[WhiteCrow]

Quote:

I think "audiophile" has been so twisted and bastardized by marketing recently, it's just a meaningless nonsense word now (if everything is epic nothing is epic kind of argument). Since they turned HD into a nonsense term, they picked audiophile next. 
 


 

Buzzwords are ruining the world.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

Buzzwords are ruining the world.

Fun is ruining the world?

 

[Mozu]

Fun is ruining the world?

 

[swbf2cheater]

Prices get higher and headphones get more inefficient because nobody but me whines about it to the manufacturers.  This craziness continues because the majority don't seem to want to protest.  Say something, and odds are good they will listen.  Tell them what you want and complain enough, shake the house enough so to speak and they will do whatever you want them to.  Until that happens, expect $2000-3000 headphones that require immense power to use  to become common place.

 

[tribestros]

Teh Beats.

 

[renergy]

 
Quote:

Prices get higher and headphones get more inefficient because nobody but me whines about it to the manufacturers.  This craziness continues because the majority don't seem to want to protest.  Say something, and odds are good they will listen.  Tell them what you want and complain enough, shake the house enough so to speak and they will do whatever you want them to.  Until that happens, expect $2000-3000 headphones that require immense power to use  to become common place.

 
I honestly think this is the answer. Until people start writing Denon, Sennheiser and Bererdynamic, etc and saying "I'm not going to pay double for the same headphones you made ten years ago", the trend will only continue. Can you imagine if Intel tried to sell a CPU for twice what it cost a few years ago? Or if Ford tried to sell the 2004 model for more than the same as the 2012?  People would call them insane, but as you said, the real insane ones are the  people who are buying the stuff. RIght now, cutting edge innovation in headphones will cost you thousands of dollars. That's just pure craziness. These devices simply aren't worth that much, yet the companies stick to this price plan due to the very small amount of people who are more than willing to fork over the premium.

 

[BrownBear]

I agree with the previous posts. I think that if there are people willing to pay these prices, then yes, companies are going to go for it. I haven't heard any real high end headphone, so I can't comment on whether or not they're worth it, but I've often wondered this same question. What's next? $3000? $5000? I mean, I'm all for great audio equipment, but to me there's a point where it would have to stop. I don't think I could ever pay over $1000 for one set of headphones. That's just me though.

 

[PurpleAngel]

If you do not like the high prices of nice name brand headphones, then buy Superlux.

 

[sml1226]

If you do not like the high prices of nice name brand headphones, then buy Superlux.

I don't like thinking like this. It basically says that I don't like the prices, but if I want the best new thing I'll pay for it. All of this ignoring the used gear that is actually as good or better half the time. People are constantly buying old used hi-fi, and the prices for new stuff is manageable... higher than I think it should be to make a speaker, but manageable for what you get nonetheless. Headphones don't have that massive used market to keep things in check as far as I can tell. People go bust their $300 K701 or Beats or whatever they bought for some popularity reason, then buy a replacement like that price was nothing. This gives them the confidence to release something marginally better for a massive increase in price. It's not only the popularity fuel, we do it to by buying the next great thing all the time, but I feel the consistent sales to a single person multiple times due to their carelessness fuels it more than our purchases, as we do have a pretty good used market amongst ourselves.

 

[rgs9200m]

About 10-15 years ago, Senn 600s/650s were considered the reference dynamic headphones except for exotics like the R10s. Everybody had 600s/650s. They were top of the line.
There were some similarly priced Grados, Beyers, AKGs, etc, but nothing that really stood out by consensus above the 650s.
Back then, I used to ask why there was so little choice in phones, as opposed to a universe of speakers at all levels (since the 1960s).
 
It was kind of a headphone wasteland.
 
It was only in the last 6-7 years that we got higher quality phones like the HD800s, T1s, GS/PS1000s, D7000s, Audezes, HiFiMans, and more to choose from, and the prices reflect that.
So I am grateful the high end headphone market has really gotten traction now, and of course it needs support so that the providers can do the R&D to produce these gems.
 
A similar phenomenon is happening with headphone amplifiers.
So I think we should celebrate, because at least phones are a bargain compared to speakers.
(And some of us enjoy headphonia more than speakerdom. Now we get some respect.)
 

 

[Gradofan2]

 
Quote:

Currency exchange rate of the US dollar against the Euro.

 
Precisely!
 
With a bit of inflation thrown in - but, the exchange rate (devaluation of the dollar against foreign currencies) primarily - just like the price of oil!

 

[WhiteCrow]

I dun know a $100 on the HE-500 and the $50-150 drop on the HE-300. Prices have been holding steady pretty well on the high-end. LCD-2 steady 995, Hifiman's steady, HD-800 are around $1500 which I admit is a bit of a spike as I had seen them for about 1300 a few months ago. I really think that MOST headphones*that have not been reinvented lately* have lowerd in price or stayed steady. Case in point the new Senn HD59X series.

 

[olsenn]

It still surprises me that so many people assume that businesses wouldn't rip people off! The reason why a few years ago $500 was the most any headphone sold for was because it was assumed that noone in their right mind would be willing to pay more than that. However, many people aren't in their right mind. Sennheiser figured out the people who are willing to spend $500 on headphones are willing to spend $1500 on headphones... money is no object for these people, they just want the best they can get, damn the costs.
 
The truth is, headphones can be made for $2 (albeit they suck). For $20, engineers have much more room to move around in, and materials can be better etc. For $200, you can literally have more than enough overhead to get the best sound that current technology is capable of providing. Headphones that sell for $2000 are often no better than ones that sell for $200, companies just figure if some idiots are willing to spend that much money then why not accept it.
 
If you look at headphone datasheets on InnerFidelity, wou will see that the $100 Sennheiser 280 Pro has a more linear frequency response and a lower THD+N than does the Grado PS1000 or the Bayerdynamics T1... Audiophools will speak on subjective listening, but an oscilloscope can see sound much more accurately than our ears can hear it! If you spend $2000 on something, you will refuse to believe that it is inferior to the $100 model, not because it is, but because it is too depressing to believe you just wasted two grand!

 

[chewy4]

Not only are audiophiles willing to pay higher prices, these higher prices are more attractive to them. If it's more expensive, it has to be better.
 
I recall a thread posted on here before about someone asking whether they should get an LCD2 or LCD3. They said they demo'd them both, and slightly prefered the LCD2. So what do most people suggest? The LCD3, because it is just obviously better. So much better that it's worth double the price of a headphone that someone preferred when listening back to back.
 
This isn't something exclusive to audiphiles though, I know I'm guilty of it when purchasing beer/wine/liquor. If I'm trying something new, I look towards the pricier stuff.