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I find it interesting that this basic picture book of speakers is unavailable from Amazon and not available at any library as far as I know. Must one spend $140 to look at pictures of speakers for 15 minutes? Typical of all that is wrong with the economics of high end audio and TAS in particular.
Follow Ups:
The culling of a herd usually begins with the least apt.
It will be on Amazon at some point. It will be a simple business decision to maximize profit once the initial “snob” appeal is gone and sales slow.
"A pound of perspiration is equal to an ounce of inspiration"
The notion that the $130 book is a "money maker" is, I think, probably off the mark. TAS has an average circulation of 40,000. Let's say 5% of TAS readers buy the book, and an equal number of non-subscribers buy it, both of which sound unlikely to me. That would give them a total run of 4,000 copies. The cost of doing a small production run of a high-quality book with color plates is daunting. If someone asked me to invest in that project as a money-maker, I'd turn them down cold, even if the thing was already written, edited, proofed, photographed, and laid up.
Art books over $1,000 *do* sell, and the publishers claim to make money on them - see link. Still, the high quality book market is a niche, and the high quality audio book market is a niche of a niche. It's tough.
But I'm glad they did it, and if I had cash lying around I'd probably get it, as I've been in audio, high end and otherwise, for decades, and met a number of the leading characters. And $130 isn't that much for this kind of book; Rizzoli and other "high end" bookshops sell many volumes in the $200-500 range, and enough in the $1,000+ range to keep stocking them. Even lowly Folio Society books, which are nicely printed and in slipcovers, run $45-70 a copy *unillustrated* and they have comparatively big production runs. For fun, check out their limited edition page, with their $12,500 "Les Grandes Heures de Jean." Copies are apparently still available, but hurry.
It's all a matter of what your passions are, and what resources you have to indulge them. Then there is extravagance for extravagance's sake, a.k.a. conspicuous consumption. We need that (think blue meters) as it helps fund the development and production of the gear we like.
WW
"A man need merely light the filaments of his receiving set and the world's greatest artists will perform for him." Alfred N. Goldsmith, RCA, 1922
If you go into Google and post Illustrated HIstory of HIgh End Audio and You Tube you will find two videos of Robert Harley explaining the effort and expense that went into producing this book. I suspect I was too harsh on Mr. Harley in my post although the basic points I was trying to make are still worth considering. The videos also show many pictures of what is actually in the book
The primary purpose of business is to maximize profits. When the product is good and affordable that's often because the makers think that will bring the greatest amount of profit. By the way I wish the book were cheaper. I'd like to see it but I can't rationalize that much money. Maybe the leftovers will be dumped at B&N in a year.
"The primary purpose of business is to maximize profits."
Who says? Why should anyone believe them?
Tony Lauck
"Diversity is the law of nature; no two entities in this universe are uniform." - P.R. Sarkar
My point was that by not allowing the book to be sold to libraries (if that is possible) where more people would have access to it and by restricting the sale so that discounters such as Amazon are not able to sell it they are demonstrating that they are primarily interest in money and not in educating the audio public. The price is secondary to the above although by placing such a high price they again are limiting it's distribution and the audio publics change to enjoy the book. To connect the dots this is analogous to the high end skewing it's sales and marketing to the 1% or less of the public that has the financial resources to buy their products even assuming they were interested in high end audio.
books to lend?
Everything is going to the dogs
Amazon is in a dispute with several publishers over pricing of books.
Just because you can't find a copy in a library, you can't assume the publisher is preventing sales to libraries (I'm doubtful they even can). Libraries don't buy every book - they buy those they think the communities they serve will be most interested in.
And yes, I suspect TAS IS more interested in making money that they are in educating the audio public.
If some "high-end" manufactures are "skewing" their prices to "the 1%", I suspect that is because that is what they believe will maximize profits.
rlindsa
..G'day,
they are demonstrating that they are primarily interest in money and not in educating the audio public.
Leaving the issue of money aside, how do you conclude the authors/owners of; this basic picture book of speakers have any obligation whatsoever to educate anyone about anything?
I sincerely fail to see how one could believe the producers of an obscure picture book on audio speakers have any obligation to anyone, let alone an obligation to "educate" the audio public.
We all have different views, which is healthy.
Cheers.
Smile
Sox
You are the only person to raise the question of "obligation" in this thread.
Tony Lauck
"Diversity is the law of nature; no two entities in this universe are uniform." - P.R. Sarkar
... Given the language used in this thread it seems some folks feel entitled other folks should meet their needs. I don't believe other folks are at all obliged or obligated to meet this individual arbitrary need.Of course, as always, YMMV.
Edit; On reflection, used above, the words, want(s), instead of the words, need(s), probably conveys my point better.
Smile
Sox
Edits: 07/15/14
I am glad TAS printed a book such as this one.
Did anyone get copy #1 ?
keep it next to their toilet.
Give me rhythm or give me death!
`
Smile
Sox
.
... You want to regulate how, when & for how much somebody publishes something?
Yes/No?
Smile
Sox
anyone has the right to JUDGE some product as being overpriced.
you, sir, are playing the part of Mr. Regulator: regulating evaluation and saying no one should evaluate a product on its price since they don't have to buy it. this attitude lets the producer of the product off the hook.
roger wang.
i ALWAYS follow the advice of THAT guy. you have hammered on the table so long it won't hold the book anymore.
...regards...tr
...how do you know if it's overpriced?
It may be underpriced.
Is work of art overpriced? It just hangs on the wall.
i appreciate you wanting to talk particulars and specifics, but that misses the ''general'' point: one has a right to see a product (or service) as being over-priced or over-valued. the original poster saw the book as costing too much - hardly a rarity in the publishing world.
as pointed out to three sox, relevance to my particular ability or desire to buy the fairly-priced or over-priced book MISSES THE POINT IN ENTIRETY. i hope you can better see the general point.
roger wang.
... A person has a right not to buy the product.
The producer of the product has no obligation to price their product how you or anybody else wants them to.
If you deem the product too expensive then don't buy it.
What don't you understand?
Smile
Sox
look: i'll try to make it so simple someone from an english-speaking country can understand: suppose i am richer than the richest person known. suppose, furthermore, that price has no correlation to quality.
never mind. overpriced products are worthy of criticism even if the price has no relevance to the person criticizing [in the scenario above where i'm the richest person, where price has no personal relevance to me].
""what don't you understand?""
roger wang.
I have humoured you long enough.
Remember, the Bored has asked you not to respond to my posts or make reference to me.
Be a good chap and move along.
Cheers.
Smile
Sox
you've got a right to whine about him being a cry baby.
It's all good.
Give me rhythm or give me death!
... The difference is I am not maligning an entire industry in the process. Nor am I saying ruxtonvet is typical of all audiophiles.
Value is in eye of the beholder but presenting a book priced at pocket change as representing;
Typical of all that is wrong with the economics of high end audio and TAS in particular.
Is a ridiculously broad brush statement.
A quality, hard cover, well bound, heavy glossy paper, chronicled pictures and limited production coffee table book is hardly expensive at $140.
For those who don't see the value they can simply pass on the purchase without their enjoyment of the hobby being impinged upon whatsoever.
One could whinge about the price of tungsten decoupling cones/pucks costing over $1000 dollars each. With a minimum of three needed per component one could quickly spend tens of thousands of dollars very easily. Of course not buying the cones/pucks is hardly depriving anyone from enjoying their audio equipment and the music it plays.
Life is good, enjoy it.
Smile
Sox
...I don't recall too much whining about Mac's coffee table book which seems to have been broadly similar to the TAS piece.
15 minutes! I can keep looking at one big Tannoy Westminster for ever.
Cheers
Bill
Yeah, I thought the big V was kinda dorky looking, but sure loved the sound at HiFi 99 in the Manley Labs room!
You can buy those Prestige on the second hand market for not too insane money - sound bloody good too. Then you don't need no stinkin books.
.
"The problem with quotes from the internet is that many of them just are just made up."
-Abraham Lincoln
...first it is published by TAS who should know a lot about the history of high end.
Second, from the cover it looks like a coffee table book with a lot of illustrations.
I have books like that of exotic cars, hot rods, from famous artists I like (Dali and Magritte) including the complete Time-Life series of books on art.
From the description it appears there is also some prose involved describing some of the products and the people who created them.
It might take you more than 15 minutes to get through ;-)
I don't know if it's typical of high end audio - Harley's educational book telling you about high end audio costs much less.
nt
so long as you PROMISE not to use it in your listening room!
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" - Michael McClure
.....the coffee table would be my stereo. I've never seen anything so cool.
...that the speakers are actually facing away from the listening seat.
Perhaps Amar Bose was inspired by this coffee table.
Any table you put your coffee on is a coffee table ;)
Any table you put your coffee on is a coffee table even if it is a stool. :-)
Tony Lauck
"Diversity is the law of nature; no two entities in this universe are uniform." - P.R. Sarkar
jm
Sorry man this is the best coffee table book
...I can watch over and over :*)
The book is geared towards well healed audiophiles. It's not marketed to the average Joe.
I received the book as a gift and was thrilled to receive it.
It is not just "pretty pictures" as there is a lot of educational text also.
I have spent hours reading and looking and have a long way to go.
I consider myself a regular "Joe Audiophile" and am not rich by any means.
I enjoy my very modest system and take offense to the generalization of this book being only for the well heeled.
I look forward to future volumes and will be buying them as they come available.
It is a high quality book and I for one appreciate being able to own it.
Well said.
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