Answers | Q&A (Week of 6.2.25)

Measuring the Relative Cost of Audio Experiences

Question:

This week, we address a subject that is frequently presented by individuals who comment on our YouTube channel. This article can also be found in the Audiopedia section of theabsolutesound.com.

Why is hi-fi so expensive?

—many YouTube viewers

Answer:

On our YouTube channel, we frequently get comments along the lines of “that price is insane,” or “pure extortion,” or “who can buy this stuff?” We, of course have been in the audio industry for a long time, and perhaps we are desensitized, but we wondered if we could do a little research to understand if the wheels have come off or if some people just don’t care about audio and music so for them $1 is too much. Or something.

One thing is certain: the most expensive audio equipment is more expensive than the most expensive audio equipment of, say, 1966. To pick an example, the KLH Model 9 could count as the most exotic speaker of 1966, and it was priced then at $2280 in top form. That is the equivalent of about $22,000 in 2025. Today, …