[ubs28]

I agree. There are many great deals out there.

 

[Ani1000]

There's no denying that point of diminishing returns hit really bad on any headphones that cost over 1,000$.
The HD800 sets the Benchmark at that price.
Yes you can do better, but 4,000$ for 5% improvement? It's pretty hard to swallow.

 

[SurvivorNVL]

  Some people will try and tell you that the high cost is to offset the cost of research and development. But in reality it is the high price that attracts deluded audiophiles, who automatically assume that they will be getting something that sounds (insert price here) much better than the previous (insert old price here) "flagship". I used to belong to this belief. Experience has taught me to be more wise and prudent. Some who have unlimited cash flow will follow the pied piper and get the "next big thing" regardless of cost.
 
Ask yourself if a $3000 headphone will sound 300% better than a $1000 one, and when you say "no", then ask yourself if you would pay 300% more money for a possible 15% "improvement" in sound.

I can tell you for a fact.  My modded T50RP MK II's, scale up and perform, to my ears, on par with the HE400i's, 560's and 500's.  

 

[Currawong]

 

  If a product cannot be mass produced due to the difficulty of manufacturing, the price has to be increased to match the demand at the limited supply.

 
This is not the case, even though the expensive products are easy to manufacture, Company purposefully make lesser units to create pseudo demand and make it more exclusive compare to other products.

This is absolutely NOT the case with the headphone manufacturers I have talked to and/or whose factories I have visited.

 

[FullCircle]

Noble Encore, 30 a day, lower tier products 200 a day

 

[flargosa]

Flagship headphones have a high markup because a small % of the population with $$$ want the best regardless of the price.  If you think about it, nothing wrong, just good business.  
 
If manufacturers want to produce more, they can always scale up and there are ways to do that.  I don't think limited supply is an excuse for high price.  Actually, creating an artificial demand by reducing supply increases the perception of exclusiveness which increases price and demand.  

 

[Audioholic123]

I think there is allot of confusion in this thread..
 
The way I see it is that the idea of "flagship headphones" is to deliberately create the most advanced design and always incorporate the most recent advancements in driver technology in the hope that they (Mr Sennheiser designer/engineer) invent the worlds best headphone. A company might spend a significant amount of money in the development stages/manufacturing process and that ultimately plays a huge part in it's resulting retail price.
 
Just think of the money Sennheiser would lose if they started to sell the HD800 (for example) for $200..

 

[LajostheHun]

I don't think so, after 7 years on the market they must have made their R&D back, and now it's just the pure MFR cost they have to make back plus whatever profit they chase after, which is probably quite high at this point.

 

[zazex]

   
And how much more can you get out of the idea that is the headphone, a compromised and unnatural way to listen to music in the first place?

 
But is it any more compromised/unnatural than listening to music through speakers?

 

[tomb]

I don't think so, after 7 years on the market they must have made their R&D back, and now it's just the pure MFR cost they have to make back plus whatever profit they chase after, which is probably quite high at this point.

 
Sorry.  Comments like this always get to me.  The implication is that you know how their business works and when they've earned enough money.
 
Where do you think they get the money to do new R&D on the next headphone?  The only way your statement is valid is if they were in business to make just one headphone, sell it, then quit the business altogether.

 

[LajostheHun]

Sorry.  Comments like this always get to me.  The implication is that you know how their business works and when they've earned enough money.

Where do you think they get the money to do new R&D on the next headphone?  The only way your statement is valid is if they were in business to make just one headphone, sell it, then quit the business altogether.

Nonsense.

 

[knopi]

This is very interesting thread. But also very hard to tell even opinion. My opinion is that top headphone is not worth, this prices over $2000 is really crazy (for normal people). For prices $3-4K it should be really perfect in every possible way which is not. I will not support this, now it seems like never ending story, and it seems prices will still grow. 
I recomend try some quality speaker around $3000-4000 in good room and you will have bigger perspective on how quality sound sounds, headphone have big potencial but they have also limits.
On the other hand. This is not my busines. Always depends how much we earn. There will be always rich people which will buy it no matter what which is good to cover all segments ( but bad for normal people which have interest on top models). Truth is quality headphone is really hot these days, also very easy marketing on social media and forums, everything play to cards to this busines.
Thankfully there will be always some good stuff like LCDX, L700 etc..which are still "quite" affordable for most. But as I said even at this price do you think it is perfect for the price you paid? For me not but it is price I am willing to pay as max for headphones and quality of sound is acceptable for me to live with it.

 

[ruhenheiM]

i never heard high end speakers. and i never heard orpheus2. i did spend some time with orpheus. but never with orpheus2. but from my understanding jbl paragon used to be the high end speaker. which one produce better sound for the price? orpheus 2 or jbl paragon? consider you still have 16k left to buy amplifier and dac and probably room treatment.i don't know.i never really know how much good speaker system would cost you
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JBL-Paragon-D44000-Vintage-Speaker-Rare-Mahogany-Finish-Original-One-Owner-/152351768866?hash=item2378df8122:g:dkEAAOSw6DtYTOwu

 

[loopfreak]

We all know that audio is subjective and it differs from one to another, so how do you put the price on that. Can you imagine one manufacture setting lower price and still earning cash if they can set the higher prices and get twice the revenue, well no. The goal of every firm is to earn as much more as they can with  lowering the costs of manufacturing process as much as possible. Some of the brands were growing trough the years just to get to the point of so called brand presence so they can spank us for some cash and MAKE US HAPPY, sad but true. Ok maybe there are a few exceptions but they are definitely in minority and not worth the mention.
 
As long as we want to be on the hype train there is a ticket that we have to pay for that ride, because we all have a need to be a part of something groundbreaking new special thing, that everyone want's it but only the chosen can have it. Elitism.... but way, that is simple, because it just feels good. 

 

[Beagle]

   
But is it any more compromised/unnatural than listening to music through speakers?

 
You haven't used speakers much I assume?