[renergy]

 
HD 555 Amazon Price in 2010:

$69.99​

 
HD 555  Amazon Price in 2012:
$189.95
 
Granted, I know they were on sale then, but come on Senn, time to drop those prices. Or rather, come on people, time to stop paying $200 for mediocre phones that are almost a decade old. 
 

 

[Redrider469]

It's because demand had gone up. If companies notice people are really wanting their product, they'll jack up the prices because they know people will pay that kind of money.

Is it Sennheiser jacking up the prices or is it Amazon? I can see amazon doing it more than I see Sennheiser doing it.

 

[SONIC BOOM]

well amazon them self is not selling the hd555s its fulfilled by amazon, so its another company listing on amazon, and the hd555s have been discontinued, so its not senn or amazon making the price, its "firemall llc" has left over hd555s and is selling them for that price.

 

[renergy]

good points. I guess I can't blame Senn for a reseller selling as high as they can, especially on a discontinued product.

 

[ssrock64]

I've noticed this with many companies (ATH-M50 goes from $110 to $169 on Amazon over two years), but Sennheiser is among the worst. Over the past year, the price of an HD600 and HD800 at my local Hi-Fi shop has gone way up. This isn't because Sennheiser sets new prices on their products, though, but that they're enforcing the MSRP with their sellers more now. The MSRP on the HD555 was probably always pretty high, but Sennheiser has started making sure all their dealers stick close to it over the past year.

 

[Taowolf51]

 
Quote:

good points. I guess I can't blame Senn for a reseller selling as high as they can, especially on a discontinued product.

 
Senn has actually recently decided to enforce the MAP (Manufacturer Approved Price) much like Grado. What you're seeing is the original market price in 2010, and the MAP in 2012.

 

[formula1]

Blame the sellers, not sennheiser. 

 

[Taowolf51]

 
Quote:

Blame the sellers, not sennheiser. 

 
Why? Sennheiser is the one enforcing the MAP.

 

[formula1]

 
Quote:

 
 
Why? Sennheiser is the one enforcing the MAP.

 
NVM. I just checked sennheiser are suggesting high retail prices. 
My bad. 

 

[tdockweiler]

This MAP is the stupidest move ever for Sennheiser. They should stop doing this. It'd be OK if their headphones were actually at reasonable prices. $399 for the HD-600? Who are they kidding? They can only get away with it because there is nothing else out there that sounds like it.
 
I won't be buying any more Sennheiser products. If you want an HD-600, I suggest you buy a used HD-580 and get some HD-600 grills for it. Under $200 instead of $400. People actually pay $400?
 
It's amusing how they did this just before the release of the HD-700 too..
 
Sennheiser is now up there with Shure as the companies that annoy me the most..

 

[Radio_head]

It's a "luxury brand" move - you don't see highly sought after luxury brands being heavily discounted through authorized dealers (at least not advertised online.)  It hurts the brand.  So Sennheiser decides to enforce MAP.  In many situations, you can still get a good percentage off at a brick-and-mortar or by calling your dealer but Sennheiser cares about perception.  I really don't like it but I understand where they are coming from.
 
Also, I've looked into this legally in the past.  They're in the clear.

 

[ssrock64]

My local Hi-Fi store used to be a place to flock for great deals on high-end audio and still maintained a perfectly prestigious name, but now that they're having MAPs forced on them many of their customers have turned to the internet. This may kill hi-fi shops.

 

[fabio-fi]

 
Quote:

My local Hi-Fi store used to be a place to flock for great deals on high-end audio and still maintained a perfectly prestigious name, but now that they're having MAPs forced on them many of their customers have turned to the internet. This may kill hi-fi shops.

 
This is true. 
 
And more "Oem" brands to come. 

 

[KG Jag]

My first question is: what have/will they lose in market share and market penetration with regard to the higher end models for which they are enforcing their MAP?
 
My second question is: is Senn nuts [x 2] initiating this during the worst recession of my nearly six decade life?!
 
In addition the HD 518 through 650 are gateway cans to there most expensive and (I dare to guess) their most profitable cans.  Less gateway cans sold almost certainly means less high end cans sold over time.
 
All of this is even stranger with regard to the HD 600 and HD 650 which are aging classics.
 
I think they run the danger of losing a generation of beginning audiophiles by pricing the HD 5x8 line as high as they have.  Just lowering the MAP price (assuming they will continue this madness) by $20 on each of these cans would be a big help.
 
I'd very much l like to know Senn's business plan and reasons for going to this hard enforced MAP--including the timing of it.

 

[Radio_head]

 
Quote:

My first question is: what have/will they lose in market share and market penetration with regard to the higher end models for which they are enforcing their MAP?
 
Possibly.  They wouldn't do it though if they were experiencing sales slumps - the recent explosion of higher end headphones means they will sell more.  And for those who don't want to go stat, the HD800 especially does things no other headphone does.
 
My second question is: is Senn nuts [x 2] initiating this during the worst recession of my nearly six decade life?!
 
Remember that during this recession the high-end headphone market has blossomed, possibly in part due to its relative cheapness compared to 2 channel setups.  Again, it's a boom market in an overall recession.
 
In addition the HD 518 through 650 are gateway cans to there most expensive and (I dare to guess) their most profitable cans.  Less gateway cans sold almost certainly means less high end cans sold over time.
 
Possibly.  Its a good point and one I would assume they thought about long and hard before enforcing this policy.  One possibility is that outside of Head-Fi, those are not "gateway cans."  If a speaker guy or a pro audio guy is looking for a great pair of cans, they don't necessarily start with the 600's and go up - they'd go straight to the 800 more often than you realize.
 
All of this is even stranger with regard to the HD 600 and HD 650 which are aging classics.
 
I agree.
 
I think they run the danger of losing a generation of beginning audiophiles by pricing the HD 5x8 line as high as they have.  Just lowering the MAP price (assuming they will continue this madness) by $20 on each of these cans would be a big help.
They probably wouldn't have a problem with retailers lowering by that much except then where does it end - so they make a blanket rule to enforce MAP.
 
I'd very much l like to know Senn's business plan and reasons for going to this hard enforced MAP--including the timing of it.
 
I don't think it was a coincidence that they released the HD800 at about the same time as they started enforcing MAP.  The "luxury" tag was reserved for STAX, Grado, and some AT (at least that's how I remember it.)  Sennheiser wanted to be perceived that way as well.