I’m sure there were high-end speakers made ingeniously and with exacting standards that warranted high prices and reverence by the community back then, but to look at tear downs of many of the speakers shown in here, I find it difficult to believe that there was really all that much justification for very high prices.
Particle board, paper cones, magnets, simple circuits. Or improved materials and gold plated contracts. Solid wood with nice wood grain stained and chrome or flat black fasteners.
Sure, R&D, scarcity of some materials, labor costs for hand made components. There’s some justification there. Some. But not all that much compared to how products are made in any industry.
Worth $300? $3000? $30,000 a pair?
Hmmm.
Times were completely different, also prototyping was fine way different. You miss a couple very important key factors here.
Before software (such as winISD) and such were prevalent available. It got done by actually building and prototyping loudspeakers. You’re missing also that because of those years “the prototype years” you enjoy what you fancy as good today.
In those days , nothing was cheaper as it is today. Pio caps at that time were way more costly than today’s polycaps. Thanks to the technological advancements we have made. I’d argue even that speakers are more overpriced now than they ever were before.
They don’t prototype anymore, it’s all done putting in thiele parameters in a software platform. And it tells them to a “t” what should be done and how. It’s no longer a real science, it’s more of a well understood process called "assembly lines productivity "
Back in the day for that era, wood veneers were a standard. Today even in "higher end echelon " speakers they use vinyl veneers . Than your particle board comment, it’s actually acoustically speaking ?! Ready for it (And you CAN SOURCE THIS INFO AT THE DIY AUDIO FORUMS INCLUDING MEASUREMENTS)
The differences in the audible realm are negligible! Particleboard was the material of the era, just as foam and textile surrounds…
So where are we with this…
Old vintage speakers or prominent proven pedigree. Hand build , and with care and the intention of enjoyment. There is a passion behind that what those guys did.
Or …
New from an assembly line, that posses 0 character and cheapest materials used TODAY…
You need to understand how much different this times were. You’re talking about an era that was pioneering in what you take from granted with the new gear out there hands down.
Footnote: marketing baloney? Back then THEY DIDN’T HAVE THE INTERNET TO PROMOTE. today, I can’t even open up my Facebook without seeing an svs or Klipsch coupon code post.
Really want to go there my guy?!