The trend continues...

January 31, 201214 yr

Ignoring the suggested retail prices, and the headphones selected... I found it interesting to see the trend in HeadRoom's updated "Ultimate Head Phone" guide. I seem to remember that it used to contain some bargain contenders.... but as $1000 becomes the norm for "flag ships" I see that they only slip two or three choices under the 1k mark now, and the bulk of the pack heading north of $1200.

http://www.headphone.com/selection-guide/top-picks/ultimate-headphones.php

January 31, 201214 yr

If it serves to inform people there's something above the Beats out there, I'm ok with it.

January 31, 201214 yr

Author

I just wanted to add, in case I came across differently, my observation was about the industry trend for higher priced gear, not about HeadRoom's prices. The HeadRoom guide just provided an easy view of the trend.

And I couldn't agree more, guides like this got me listening to decent gear when I first got the itch...

January 31, 201214 yr

Yep, it's not as easy to own "everything" these days...but nice to have several choices I would be happy to own.

I keep having chances to listen to STAX and I need to stop. (Should enjoy my HD 800s for a while.)

January 31, 201214 yr

I remember a couple years ago, some cats on HF were lamenting the lack of truly "high end" (read: high price) headphones on the market, a la HE90 and pricey Sony stuff.

I'm personally not seeing this upward trend. I mean, AKG and Sony don't have any extravagant phones currently, and the Audeze, Senns, Grados, and iems are still under $2k. The only thing taking the cake currently is the Stax. Also, the new Shure line is looking fairly affordable, while the Phillips are looking VERY affordable.

February 1, 201214 yr

Sony's current top end is not too high, you're right. $500 a piece retail for the Z1000 and EX1000. AKG just released $1300 earbuds, however.

Beyer T1: $1300

Sennheiser HD700/HD800: $1000 and $1500

Audeze LCD2/3 $1000 and $2000

Hifiman HE-6: $1300

Grado GS1000 PS1000: $1000 $1700

Fostex's new cans: $2000

Ultrasone (no stranger to high prices I admit) Edition 10: $2750

Various custom IEM makers: $1000-2000

AudioTechnica W5000: $1000

Stax SR507 SR007 SR009 $1050, $2700, $5000

.. starting to get hard to think of other companies. Denon and Sony seem to be the only mainstream brands without a top end current production model over $1000, or even near it really. In the time frame you were talking about, certainly there were the Stax and other stats, Ultrasone and the Sony R10s that were over $1000, but really nothing else. This was as recent as 5-6 years ago. Now it's hard to name a mainstream company that isn't at $1000 or well over it. The trend is easy to see.

Edited February 1, 201214 yr by Maxvla

February 1, 201214 yr

Senn HE60, HE90

Sony Qualia, R10

ATH L3000, etc

AKG K1000

Stax

Grado

I'd say the high end isn't more expensive now than it's been in the past...there are just more small players trying for that pie too.

February 1, 201214 yr

Right. I think the OP was mostly getting at the point that the top of the line is now $1000+ by default for all major headphone companies, not just a handful.

February 1, 201214 yr

most of the new companies at the top weren't making headphones 5 years ago

February 1, 201214 yr

Author

I remember a couple years ago, some cats on HF were lamenting the lack of truly "high end" (read: high price) headphones on the market, a la HE90 and pricey Sony stuff.

I'm personally not seeing this upward trend. I mean, AKG and Sony don't have any extravagant phones currently, and the Audeze, Senns, Grados, and iems are still under $2k. The only thing taking the cake currently is the Stax. Also, the new Shure line is looking fairly affordable, while the Phillips are looking VERY affordable.

I agree, it's not an overall trend of headphone prices going up, only what seems to be the target "flag ship" pricing.

I'm certainly hoping that the Philips offerings are as good as the hype. I'm itching to get a listen.

Senn HE60, HE90
Sony Qualia, R10
ATH L3000, etc
AKG K1000
Stax
Grado

I'd say the high end isn't more expensive now than it's been in the past...there are just more small players trying for that pie too.

Great point. I hadn't looked at it from this side. I guess you could make a case that there is a whole super high end that's missing in the current market, except for Stax...