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Old 10-16-2016, 01:40 PM
lwschwartz lwschwartz is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Tennessee, Maryland, and Florida
Posts: 363
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Quote:
Originally Posted by doggiehowser View Post
IsntPSAudioWorkingOnANewSpeakerWithArnieNudellThat IsAnEvolutionOfTheOldInfinityDesigns?
A few years ago, I suggested to Paul that he should explore an IRS VI using more modern components. The Genesis replacement for the IRS V's sells for around $300,000 which may tend to dampen the number of potential customers. To reproduce the IRS V's today would be rather expensive. The cabinets were made by a yacht builder and he says that the last set of cabinets he built for Harmon cost them $65,000 so a new set in today's dollars would run about $120,000 without electronics. New EMIM's would cost about $750 apiece, EMIT's $250 apiece, the amps about $10,000 each, the crossover about $3,000, and the woofers $500 each. Then there is the cost of producing them, distribution and finally dealers to carry them or at least set them up. So as you can see, parts would be around $185,000 not counting the rest of the costs at getting them to market. That means a set of IRS VI's would be in the same range as the Genesis or top of the line Wilson Audio. The only way to get the costs down is with volume. I can't imagine there are a lot of buyers out there considering that most of the journals that I have seen indicate that the market for high end audio is softening.

The IRS series was originally produced to explore what it would take to build the best speaker possible with the technology at the time. The ultimate goal was to use what was learned in the project to build a line of speakers. PS Audio may find it worth while to explore and produce some downline products but there are already many great speakers on the market so they would be entering a crowded field. Paul has already spent quite a bit of time flying around the world setting up high end Genesis speakers. He seems like he likes what he is doing now better.

None the less, we never know what is around the bend so anything is possible. One thing for sure is that audio doesn't seem to stand still so there is always something coming along to give us the upgrade fever. That means take an aspirin and call Dr Master Lu in the morning.
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