[neobop]

I was about to place my order, but decided to wait on the deluxe version.

A wise decision if you can afford it.  The Basic Deluxe version has gold plated front panel and controls.  Also has custom gold tube shields, white ceramic tube sockets and piano black deck.  It comes with mahogany side panels with optional finish and goes with any décor.  The ear pads have a self fitting feature that molds to any head and/or is custom sized to large or small ears/brains.  This is the sweet spot of the deluxe line at only $94K.

The Super Deluxe version gets a little more involved.  All the features of Basic, plus servo controls are located behind the transducers and control the amp like a servo subwoofer.  Sensors are implanted in your brain for wireless transmission to the servo system.  The brain surgery is a little expensive unless your doctor says it's necessary.  Then, your insurance should cover most of it. 
(Hint: If your psychiatrist insists it's absolutely necessary....) 
Super Deluxe is only $179K without the surgery.

I'd be a little cautious about the sensor implants.  If this system was hacked, you might be hearing things even when you weren't wearing the phones.  Next they'll be servo controlling your thoughts, sort of like they do now only with more precision.
neo

[Joe Nelson]

A wise decision if you can afford it.  The Basic Deluxe version has gold plated front panel and controls.  Also has custom gold tube shields, white ceramic tube sockets and piano black deck.  It comes with mahogany side panels with optional finish and goes with any décor.  The ear pads have a self fitting feature that molds to any head and/or is custom sized to large or small ears/brains.  This is the sweet spot of the deluxe line at only $94K.

The Super Deluxe version gets a little more involved.  All the features of Basic, plus servo controls are located behind the transducers and control the amp like a servo subwoofer.  Sensors are implanted in your brain for wireless transmission to the servo system.  The brain surgery is a little expensive unless your doctor says it's necessary.  Then, your insurance should cover most of it. 
(Hint: If your psychiatrist insists it's absolutely necessary....) 
Super Deluxe is only $179K without the surgery.

I'd be a little cautious about the sensor implants.  If this system was hacked, you might be hearing things even when you weren't wearing the phones.  Next they'll be servo controlling your thoughts, sort of like they do now only with more precision.
neo

I think the Super Deluxe is the way to go. $100K is really the sweet spot for me, because that way I know I am getting into the good stuff. Although the Basic system might be good on the yacht.

[mcgsxr]

They have made themselves a pretty easy target with a pricing strategy like this.

I do wonder how they sound.

I get that there is a TON of product in the high end aimed squarely at those that can afford not to ask "how much".

[Russell Dawkins]

They have made themselves a pretty easy target with a pricing strategy like this.

I do wonder how they sound.

I get that there is a TON of product in the high end aimed squarely at those that can afford not to ask "how much".

They've also got a lot of free (well, cheap - the cost of the prototype) attention in the marketplace! Of course, they have done this successfully before with the HE90s in the early 90's and it must have worked!

[steve in jersey]

They have made themselves a pretty easy target with a pricing strategy like this.

I do wonder how they sound.

I get that there is a TON of product in the high end aimed squarely at those that can afford not to ask "how much".

Stop !!!

You mean to tell me that Senn. considers (as does anyone who offers a $50 ~ $100k component) as not being separate offerings from their other product lines ?

Last time I looked even those with the financial means to spend this amount of $$$$$ take pause at actually
spend this amount on Audio equipment. While these ultra high price Audio components exist. They exist more
for the purpose of the Manufacturers need to be "Posers".

They will eventually sell a few of these products, but more realistically it's just another case of which Manufacturer is going to let another Manfacturer have the "biggest dog in the fight". Wealthy people sre much
more likely to use their "disposable income" on various types of vehicles or other luxury items.

The Manufacturers aren't delusional enough to think they'll make money hand over fist . They just want to be able to hang ther hats on how technologically more advanced they are than their competitors (even if that really isn't the case)

There's a saying about "making a mountain out of a mole hill" that fits pretty well here.

[simoon]

Stop !!!

You mean to tell me that Senn. considers (as does anyone who offers a $50 ~ $100k component) as not being separate offerings from their other product lines ?

Last time I looked even those with the financial means to spend this amount of $$$$$ take pause at actually
spend this amount on Audio equipment. While these ultra high price Audio components exist. They exist more
for the purpose of the Manufacturers need to be "Posers".

They will eventually sell a few of these products, but more realistically it's just another case of which Manufacturer is going to let another Manfacturer have the "biggest dog in the fight". Wealthy people sre much
more likely to use their "disposable income" on various types of vehicles or other luxury items.

The Manufacturers aren't delusional enough to think they'll make money hand over fist . They just want to be able to hang ther hats on how technologically more advanced they are than their competitors (even if that really isn't the case)

There's a saying about "making a mountain out of a mole hill" that fits pretty well here.

Not so sure you are correct here.

For example, Wilson has sold 600 pair of their top of the line Alexandria speakers in the 2 years they've been on the market.

And for sure, the people that are laying down $200,000 for speakers are matching them with amps, preamps, cables, DAC's, etc with similar top of the line, top of the market equipment.

And that is only considering one brand's speakers. Add in the hundreds of top of the line Magico, Perfect 8, MBL, Acapella, etc, and all the top line amps, preamps, DAC's, cables etc, being sold along with them, and that is a pretty big minority people purchasing equipment just, as you say, to prop these manufacturers up as 'posers'.

[RDavidson]

Yup. If you keep up with economic news, the income gap between the wealthy and the middle and lower class (in the US) is ENORMOUS ; Larger than ever. AND, there are more wealthy people now than ever...which is why luxury brands are doing just fine these days, while the rest of us sit in awe. If you have the means to do so, now is a great time to offer uber luxury items.

[S Clark]

At least a $50K set of headphones are still headphones the next day.  A $3K bottle of Chateau Petrus is just piss the day after. 
Personally, I think the outrage over the super high end is rather silly.  It boils down to how much of your life did you sell to put back a dollar, $100, or $100K.  For the uber wealthy, it's less than the blink of an eye, so spending great amounts is no sacrifice.  For the guy washing dishes at the local Denny's Restaurant, it may take a month to put back a solid $100- or he may never get ahead.  If your daily income measures in the $5 000 range (less than a couple of Mill a year) enjoy that 1994 Petrus.  Maybe one day you can afford the 1982. 

[RDavidson]

I could buy the Orpheus, but I ask why.  I'm into premium sound, and I need to make sure my headphone of choice has the exact signature I need, i.e. if it doesn't have the perfect balance of bass, mids and treble, I make it happen.  So if I buy the Orpheus, and I make the signature perfect (because I doubt that it is out of the box), then what?  Will it then still sound superior to any other premium electrostatic?  For one thing, they're using tubes, yes?  How premium is that?  It may round out the edges for greater smoothness, but is that better for accuracy and fidelity?  Tubes wear out, and when I get "new" tubes it will likely sound slightly different.  What then?

Small signal tubes, in a well designed circuit, can actually have VERY linear performance. It's typically the (larger type) output tubes that tend to struggle with distortion.

But you're right. What happens when you have to change tubes? Are these special tubes that are hand made to tight tolerances, so when you pay $10k (or whatever amount) to swap them, they'll perform just like the originals? I would hope so.

[FullRangeMan]

They just want to be able to hang ther hats on how technologically more advanced they are than their competitors (even if that really isn't the case)

Nothing new under the sun, I dont see any advance in this product since planar speakers is a old well established technology, I know Magnepan loudspeakers and Jeckling Electrostatic phones since the 1970s.

This price looks just marketing to shock people, I dont see any other reason.

[thunderbrick]

Marketing just to "shock people" is pointless and may well backfire on the firm.  If that's the only reason you see then you haven't been paying attention to this thread.    If you are stone deaf to others' comments, how can you hear differences in equipment/recordings?   

[geowak]

Food for thought and note to self;
Maybe they are all just ridiculous, pretty overpriced boxes of wires?!

[steve in jersey]

Nothing new under the sun, I dont see any advance in this product since planar speakers is a old well established technology, I know Magnepan loudspeakers and Jeckling Electrostatic phones since the 1970s.

This price looks just marketing to shock people, I dont see any other reason.

This is pretty funny !!!

You succeeded in missing the points I made .  I wasn't really talking about whatever actual advancements there might be, but the marketing copy . For as long as Sennheiser has been established (& pretty successful)
I'm pretty certain they aren't that interested in "shocking" the customers that they "know" aren't going to be
looking to buy something in this price range !

No, they are honestly looking for buyers who can swing spending this much. At least I don't think they're delusional enough to think their current customer base won't have any qualms about upgrading to this price
level ! (They have been exhibiting a pretty silly amount of Marketing Ego lately, though)

[rollo]

   Hmmmm 55K headphones or 110K happy endings?  At my age I'll take the headphones



charles

[FullRangeMan]

This is pretty funny !!!

You succeeded in missing the points I made .  I wasn't really talking about whatever actual advancements there might be, but the marketing copy . For as long as Sennheiser has been established (& pretty successful)
I'm pretty certain they aren't that interested in "shocking" the customers that they "know" aren't going to be
looking to buy something in this price range !

No, they are honestly looking for buyers who can swing spending this much. At least I don't think they're delusional enough to think their current customer base won't have any qualms about upgrading to this price
level ! (They have been exhibiting a pretty silly amount of Marketing Ego lately, though)

OK sorry for it so.
I also can atest Senn are very firm on its prices, just like the HD800 which dont have price reduced so far.

Happen to me afew years ago the general manager from Senn Brasil said me in very firm words he want sell me a HD800 w/1year warranty for equivalent to $3000usd(even without a demo, just a blind online order), when in Lisboa it was priced equivalent $1450.

I said he was not in his perfect mind.
However the manager acted very quickly and communicated Senn Germany and the following week the Portugal shop pulled the price off the site and to this day the HD800 has never been priced on the site again.
This is the real Sennheiser.

[thunderbrick]

So, one guy's actions paint an entire (and well respected) firm?   I think I see the problem...

[RDavidson]

Price control is a pretty basic business practice. There are rules that retailers have to abide by, typically expressed in a contractual agreement of some sort. After all, the manfacturer of the product doesn't have to allow the retailer to sell any of its products. It is the retailer that wants to sell the product and thus entered a contractual agreement, which would include pricing agreements. So how is the manufacturer at fault for penalizing the retailer who was very likely breaching their contract?

[FullRangeMan]

The dealer was legal, every vendor inform the HD800 price, even Amazon.
On the other hand when I emailed the late HifiMan factory site-HeadDirect about the HE400 in October the man in charge of custumers inform me in advance that in the next black Friday in November this item would be on offer, so I waited for the black Friday.

The diligent man yet send me a friendly low invoice.

[RDavidson]

The dealer was legal, every vendor inform the HD800 price, even Amazon.

Just because a vendor is legal doesn't mean they can advertise a price of their choice at any given time. This is why you can typically get the best deals over the phone. That way the dealer can provide better pricing without advertising it to the public (which would undercut the vendor network). If all other vendors are following the pricing rules, but a vendor who decides not to (follow the rules) becomes wealthy from undercutting everyone else, this wouldn't be fair, right? That's the whole point of controlling the pricing and vendor agreements. Not to mention, this ensures the product being sold maintains a certain level of "perceived" value to the target consumer. This is important to the manufacturer of anything of relatively high value.

But, we're going way off on a tangent. The point is that Sennheiser is not an evil company as you were trying to say.

[thunderbrick]

Of course the amp unit dont have Silver Hard Wire, it must use mass made PCBs IMO.

And from what do you deduce that critical piece of information?    If you are convinced it is a worthless scam of mass-produced PCBs, and the price is outrageous and well beyond your limited means, why do you spend so much time and energy obsessing over it?