Linkwitz Orion v4 now costs $14,750

[AcuDefTechGuy]

One another note, it looks like SL is bored with targeting the crowd of sane people. Check this out"

http://www.theorionspeakers.com/pdfs/RMAF_Price_List.pdf

I think he's really trying to get some business from ""audiophiles""...

$1400 cables and $11,000 amps were used to showcase these speakers at that event.

Does remind me of what Roger Russell said about wire at shows... people won't even give speakers a chance if they're not dressed up in pricey cable.

I won't judge him or anyone, especially not in this economy.

The things you have to do to compete in this market!

I noticed he's recommending Bryston amps and everything. And he's not recommending 80WPC amps either. He's recommending the ATI AT1800s amps - 180WPC amps.

I guess you have to sell just about everything these days because some people will want it.

If someone wants $10,000 cables, who are we to stop them?

We don't believe in such cables and we don't promote them, but who are we to stop them?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Drums please...
B&O Beolab 5.

I recall Peter Azcel talking about the BeoLab speakers too. I thought about them. Then he raved about the Orions and how the Orions were the best speakers in the world to him. Then I stopped thinking about the BeoLab.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I also recall SL saying that his Orions were "worth" twice or even thrice the price if they were sold by dealers, instead of direct sale.

So his pre-V4 Orions would be worth $8K x 2 = $16K or $8K x 3 = $24K.

Oh, well, I'm just glad I already have my Orions.

Now I can tell people who come to my house that my Orions are $15K speakers, but they are really worth $30K.

 

[cpp]

I won't judge him or anyone, especially not in this economy.

Wow, so the regular complete price (Speakers + ASP XO) went from ~ $8K to ~ 15K from v3 --> v4

it does make you wonder why the drastic increase , I understand that a company has to make a profit but it appears in this economy that all prices regardless of the product are on the way up which of course prohibits sales that could have been identified if the price would have remained stable. We see it everywhere, prices are up, component prices are up but salaries remain stagnant or have been reduced in order to maintain jobs and or keep production moving. Dam shame really, but that's business, you got to show a profit, but $7k from one version to another, wow. Usually huge mark ups are either due to component increases, keeping good labor, manufacturing cost, or getting ready for supplementing ones business profits or retirement.

$2200 plus 60 hours of your labor to build one (1) speaker or pay $5800 for him to build it. Interesting but in house testing on the completed product could be driving some cost up, but how much.

 

[ErinH]

I won't judge him or anyone, especially not in this economy.

The things you have to do to compete in this market!

I noticed he's recommending Bryston amps and everything. And he's not recommending 80WPC amps either. He's recommending the ATI AT1800s amps - 180WPC amps.

I guess you have to sell just about everything these days because some people will want it.

If someone wants $10,000 cables, who are we to stop them?

We don't believe in such cables and we don't promote them, but who are we to stop them?

For me it's not about his desire to market himself differently for financial gain but moreso because of principal. I haven't been in the audio game for nearly as long as you guys but I adore the technological side of it (feel free to visit here to see my own SoundEasy and Klippel driver tests). I've followed a lot of Linkwitz's blogs/postings/whathaveyou because he's always had a great straightforward, no nonsense approach to audio. Though, sometimes a bit daunting for me to comprehend the first pass, admittedly. I don't claim to have the best memory in the world, but it seems his stance on audiophoolery was in stark contrast to his new apparent direction.

IOW, it seems as if he's done an about face on what he used to talk against.

 

[GranteedEV]

Honestly, I don't think he's 'promoting' high end cables/amps. I think he just realizes that much of the Hi Fi community is a lost cause in that regard. I doubt Kevin Voecks thinks you need Mark Levinson amps for Revel Salons, but at the end of the day, only sane people realize 95% of what they are hearing are the room\speakers. At places like conventions, how many people are sane? Even AJ in FLA since starting his speaker company, is responding to questions like 'can my 18w Single Ended Triode Tubes drive your speakers'. Roger Russell explained it on his page about wire - I am paraphrasing but "People refused to listen without apprehension to our Mcintosh speakers when they saw 'zip cord' and remembered the horror stories. As soon as we swapped out the cable with high end stuff, they would listen to the speakers without that apprehension. It wasn't worthwhile just to prove a point."

Now regarding 150w amps for the orion V4. I think the new seas woofers have much higher excursion capabilities so maybe they don't bottom as easily as the old Peerless woofers?

 

[majorloser]

Just go to AXPONA one time and you'll get to see all the theatrics you care to when it comes to selling high end speakers. The Koolade is handed out when you buy your ticket.

I can understand why they need to show their equipment with ridiculously priced wires. It's "eye candy" that lures in the audiophool masses.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I just sent Don Naples an email and inquired about the price increase.

When Don Naples made my Orions v3.2.1 just in March of this year, the price was ~ $8K.

Even then, he told me the prices for the woods have gone up significantly.

He said the genuine Mahogany solid wood was becoming more rare.

I guess solid pieces of wood cost a lot more than the veneer wood?

 

[Warpdrv]

I just sent Don Naples an email and inquired about the price increase.

When Don Naples made my Orions v3.2.1 just in March of this year, the price was ~ $8K.

Even then, he told me the prices for the woods have gone up significantly.

He said the genuine Mahogany solid wood was becoming more rare.

I guess solid pieces of wood cost a lot more than the veneer wood?

Hmmmm curious - how many speakers do you think you could build with this. http://www.woodworkerssource.com/pp-mah-p-Mahogany_Genuine.html

 

[Maab]

I recall Peter Azcel talking about the BeoLab speakers too. I thought about them. Then he raved about the Orions and how the Orions were the best speakers in the world to him. Then I stopped thinking about the BeoLab.

I always take the reviews very very very lightly at the best. I auditioned them (Beolab) and I repeat that they impressed me a lot. The bass was superb. For what I heard in the demo room the bass was more impressive than my 2 f113 I have at home (well, not much surprise there because my room is far from ideal).
I decided that my next speakers will be the Adam or Beloab 5 because of their adjustability among other virtues ofcourse. The Orions were up there in my list. I heard them, I liked them, but at $14 plus amps and crossover boxes to be sitting somewhere in the room... not for me anymore. I found the Orion's sound to be very clean and clear. The mid bass was fantastic. But, being a dipole with particular room positioning requirements, I'm not willing to gamble $14k. And with that I am not saying they are not worth it. Its a kind of speaker that I would have like to audition at home at that price because of my crazy living room situation.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Don Naples Response on Orion Price Increase

This is Don Naples' response to my inquiry on the price increase:


The Orion-3 was not promoted. It was only sold from orders on the internet.

The cost of promoting the Orion-4, shows, brochures, hotels, meals, airfare, shipping, demo equipment, etc. required us to raise the price to support this promotion.

We have done three shows and a club demonstration so far and are committed to several more shows. I hope this approach makes more people aware of the Orion speakers.

The cabinets are more complex and expensive to build and we include the ASP and packaging in the price.

The promotion was for orders we could build while waiting for the availability of the new SEAS woofers.

They are now in production, and soon to be delivered, so no more promotion price.


So the price now is officially $14,750.

 

[Adam]

I hope this approach makes more people aware of the Orion speakers.

The irony is that there's probably going to be a lot more people who know about them and can't afford them...because of the cost of telling them.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

The irony is that there's probably going to be a lot more people who know about them and can't afford them...because of the cost of telling them.

Wouldn't it be cheaper to just lend a used pair of Orions to Gene/Audioholics?

Then John Atkinson @ Stereophile?

Then Soundstage/NRC?

Then Home Theater Magazine?

Then Sound & Vision Magazine?

It might cost a total of $2,000 for shipping to 5 different places.

 

[ErinH]

The irony is that there's probably going to be a lot more people who know about them and can't afford them...because of the cost of telling them.

That was the exact thought I had when I read that.