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John Stafford 20 November 2004

Hi all.

I was just wondering what's the most expensive audio gear in the world.

While most of us drool over those pieces of equipment that are out of reach, it seems quite reasonable compared to top of the line stuff in other areas. I mean you can pay over $200,000 for a hi-fi, or $78,000 for a bottle of perfume -well you could until they ran out of stock! Top of the line watch just under $800,000.

All I can think of is a mixing console, but that's for ninety channels. I know this is a superficial topic, but I'm genuinely curious to know if there is some ridiculously expensive stuff out there that I just haven't heard of. Or maybe I'm trying to convince myself that three grand for a mic is good value for money, as I sink further into debt

John Stafford

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Fede Mon, 11/22/2004 - 05:34

Last month I was given a tour of the Blackbird Studios in Nashville, TN. They have probably got the most extravagant gear collection in the world.

At least they have the two mics that are to their knowledge the two most expensive/valuable in the world today.

The only original Telefunken ELAM271 (IIRC) - they only made one. And the only clone of it ever built by the new Telefunken North America. The tech that took me on the tour told me that they weighed in at an estimated $70.000 a piece....

....and that's 2 out of their 696 mics or so.....(about 270 different models in the collection).

Thomas W. Bethel Tue, 11/23/2004 - 05:21

Manley would go at the top of my list for really good really expensive gear.

So would Weiss, SSL, Neve, API and the list is endless.

I just spent the weekend helping a friend put in a stereo system in his media room. Speakers $83,000, two Mono Block Amplifiers $80,000, , DVD player $8,000, AC line cords $450 each (5 needed), 61" Plasma Screen $12,500, PreAmp $40,000 and speaker wire $11,500. The only problem is that his room is square with hard walls and ceiling and the system does not sound all that good.

Moral of the story you can have GREAT equipment but if the acoustical conditions it is used in are not great you will not get the best sound.

FWIW

-TOM-

John Stafford Wed, 11/24/2004 - 20:18

Tom and Fede,
Such delightful extravagance!

A friend of mine had quite a high-end hi-fi a while back, but the speakers were way too big for the room, and the whole setup sounded reasonable, but not nearly as good as it should have done. Still it was nothing like the cost of the system you described Tom. I suppose in our game nobody would consider spending that sort of money on a monitoring system without spending vast wads of cash on the acoustical environment -something most domestic users can't really consider; after all, they have to live in the place!

Fede, can you imagining spending all of that money on a mic, and finding out it clashed with your voice! That would be seriously painful! It would be wonderful to get the opportunity to use it though . If I had serious money, I think I'd buy a pair of 24-track analog machines, and a kickass desk -or better still, SSL, Neve, API and a few other desks all together so I could use a different sound every day!

John Stafford

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