Perlisten Expands Reference Series Loudspeakers for a More Affordable THX Dominus Experience

[mtrot]

As we get older, we need better and more expensive equipment to compenstate for our hearing loss. No joke

Lol, have you been reading my signature?

 

[luis1090]

With the "each" MSRPs listed above, you must live in some rarified air to conclude: "Gotta Have It". across a manufacturer's entire speaker line.

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I agree!...for a 7.2.4 set up we're looking at roughly 50k just for speakers if you add amps, pre-amps, cables, etc because heck a receiver it's out of the question you might reach $100k. Gonna have to get a 2nd mortgage if you "Gotta Have It ".

 

[Eppie]

In all fairness, it's not like the $5k to $10k (USD) bracket is lacking offerings:

• KEF R11 $5,000
• Paradigm Founder 100F $5,200
• JBL HDI-3800 $5,500
• JBL L100 Classic 75 $5,500
• Revel Performa3 F208 $5,500
• Polk Audio Legend L800 $6,000
• B&W 702 S2 $6,000
• Focal Aria 936 $6,000
• Klipsch Cornwall IV $6,600
• Martin Logan ESL 9 $7,000
• Definitive Technology Demand D17 $7,000
• Monitor Audio Gold 300 $7,000
• Elac Vela FS409 $7,400
• Paradigm Persona B $7,500
• KEF Reference 1 $7,500
• Revel PerformaBe F226Be $7,700
• Focal Kanta No1 $8,000
• PSB Synchrony T600 $8,000
• Focal Aria 948 $8,500
• Wharfedale Elysian 4 $10,000
• Klipsch Heritage Forte IV $10,000

and that's just a quick look through Crutchfield and the web. There must be a pretty healthy market in that price range. Rather than beat up the company on price, look at what else is offered around the same price point and see how they compare. How does the R5t stack up against the Revel F226Be or the R5m against the Revel M126Be or Paradigm Persona B?

 

[Hetfield]

In all fairness, it's not like the $5k to $10k (USD) bracket is lacking offerings:

• KEF R11 $5,000
• Paradigm Founder 100F $5,200
• JBL HDI-3800 $5,500
• JBL L100 Classic 75 $5,500
• Revel Performa3 F208 $5,500
• Polk Audio Legend L800 $6,000
• B&W 702 S2 $6,000
• Focal Aria 936 $6,000
• Klipsch Cornwall IV $6,600
• Martin Logan ESL 9 $7,000
• Definitive Technology Demand D17 $7,000
• Monitor Audio Gold 300 $7,000
• Elac Vela FS409 $7,400
• Paradigm Persona B $7,500
• KEF Reference 1 $7,500
• Revel PerformaBe F226Be $7,700
• Focal Kanta No1 $8,000
• PSB Synchrony T600 $8,000
• Focal Aria 948 $8,500
• Wharfedale Elysian 4 $10,000
• Klipsch Heritage Forte IV $10,000

and that's just a quick look through Crutchfield and the web. There must be a pretty healthy market in that price range. Rather than beat up the company on price, look at what else is offered around the same price point and see how they compare. How does the R5t stack up against the Revel F226Be or the R5m against the Revel M126Be or Paradigm Persona B?

Those are some crazy prices from big speaker companies, mass speaker companies. In this case, in this price range I would rather go with a boutique brand but that's just me. I don't have the choice to make, because it's out my range altogether.

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[ryanosaur]

It's a common thing, every time a preview comes out and they choose "Gotta Have It" people flip out.

In terms of value, that is personal to everybody, yet invariably it is the ones that can't afford the ticket that squawk. I get it. There is a lot of gear I can't afford, and I don't shop the high end stuff, anyway. Storm and Trinnov... Levinson or Benchmark... Magico or Wilson...
I like to know about it, and just like when I'm looking at a new Oven-Range, I don't fixate on the Thermador or Miele category, rather I look at what is affordable to us over the course of 6 mos or a year or whatever makes sense for or actual need vs desire.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Well, you pay some money for the ONLY THX DOMINUS certified speakers in the world!

 

[Cos]

Well, you pay some money for the ONLY THX DOMINUS certified speakers in the world!

FOMO!
I am curious how more affordable line measures,

 

[TLS Guy]

I think many members here do not realize the cost of decent components before you even get to think about building and finishing the cabinets.

The performance that you can get from well designed and crafted drivers compared to much cheaper ones, is staggering and not in the least bit trivial.

A driver like this is expensive and easily justifies its cost.

So that is $468.00 a pop. If you are going to produce a speaker that really delivers the goods then you will need at least four for a pair of speakers. So that is $18472.00 before you have bought four mids and two tweeters of commensurate quality. Yes, it really will take four mids to produce a speakers able to produce concert levels without distress. The quality crossover parts will run at least $200 or more for the pair before you have built the board or boards.

So you can see, that if you are producing a really fine speaker your production costs are going to be high.

However the performance difference from well designed speakers built from quality components like that compared to drivers costing $50.00 to $150.00 each is not a marginal difference but a chasm between the two.

Really good high spl. speakers will always be expensive formidable products, if the design and R & D is of the required standard also.

 

[lovinthehd]

I think many members here do not realize the cost of decent components before you even get to think about building and finishing the cabinets.

The performance that you can get from well designed and crafted drivers compared to much cheaper ones, is staggering and not in the least bit trivial.

A driver like this is expensive and easily justifies its cost.

So that is $468.00 a pop. If you are going to produce a speaker that really delivers the goods then you will need at least four for a pair of speakers. So that is $18472.00 before you have bought four mids and two tweeters of commensurate quality. Yes, it really will take four mids to produce a speakers able to produce concert levels without distress. The quality crossover parts will run at least $200 or more for the pair before you have built the board or boards.

So you can see, that if you are producing a really fine speaker your production costs are going to be high.

However the performance difference from well designed speakers built from quality components like that compared to drivers costing $50.00 to $150.00 each is not a marginal difference but a chasm between the two.

Really good high spl. speakers will always be expensive formidable products, if the design and R & D is of the required standard also.

That some hospital billing math where 4 x 468 = 18472? Then again as to driver pricing, buying a couple at retail is probably a different thing than buying them in production numbers....but still a good point. Cabinets aren't cheap to make either.

 

[ryanosaur]

That some hospital billing math where 4 x 468 = 18472? Then again as to driver pricing, buying a couple at retail is probably a different thing than buying them in production numbers....but still a good point. Cabinets aren't cheap to make either.

He is a Doctor, afterall.

 

[TLS Guy]

That some hospital billing math where 4 x 468 = 18472? Then again as to driver pricing, buying a couple at retail is probably a different thing than buying them in production numbers....but still a good point. Cabinets aren't cheap to make either.

Some how I made a typo, as the number was correct is my portable brain. A 4 some how slipped in.
The unit price is $468.80, so four will cost $1,875.2. The bulk price gets you a 10% discount, so which would give you a $187.52 discount for four speakers. So a reduction of $46.88 per driver. That is why the speaker production business is so tough. Again it makes the case for DIY. If you do it right it will cost you about 15 to 20% of the cost of a manufactured speaker of equivalent quality. You have to remember the manufacturer will mark it up 40% before it ships to make it worthwhile. The dealer will want 50% mark up on that.

 

[lovinthehd]

Some how I made a typo, as the number was correct is my portable brain. A 4 some how slipped in.
The unit price is $468.80, so four will cost $1,875.2. The bulk price gets you a 10% discount, so which would give you a $187.52 discount for four speakers. So a reduction of $46.88 per driver. That is why the speaker production business is so tough. Again it makes the case for DIY. If you do it right it will cost you about 15 to 20% of the cost of a manufactured speaker of equivalent quality. You have to remember the manufacturer will mark it up 40% before it ships to make it worthwhile. The dealer will want 50% mark up on that.

I wouldn't call buying four in bulk, just a retail quantity discount. Hopefully b2b would yield better pricing.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

And if all those listed speakers were THX Dominus certified, how much would they cost?

I guess we can safely say that speakers with a +5dB hump around the 8-11kHz region (B&W, Paradigm, GoldenEar, etc.) can forget about applying for Dominus.

 

[TLS Guy]

I wouldn't call buying four in bulk, just a retail quantity discount. Hopefully b2b would yield better pricing.

That price was for 10 to 10.000 units.

 

[lovinthehd]

That price was for 10 to 10.000 units.

So not applicable to four, but buying from the manufacturer or distributor direct rather than at retail?

 

[mtrot]

Man, Focal's MSRP on their Aria models has gone through the roof! Just a couple years ago, you could buy a nice used set of Aria 936 for around $2,600. Check the historical listings on Hi Fi Shark. I understand there is inflation going on, but the price inflation for audio equipment is incredible. This is, in turn, skyrocketing the price of used gear.

 

[Eppie]

Man, Focal's MSRP on their Aria models has gone through the roof! Just a couple years ago, you could buy a nice used set of Aria 936 for around $2,600. Check the historical listings on Hi Fi Shark. I understand there is inflation going on, but the price inflation for audio equipment is incredible. This is, in turn, skyrocketing the price of used gear.

Yeah, I was looking at B-stock Aria 948 last year (demo units) and they were half of what they are selling for now. Regret not making that purchase but there were rumblings of those tweeters having occasional failures.

 

[TLS Guy]

So not applicable to four, but buying from the manufacturer or distributor direct rather than at retail?

Madisound are the US agents. SEAS are a relatively small company and can not afford large discounts. In any case those units are to a very large extent hand made and not made with cheap Chinese labor. They are superbly made and crafted drivers and worth every last cent. I really wonder how consistent the Perlisten drivers will actually be. Made in China fills me with zero confidence. I would love a shoot out with those Perlisten speakers, and face the challenge with a high degree of confidence.

 

[ryanosaur]

SEAS are a relatively small company and can not afford large discounts. In any case those units are to a very large extent hand made

SEAS, Scan Speak and AT are all pretty similar in this regard... With Scan and AT being part of the Skanning family business if I recall correctly.
Dennis was waiting for a while to have his order of 8" Scan Revelators filled. I think he said it was the largest single order for those drivers ever placed and the factory was having a tough time meeting it.

Regardless, I suspect the original line of Perlisten components is going to be very consistent and of high quality. Perhaps the R series we are discussing here could face some more quality concerns, though so far everything I've heard about the business is pretty solid... Purely speculative to challenge efficacy.

 

[TLS Guy]

SEAS, Scan Speak and AT are all pretty similar in this regard... With Scan and AT being part of the Skanning family business if I recall correctly.
Dennis was waiting for a while to have his order of 8" Scan Revelators filled. I think he said it was the largest single order for those drivers ever placed and the factory was having a tough time meeting it.

Regardless, I suspect the original line of Perlisten components is going to be very consistent and of high quality. Perhaps the R series we are discussing here could face some more quality concerns, though so far everything I've heard about the business is pretty solid... Purely speculative to challenge efficacy.

I'm going to be a skeptic. If the owners and engineering team are not close to the factory floor, who knows what will take place?

At ATC the owner and engineering team are just across the parking lot, not an ocean away. That type of engineering model defies time honored practices that produce guaranteed quality unit after unit.

Dennis probably did have to wait for his drivers, like he did the Chinese cabinets. Supply chains have been disrupted and throwing everything into disarray of late.

The whole world's geopolitics are shifting on their axes right now. One thing is certain that off shore manufacture will become risky and untenable in short order.

We can absolutely not continue to do business with China as we have on the past.