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64.12.116.141
Well, it’s happened again. Another audio reviewer equates a component selling for five figures (in this case a $16,000 pair of speakers) with *affordability.* I’m referring to the headline on the cover of the current TAS: “WORLD-CLASS SOUND, REAL-WORLD PRICE.”
Curious, I glanced inside. The headline refers to Chris Martens' review of the Usher BE-20, which sells for $16,400 per pair. I’m unsure as to which “world” Mr. Martens frequents, and I don’t suppose he even wrote the hook, but this casual attitude vis-à-vis price is indicative of what’s wrong with hi-end audio. To wit, such gear is simply unattainable for 99+ percent of would-be consumers, and to suggest otherwise is to turn a blind eye to the obvious, something industry spokesmen have been doing for years.
The question arises: At what price point would TAS decline to suggest a speaker is affordable? (C’mon, guys, just give us a number.) Fortunately, I’m at that stage of my life where the BE-20 is easily within my reach. But this happy fact does not blind me to the reality that such a purchase would be an extravagant luxury for most consumers—even audiophiles.
Someone once said that the average American is a bit above average. Translation: most Americans are imbued with enough commonsense to recognize when they’re being massaged. :)
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