freeway in so cal, it is one of the worst freeways with traffic.  It can take an hour and a half to get somewhere that if there were no traffic would take 25 minutes!  Although with the top down you'll get noticed...  Sort of like trophy high-end audio, people you invite to listen will definitely notice it.  Big, heavy, expensive and lots of bling factor.

 

[aamefford]

I spent many years in the restaurant business. Many stories of essentially the steak being better at $50 with a white table cloth and well tipped waiter than it was at $18 served by Flo. Well actually, I get that also. I won't drop $10 on a blackjack table, but I'll spend $150 a head on a nice dinner anytime I can get away with it (works out to about twice a year, give or take). I guess value is relative to one's enjoyment after all...

 

[aamefford]

Hah! The 405 at 3 PM. NOTHING can be driven in a fun manner at that time on the 405!

 

[jacal01]

I'll see your 3 PM 405 freeway, and raise you a 3-7 PM Houston 610 loop between I-69 and I-10. 

 

[wine-fi]

I spent many years in the restaurant business. Many stories of essentially the steak being better at $50 with a white table cloth and well tipped waiter than it was at $18 served by Flo. Well actually, I get that also. I won't drop $10 on a blackjack table, but I'll spend $150 a head on a nice dinner anytime I can get away with it (works out to about twice a year, give or take). I guess value is relative to one's enjoyment after all...

I totally agree.  Value is definitely in the eye of the beholder and audio is no exception.

 

[Byronb]

  True there is nothing like the Ferrari experience, but try and drive that Ferrari in a fun manner on the 405 freeway in southern California at 3pm on a Friday afternoon... Zipping along at 5 to 10 MPH in stop and go traffic. For those unfamiliar with the 405 freeway in so cal, it is one of the worst freeways with traffic.  It can take an hour and a half to get somewhere that if there were no traffic would take 25 minutes!  Although with the top down you'll get noticed...  Sort of like trophy high-end audio, people you invite to listen will definitely notice it.  Big, heavy, expensive and lots of bling factor.

I would vote the 91 as the worst, but that is just me. 

 

[DrForBin]

hello,
 
there is something to be said about some high end audio products however, regarding build quality and reliability.
 
at one time i sold a car to buy a two channel system build around a McIntosh receiver.
 
it was built like a tank, cost way more than the competition, and sounded wonderful.
 
lost it in a divorce.
 
hope the ex is still enjoying it.
 
which is more than likely true.

 

[aamer23]

just because the equipment is more expensive and or looks better engineered does not mean it is more musical, tuneful, fun and emotionally involving. this what i look for in a system. if this not there i could not care how good the bass response is or detailed the musical picture is or how good the sound staging is. the Schiit stuff in my opinion is fundamentally correct and relatively inexpensive that is why it is better that the more expensive esoteric equipment. Also really high end high sound quality equipment like DSC vivaldi requires massive care in set up to get it to sound great in my experience. I just want to plug and play rather worry about moving the speaker 2 inches to right or left to get the perfect set up. just a personal opinion based on my experiences

 

[aamer23]

and you and rebuild easily when life happens like ex wives and or multiple kids, jobs

 

[bigjohn1]

  I'll see your 3 PM 405 freeway, and raise you a 3-7 PM Houston 610 loop between I-69 and I-10. 

 
And I'll re-raise you a Dallas 635 between I-30 and I-35E between 12:00am and 11:59pm...

 

[aamefford]

For Northern CA:
680 Danville to Concord Friday at 4, 5 and 6 PM.

 

[wine-fi]

  just because the equipment is more expensive and or looks better engineered does not mean it is more musical, tuneful, fun and emotionally involving. this what i look for in a system. if this not there i could not care how good the bass response is or detailed the musical picture is or how good the sound staging is. the Schiit stuff in my opinion is fundamentally correct and relatively inexpensive that is why it is better that the more expensive esoteric equipment. Also really high end high sound quality equipment like DSC vivaldi requires massive care in set up to get it to sound great in my experience. I just want to plug and play rather worry about moving the speaker 2 inches to right or left to get the perfect set up. just a personal opinion based on my experiences

Well said.  I always maintain that in most cases with high-end audio gear, price and girth are not necessarily the ticket to great sound.  It's about synergy between sources, cables, amps and speakers (cans as well)... 
 
I personally believe (IMHO) that the simpler, the better.  I have always favored a more purist approach to things when it comes to audio.
 
Now finding this synergy can be ongoing task, but that is what makes audio a great hobby.

 

[wine-fi]

A bit more on system synergy.
 
I know I'm not alone on experiences like this...
 
A long time ago (about 20+ some odd years ago) I had the opportunity to listen to and experience a pair of $15K floor standing speakers.  Now mind you that these speakers were lovingly setup in a well conceived listening room with plenty of power to drive them and some of the finest source components of the day.  Out of not being disrespectful, I won't name the maker of these speakers.
 
No matter what we did to these speakers to try and "dial" them in, they just never sounded quite right. A few months later, we able to try out a pair of Thiel floor standers which were about $4K if I remember correctly.  And wouldn't you know it, the proverbial light switch went on.  I mean everything sonic wise just lit up and came to life.  These just sounded great!  Nothing else had changed, same amps, cables and sources.  Same positioning in the room.  Just a different pair of speakers which happen to cost a lot less.
 
So when it comes down to it, sometimes with audio, less can be more.  It is more about putting the right things together to get that good synergy.