Goldmund's $17,000 Blu-ray player
(Credit:
SlashGear)
If you've ever wondered how a media room can run up a $300,000 tab, try this on for starters: a Blu-ray Disc player that goes for $17,000.
Switzerland-based Goldmund has upgraded its "Eidos 20" media player with the victorious video format, claiming that it's the first Blu-ray player from a high-end audio-video equipment maker. As with all such products, one can't help but wonder how the exorbitant price can be justified, though Goldmund claims "the finest AS-Curator power supply circuit and magnetic damping for ultimate sound and video reproduction with least amount of mechanical and electrical distortions," according to SlashGear. Whatever.
Almost as if to add insult to injury, the box is about as nondescript as one can imagine: It looks like a piece of hospital equipment or something. For that kind of dough, you'd think they'd at least stick a couple of Swarovski crystals on it, just to humor us.
Here's an interesting article comparing a PC with regular DVD drive Vs high end DVD player units...
"ATI and nVidia crush high-end DVD players"
http://tinyurl.com/ysucgg
Cheers,
Rajesh.
Here's an interesting article comparing a PC with regular DVD drive Vs high end DVD player units...
"ATI and nVidia crush high-end DVD players"
http://tinyurl.com/ysucgg
Cheers,
Rajesh.
Certainly these companies cater to the snob faction. The minimalist approach in turn is supposed to incite notions that there's NOTHING that needs to be adjusted with this device, for at this point in its place-holding spot in the space/time continuum it's the best its makers could make it be, latest (for THIS week) bleeding-edge connectivity or data standards be damned. It's the "ultimate" device, locked down to some imagined highest standard at the moment it was conceived. Doesn't matter how [i]yesterday[/i] it already is, as long as it's the [i]absolute best[/i] yesterday it could possibly be. And as long as production is at best in the hundreds of units, then WHY NOT give it a five figure price tag? This is from the land and peoples that gave the human race Rolex and Patek Philippe, after all.
That said, I have to wonder where the eff the tubes are supposed to go...
Certainly these companies cater to the snob faction. The minimalist approach in turn is supposed to incite notions that there's NOTHING that needs to be adjusted with this device, for at this point in its place-holding spot in the space/time continuum it's the best its makers could make it be, latest (for THIS week) bleeding-edge connectivity or data standards be damned. It's the "ultimate" device, locked down to some imagined highest standard at the moment it was conceived. Doesn't matter how [i]yesterday[/i] it already is, as long as it's the [i]absolute best[/i] yesterday it could possibly be. And as long as production is at best in the hundreds of units, then WHY NOT give it a five figure price tag? This is from the land and peoples that gave the human race Rolex and Patek Philippe, after all.
That said, I have to wonder where the eff the tubes are supposed to go...
listen to. When Naim, Arcam, Linn, or SimAudio offer a player, it might be worth
looking into.
listen to. When Naim, Arcam, Linn, or SimAudio offer a player, it might be worth
looking into.
Of course this is why shame's like Stereophile never use ABX testing when reviewing or comparing.
Of course this is why shame's like Stereophile never use ABX testing when reviewing or comparing.
- Expensive electronics can be economic in the end
- by troypreble March 2, 2008 5:17 PM PST
- In 1998 I bought the first Sony DVD player, the S7000 for $1,200 and you know what, I still use it. Sure do. I see it this way. I used my S7000, very happily I might add because for 10 years. It cost me $120 per year and I still use it for playing CD's, so there is still value in the product. Not that I am comparing a somewhat mass produced top of the line Japanese product to this product but my point is that quality electronics never go into retirement. I still love my S7000 and have only recently upgraded to BluRay because I bought an HDTV. One other thing, when all your equipment is top of the line, you can see a difference. This piece paired with a cheap tv, no you are not going to see a difference.
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