I have $2000 in my budget for new right and left speakers.
I'd like to hear your opinions about the how much better $2000 speakers are than $1000 speakers. In other words, are $2000 speakers 50% better than $1000 speakers? 25% better? 10% better? Put differently, is the improvement obvious? Or does it require careful listening?
Although I have just started shopping, I suspect that I am going to purchase speakers from one of the internet direct manufacturers. (Right now it is Ohm or Axiom because custom veneers are available.)
What are you listening for, RMc? Unless we know what you value, we can't do much more than make a stab at, let's say, 129% better. Or, 37% better. In today's market $1k speakers are definitely budget oriented. That means corners have been trimmed. It's how those corners have been cut that decides what benefits you will find when spending more cash. Some of the best values in speakers exist beneath $3k. Buy a pair of Harbeths at that price and you'll probably be buying your last pair of speakers.
If you're seeing the bass/midrange and tweeter of the $1k speaker in the $2k speakers, just paired with a larger woofer, the differences between the two speakers is probably rather slight and could be accomplished with a subwoofer and the less expensive speakers in many cases. The smaller, less expensive speakers probably will do a better job at soundstaging and disappearing while the separate sub can offer flexibility in placement that a larger speaker can't approach. OTH, a more expensive speaker allows the designer more flexibilty in parts selection.
Basically, your question is too broad for a simple answer.
Sometimes $1000 buys your more, sometimes it doesn't, you'll have to decide for yourself. Try to get yourself to a real Hi-fi Store (not Best Buy or Circut City) and see for yourself if you can decern between a $1000 & $2000 set of speakers, and then you will have answered your own question.
Personally, I wouldn't limit myself to only internet based companies, but if that's what you want, in addition tho Ohm & Axiom, I suggest you consider these other internet direct speaker companies:
AV123 SVSound Ascend Acoustics HTD (home theater direct) HSU Research
If you don't know what the differences should theoretically be between a $1000 and $2000 pair of speakers (please don't take that as an insult), don't buy on-line. See a good dealer, not Best Buy or the like. A good dealer will help you hear the differences, and will help you determine if you will benefit from better speakers.
Just because you buy a speaker that sounds 100% better in the store or whatever other arbitrary number you want, doesn't mean that they'll sound 100% better in your system and/or room.
If you're running a cheap receiver and DVD player they may not sound any different, or they may end up sounding worse.
Also, a price increase doesn't directly coorelate with a performance increase. A speaker that is made with better materials by non-sweatshop workers will cost more to make and therefore cost you more than a speaker made elsewhere.
My Bryston integrated amp costs about 5 times what my old NAD integrated amp cost. Does it literally sound 500% better? Not that anyone could actually quantify that, but no. NAD is made in China, uses some inferior parts, and won't hold up as long as my Bryston. My Bryston is made in Canada by workers making a living wage, has rock solid parts, and is waranteed for 20 years.
Even if they were sonicaly undistinguishable from each other, which one is worth more? IMO, my Bryston runs circles around my NAD sonicaly.
What's your current system? What don't you currently like about it? What should it sound like?
Disclaimer - I'm not bashing NAD. They're a great product at their price and a little higher.
Also, in my experience there's a big jump in sound quality from $1000 to about $1250. I know that sounds pretty stupid. Is it just me or does anyone else feel that way/noticed it too?
Never before have I found a speaker that sounds this good for only $1000..the DCM TFE200's. Like I said before they are one of the best sounding at any price that I have ever heard! They sound very seductive and liquid.....the goose bump factor is very high !!
Stu, that dollar amount may vary, but thats the step to say, an entry Masters series from NAD. That up's the phono, and yes, I agree that there is a lot of good gear out there, and yes, the step up is usually worth the jump. If the listener is into the music enough.
Some brands integrate the newer(better?) ideas into the lower lines without announcement, asto assess the results on a larger scale than the lower volume models might provide.
Like Bryston did with the 3B( I think) and released the SST lineup the next year.
I don't know what benchmark it was for NAD with the 3020.
Also, in my experience there's a big jump in sound quality from $1000 to about $1250. I know that sounds pretty stupid. Is it just me or does anyone else feel that way/noticed it too?