[Aether Audio]

Friends,

Hold onto your britches, Herr Mundorf is playing "hardball."  I've finally worked out the pricing on the Ultimate Mundorf crossover - and it ain't pretty.

The final cost per crossover - with EVERYTHING including the box is...

$1,400.00 each.

Well...even this isn't the true "ultimate."  If you want, we can include pure silver-gold ribbon wound inductors for over $1K each.   We think that's, well...my opinion means nothing - whatever you want we'll do.

But...to be realistic from a cost standpoint, we've picked the best parts short of that extreme for the version we're recommending above.  This will include the ribbon-wound OFC copper version of the famous "zero-ohm" coil for the woofer circuit and all ribbon-wound OFC copper air-core inductors for the rest of the inductors.  Then, you'll be getting all of the caps in the tweeter circuit of their silver-gold Supreme caps - top of the line.  Heck, just one part of the high-pass circuit uses over $300.00 worth of those things!

On top of all that we're using their silver-gold hook-up wire, silver-gold solder, OFC copper buss bars (no sissy little "wire" there) for the woofer circuit, their very high quality "RXF" caps with a 0.1uF silver-gold bypass cap in the woofer circuit... and their binding posts. 

I thought I could save a few $$$ by using Eichmann or some other posts, but there's virtually no price difference.  Since the Mundorf posts are made with the same philosophy as the Eichmann's, I thought it would be better to stick with them.  I would imagine that an "all Mundorf" construction would actually do more to increase the perceived value in the years to come.

Then, the enclosure will have a Plexiglas cover and be built of either hardwood or painted Studio black to match your speaker enclosures.  The choice is yours in that regard so just let me know what you prefer.  Also, the enclosure will have our solid copper logo recessed into the front.  Trust me...they'll look awesome.

Anyway, that's the hardcore facts you've been waiting for.  I warned you as I knew about what it would be when I looked at just one of those silver-gold caps.  Is it worth it?  I dunno.  How do you put a price on the best in the world?

-Bob

[TomS]

You said "per crossover", so we're really talking $2800 per set of speakers (duh)?

[Aether Audio]

Tom,

Yes, that would make it $2,800.00 for a stereo pair.  I posted the price as "each" because I have one customer that's doing a complete 5 channel surround setup using Revelations and Continuum A.D.s.  This way he can decide how many of the 5 speakers he wants to do this upgrade on.

I realize this is a lot of money, but according to Karsten there's no single other component in your system that you can upgrade that will make as much difference.  How much does a good pre-amp or CDP cost?  We tend to expect such devices to cost quite a bit, but then how much does the "best in the world" version of one of those cost?  Turning off the engineering side of my brain (the side that counts $$$ vs. part) causes me to think that in all actuality, this is a really good deal.

I have to say also that this lines up with my over-all philosophy about sound reproduction too.  The speaker is at the end of the chain.  Nothing in your system is more important as no matter how good of a signal you feed into it, you'll only get a level of performance that the speaker is capable of delivering.  Since the speaker is usually the largest and possibly the most expensive (at least it should be) piece of gear in the system, as far as I'm concerned that's the last thing I would want to have to swap out in order to get better performance.  Changing pre-amps is a 15 minute job and they can be shipped anywhere in the US for less than $50.00.  The loudspeakers are the cornerstone of the system and should be the last thing you change.  If that's true at all then it only makes sense to get the best you can afford.  But then I'm a speaker guy.

-Bob

[TomS]

Bob ... I really wasn't protesting at all, just wanted to make sure I read it correctly 

[Christof]

Bob

Will you offer all of your speakers with (optional) outboard XO's in the future? 

Just thinking out loud here.....this would allow us as users to upgrade the XO's without sending the entire speaker back to you for shop upgrades....new XO's could be sent out with a "core charge" which is refundable when the user send the old XO back to you = no down time...maybe this would allow potential new SP Tech customers who are on a tight budget, such as myself, to order your speakers with used but tested XO's.

[Turk]

Bob,

I recently had Mundorf Supreme Silvers with ribbon inductors installed in a pair of speakers.  Your customers are in for an incredible performance increase.  I have listened to the Continuums and was very impressed.  I can an only imagine how the  SPs will sound with the new X/Os.  In my JM lab Mini Utopias the X/O changes were greater than anything else I have done to my second system.

[Aether Audio]

Tom,

I know.  The fact is that I feel guilty for even having to announce this.  When I was done crunching the numbers I got a knot in the pit of my stomach.  No matter how you slice it and whether or not they're worth it - that's still a lot of money for some stupid crossover parts.

I guess it goes against the grain of my engineering philosophy.  SP Tech has always been about offering the most bang for the buck and trying to keep prices as reasonable as possible.  When I was designing the original Timepiece all those years ago I knew it should be a pretty darn good speaker.  I also knew the waveguide was the only real solution when it came to the physics.  I know this sounds like I'm blowing my own horn here but...even I didn't realize how good the products could be or the theory's total potential.

To be honest, I've never owned equipment of the calibre that a lot of you guys have.  I had some pretty good stuff back in the 70's & 80's, but compared to today's equipment...there's no comparison.  Then, over the years everything got broken or wore out and I couldn't afford to replace it, let alone upgrade.  The upshot is that due to a lack of more modern experience, I didn't know how "good"...good could be. 

Then I designed our stuff near the end of my existing system's life.  During the same period I was building (and doing a lot of dreaming about) a recording studio in an old stone building that I had remodeled on my property.  I knew I couldn't afford the kind of recording gear I wanted though.  I decided I needed a "money machine" in order afford the stuff, so that's when I got into building speakers for profit (HA!).  A divorce saw to it that I never finished the studio and wiped out my finances.  I'm still trying to recover and it's been over 10 years.

So I guess what I'm saying is that personally, I don't come from "money."  Personal finances have been pretty modest to one degree or another for quite a while now.  If I didn't build this stuff myself I could never afford it.  I guess I never really realized that I had designed something that could be this good and I never thought it would warrent going to such extremes.  Had I "hobb-nobbed" for a while with the upper echelons of high-end audio and gotten used to the vast $um$ they are used to spending, I guess this wouldn't seem like such a big deal to me. 

But my partner Mike and I have worked for so many years making our tools and everything we needed out of junkyard parts and used/discarded stuff he brought home from his day job (robotic piston casting company), that I've gotten into the mentality of "analyzing" and deciding what I think certain things are "worth."  You have no idea how many times he and/or I would look at some nice machine and (not having any $$$ anyway) saying..."That thing is way over-priced.  Heck, we could build one ourselves for a fraction of it's price"...and then we'd go and build it!  Of course, it always seemed to take forever to finish the thing.  But...we did it and that's where my brain has been stuck ever since.  Let's face it, I'm a "tight ass."

So...that's my story, for what it's worth.  I wouldn't blame anybody if they thought these crossovers were too much money.  But what do I know?  I'm just a tight-assed engineer that's been worked over by the bullies of life and lives from day to day in survival mode.  Don't let me talk you out of it.

-Bob

[Karsten]

Bob,

Let's blame it on Mundorf 

Initially I had several discussions with them, where I specificially told them that we would have to seriously evaluate cost versus performance, because that is what SP always has been about....
I ordered the agreed components and got the question: "Would you like us to throw in some of our exotic components as well? Who would say no to that.... I had limited expectations for the outcome, but of course I was curious. Well it turned out that they probably did that for a reason, you know first fix is free 

Karsten

[Aether Audio]

Karsten,

Let's blame it on Mundorf 

Yeah!!!  It's all their fault!  OK, now I feel better.  Yeah, right. 

Turk,

THANKS!  Now THAT really does make me feel a little better.

Chris,

Will you offer all of your speakers with (optional) outboard X-O's in the future? 

We could offer it...and in fact we do. But it would/does raise the price of the system as we have to build separate boxes and have to use more terminals.  Then there's the added shipping costs as they sure won't fit in the box with the speakers. 

Gongos has already purchased his pair of Revelations with external X-Os, albeit they are the standard Mundorf variety.  Heck, once he hears how good they sound with them, he may "get the bug" too and want to do the trade in.  It will be easy for him too as all we have to do is swap out the boxes.

So yes...good idea - and we're already on it.

Thanks! 
-Bob

[Double Ugly]

Hmmm...a $2800 premium for top-of-the-line Mundorf pieces and parts.  I didn't know the price when I said I planned on getting the "Full Monty" in previous posts.  I'll need to think about it now that I know.
 





Okay,  I thought about it.  I'm in. 

[zybar]

Hmmm...a $2800 premium for top-of-the-line Mundorf pieces and parts.  I didn't know the price when I said I planned on getting the "Full Monty" in previous posts.  I'll need to think about it now that I know.
 





Okay,  I thought about it.  I'm in. 

Ah...the lifestyles of the rich and famous...   

George

[TomS]

Hmmm...a $2800 premium for top-of-the-line Mundorf pieces and parts.  I didn't know the price when I said I planned on getting the "Full Monty" in previous posts.  I'll need to think about it now that I know.
 





Okay,  I thought about it.  I'm in. 

Uh, for 3 that would be $4200 

[WOR Radio]

Since the woofer coil seemed to be the 'problem child' that brought this all on, what about just offering a 'coil only' update? Seems to me this would give the improvement where it counts (or counted, past tense)

[ted_b]

Since the woofer coil seemed to be the 'problem child' that brought this all on, what about just offering a 'coil only' update? Seems to me this would give the improvement where it counts (or counted, past tense)

Great idea!

Bob? 

[Karsten]

The woofer coil has been taken care of already and is being offered as a separate update. This does give a substantial improvement to the standard configuration, which is still sounding great and better than ever before. However nowhere close to the newly obtained results with the "ultimate stuff"

So the good has become better and the better (censored) fantastic 

Karsten

[Double Ugly]

Ah...the lifestyles of the rich and famous...   

George

Yeah...right. 

Uh, for 3 that would be $4200 

Since I need to find room for a center channel before purchasing one, $2800 is it for now.  Finding room won't happen overnight, so I'll have a little time to recover from the initial "Full Monty" purchase. 

Seriously though, to me it's a no-brainer.  I haven't heard it yet, but I've heard enough from previous upgrades to have an inkling about the improvements that have Karsten drooling.  To achieve the kind of sound he's referring to for only $2800 is a steal IME.

Since the woofer coil seemed to be the 'problem child' that brought this all on, what about just offering a 'coil only' update? Seems to me this would give the improvement where it counts (or counted, past tense)

What Karsten said -

The woofer coil has been taken care of already and is being offered as a separate update. This does give a substantial improvement to the standard configuration, which is still sounding great and better than ever before. However nowhere close to the newly obtained results with the "ultimate stuff"

The coil was identified as a problem child in a post was made two months ago, and an upgrade offer can be found therein.  This thread is about the ultimate upgrade to current and future SP Technology speakers.  Reference the provided link for coil-only upgrade information.
 
Shouldn't you be off selling your own speakers instead of worrying about what SP Tech is or isn't doing Mr. Speaker Designer/Manufacturer? 

-Jim