What Is Hi-end Audio and Why They Are So Expensive?

This post is an introduction to the hi-end audio. Average people will stare with straight face when they looking at the price tag of this expensive audio system. This hi-end audio brands has small popularity but the price are ultimately higher than most commercial brand, let's say like the Sony, Technics, Denon, or Pioneer. Although some of those popular commercial audio brands also have their hi-end audio line up, for example the Pioneer have the ELITE series, Sony has the ES series, and Technics has the Esoteric, but most of their products are targeting to average consumer market.

The hi-end audio brands are nowhere heard from those average consumer. The brands such as Audio Note, Mark Levinson, Krell, Pass Labs, which intended in hi-end audio are definitely they never heard about them.

Interestingly, this hi-end audio industries keep growing from time to time. The recession in global economic are impact to all industries, but why this hi-end business still alive?

From what I found, there are always loyal customers for the certain brands. Also the new comers entering in this hi-end audio market also a have a huge demand on them. They contributing and makes this hi-end audio industries keep rolling up.

By attending the hi-end audio show which scheduled by yearly on many places, you can see the exhibitor are passionate to show off their audio products. The visitor also are eager to have a listen and experience to their hi-end audio as well.

Perhaps I must quote from what I've have heard about guide to buying the hi-end audio: you can invest your money in land, gold, or anything, then once the market crash, you'll worried and you become stressed! Why don't you invest on hi-end audio? You definitely happy with the sound, yet, not to worries about market crash anymore! hahaha this is a funny quote, but maybe it is true.

Well, since I am build my audio gear by myself, I probably know better about the cost to make it and how I should sell the product. This is just like those hi-end audio manufacture which they are mostly start their business from their garage first before become big.

Let's say an F5 amplifier from First Watt selling commercially for about US$ 3000 in limited quantity and will be discontinued once the stock sold. Nelson Pass the founder of this First Watt is very generous. He sharing the manual and schematic so you can build this F5 amplifier by your own. Once you had the schematic, you notice the major cost for building the amplifier like this is in the chassis and the toroidal transformer. By counting all the components, then you can assume all the building cost is less than US$1000. Then why the First Watt sell that F5 amplifier those very high? This is the explanation.

Regardless of sales margin, distributors, and overhead cost, I can say that you have to pay for the effort in making this amplifier sound good. This F5 amplifier is one of many products from Mr. Pass. They come from his countless experience and knowledge in making a good sounding amplifier. This research and development, including all components that should be bought in large quantity, pre-testing the unit and countless time of the listening test makes the US$3000 price for F5 amplifier are definitely cheap! 

Also not many people can make an amplifier by their own. Imagine when you want to build the  amplifier like this F5, then you should study the basic electronic and understand how each components principle works. Then the first trial is mostly fail. Others than that, when collecting the components also a hard job to do. 

If I take another extreme example, when you want build your amplifier from the scratch, means you design yourself the amplifier schematic, then how long will it takes to become a good amplifier? Perhaps it takes the whole of your life.

I remember what my friend told me about the Mark Levinson and it's product are basically a good sounding product. The Mark Levinson do testing and listen the product by himself. He is expert in determine what the music should perform in the playback audio system and it reflect to the Mark Levinson products as well.

The others extra cost occurs if you interested to the hi-end product that also focus to the design as well. Such as the Bang & Olufsen, the Sonus Faber, or Bowers Wilkins that also not only have a great product, they also paid so much attention in design. You know a good design product is not cheap at all.

I can give the phrase for this he-end audio is just like choosing a steak in the fancy restaurant. I eat a 200 gram wagyu steak grade 5 for US$100 and I like it so much. They also have the grade 9 for US$250 which if I am so much in love with this steak, I will try to afford it. I also often eat a common rib-eye steak for around US$30 at Tony Roma's. It is delicious. And hey!, there also US$5 chicken steak! They are just a steak and the goal is make you stomach full, right?! Then why there are so much different in price?! Well I can tell you that they are same like making the hi-end audio. On how they treat the cow for a wagyu steak are in special way. Let's take this as an example. As far as I know, each cows are having delicate and sensitive treatment. The cows should be relax for the whole live, eat nutritious food and so many others treatment which I perhaps I cannot describe in details. Then the very best parts of it is the steak cooked well and deliver to the plate with very minimum of additional ingredients. The result to the steak is smooth meat texture with the juicy come out from the steak. The goals from all of it is the perfection of the meat is serve to the table! The other steak are also okay, I am not allergic to them, but once you have a chance to taste the expensive steak you probably know the difference to the cheap one. Mushroom or black paper sauce anyone? Not anymore, it is original meat that we preferred. The natural and original taste!

The quality make this high price tag is considerably make sense now. Selling a hi-end audio are not a one shoot purchase and break-even to all the cost and effort to the maker. It is a fair price for the performance that they can offer to this hi-end audio market.

The price you paid for this hi-end audio system are definitely for the passion and the effort in perfection that brings the enjoyment in your listening room.

So it is up to you now. If you like the music and you spending your precious time listening to the crap sounding audio system, or you probably appreciate it more by listening to the music with the best audio gear you can possible buy. This is all lead to brings an enjoyment in listening to the music.

For me, I love listening to the music and loved to make audio gear by myself. I know this also not cheap and a never ending improvement. Also it is not guarantee to be good as the branded one as well.

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