[2bigears]

  hello,, so looking on the used gear site ,, an amp that sold for 126,000.00 .. wowww.  You can buy it for 50 large used.  What makes an amp valued or worth that much ?  How would it sound next to a 10,000.00 dollar amp ?  I guess it would demand same associated gear to work the best ?  Just thinking out loud.... 

[RDavidson]

The uber wealthy like to buy exclusive, even 1-off things, that no other wealthy person can have. This has gone on ages. One of the latest examples I've recently read about was this 1 of 1 Aston Martin.
https://gtspirit.com/2020/09/05/aston-martin-victor/

[toocool4]

There is only one way to find out, you need to experience it yourself because that is the only way you will get what it's all about. These things are hard to imagine, unless you have experience it.
A $10000 amp will not get a look in against a $126000 amp.

[2bigears]

  great investment though !    Ha.   Good lord what a crazy world.  250 million dollar yacht parked just off shore the other day.  The 1% just keep getting it all.   

[SteveFord]

They don't mention the price on that Aston Martin but the most glaring omission is MPG.
That's a big factor in my purchasing decisions.
I think I'll drop them a line.

[FullRangeMan]

Dont worry to whom more was given more will be required.

[RDavidson]

They don't mention the price on that Aston Martin but the most glaring omission is MPG.
That's a big factor in my purchasing decisions.
I think I'll drop them a line.

I've read that it is $2.7 million, but I think this is just a guesstimate. It was a commissioned build for someone who doesn't want their identity to be public, so I imagine the actual price he paid is also private. It's just like when we buy things in the trading post here on AC (the transaction is private)....but maybe just a few decimal points difference.

[aldcoll]

They don't mention the price on that Aston Martin but the most glaring omission is MPG.
That's a big factor in my purchasing decisions.
I think I'll drop them a line.

would you be the one to fill it or your garage hand who had waxes, shine and has it at temp as he or she holds the door as you slide in on that matched cow hide.  All pressures and temperatures set and music is playing just as you like it.  He gently lowers you guitar into the boot where a modified recess matches tonight axe.  Ma lady's wine is chilled and in a supply cup, well there was the last time she went long for a gig and a ride.  Does she know its a 6 hr drive on winding roads opposed to the 45 min of interstate?

Alan

[Letitroll98]

hello,, so looking on the used gear site ,, an amp that sold for 126,000.00 .. wowww.  You can buy it for 50 large used.  What makes an amp valued or worth that much ?  How would it sound next to a 10,000.00 dollar amp ?  I guess it would demand same associated gear to work the best ?  Just thinking out loud.... 

A few years ago I was sitting in the VPI room at CAF with Harry Weisfeld of VPI and Johan Corg of KEF listening to a pair of KEF $220k prototypes and Harry's prototype direct drive table at $85k with a $27k cartridge.  The whole thing sounded fabulous and was driven by a $5k Odyssey amp!  So it's not universally about price.

[JLM]

First off, your values need to be adjusted away from the real world where the average person lives on $2/day.

Secondly, you'd need a set of ears that can appreciate what that much buys (assuming it sounds fantastic).  By this I mean from fidelity and musical perspectives. 

Third, you'd need a recording, rest of the system, and room that can fully exploit the amp (which would probably cost more than the amp).

[Mike B.]

Simple advice is if you don't want your investment to greatly depreciate don't buy audio or video gear

[RolandButcher]

Ha, most of my friends can't believe I'd spend $2k on a pair of speakers. $ on external DACs are even harder to explain.

[JDoyle]

The uber wealthy like to buy exclusive, even 1-off things, that no other wealthy person can have. This has gone on ages. One of the latest examples I've recently read about was this 1 of 1 Aston Martin.
https://gtspirit.com/2020/09/05/aston-martin-victor/

Sorta looks like a mustang... get me some pop rivets, tuna fish cans, bondo and flat black paint 😝

[rollo]

great investment though !    Ha.   Good lord what a crazy world.  250 million dollar yacht parked just off shore the other day.  The 1% just keep getting it all.   

  Yes you earn it you spend it.

charles

[rollo]

A few years ago I was sitting in the VPI room at CAF with Harry Weisfeld of VPI and Johan Corg of KEF listening to a pair of KEF $220k prototypes and Harry's prototype direct drive table at $85k with a $27k cartridge.  The whole thing sounded fabulous and was driven by a $5k Odyssey amp!  So it's not universally about price.

  I agree. Quality design can be had for little money. There are exotic products of all types in our World. Designed for those who can buy them. Price is price quality is quality.

charles

[2bigears]

  price and worth ,, two different monkeys.  Anything sells for exactly what someone will pay ..  a sucker born every minute. Lotta companies come in at 2 or 3 grand to introduce their wares. Then a few years latter they are up to 10 grand or 15 grand. I guess more profit. Capitalism at work. Low grade parts i guess can only produce so much then you hit a wall. But of course diminished returns comes in at some point. It would be very cool if someone grouped amp, pre , source and speakers into price ranges that just work all together. Even a few choices for the type of music and listening habits.  Of course if your room is great,,,, your way ahead of the curve. For the average Joe it's the paradox of choice like most things. Just to much crap. 
   I guess you could buy an M33 and call it a day. But when the web crashes ....

[artur9]

A few years ago I was sitting in the VPI room at CAF with Harry Weisfeld of VPI and Johan Corg of KEF listening to a pair of KEF $220k prototypes and Harry's prototype direct drive table at $85k with a $27k cartridge.  The whole thing sounded fabulous and was driven by a $5k Odyssey amp!  So it's not universally about price.

I think that was the one room my wife liked the sound in.  Her tastes are apparently about as, or slightly less expensive, than mine

[JLM]

Good audio manufacturers have deep R&D and in-house manufacturing resources, relatively long histories, and don't charge those kind of prices.

Take power amps for example.  The current state of the art is represented by Benchmark AHB2, Orchard Audio BOSC, and Purifi 1ET400A.  All are efficient, all rated 100 wpc at 8 ohms or better, all are small, and all cost $3000 USD or less.  No need to look further. 

[Photon46]

Good audio manufacturers have deep R&D and in-house manufacturing resources, relatively long histories, and don't charge those kind of prices.

Take power amps for example.  The current state of the art is represented by Benchmark AHB2, Orchard Audio BOSC, and Purifi 1ET400A.  All are efficient, all rated 100 wpc at 8 ohms or better, all are small, and all cost $3000 USD or less.  No need to look further.

All good examples and and your supposition is true to a certain point IMO. However, plenty of very expensive manufacturers also meet your first two criteria. Michael Fremer's tour on YouTube of CH Precision in Switzerland goes a long way towards explaining why certain products of this nature cost so much. (assuming one has some understanding of how expensive it is to be a manufacturer and employer in many EU countries.) I would also say it's a wee bit of a stretch to think your three stated examples of amplifiers are the sonic equal of products from CH Precision, Constellation, Boulder, Dartzeel, etc. when paired with speakers and other ancillaries of similar quality. Few would argue that your examples are a much better value to most of us but there are plenty of audiophiles to whom value is measured on a quite different economic scale. I for welcome that elevated end of the audio universe because some aspects of that market can "trickle down" to the advantage of those down market.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsOv-NJgphk&t=2100s

Another interesting video from Fremer is his tour of Acoustic Signature turntables in Germany. As I recall, there's a spot in video where they talk about the cost and frequency of replacing the machine tools which helps explain why they cost what they do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS7fh4lnLa4