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GoCreate
13
Nov 30, 2015
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Hopefully this gets some people off the fence...not sure if this point has been explicitly made, so please forgive if I'm repeating someone else's remarks.
First, I think we all agree this is NOT a $1,000 headphone, regardless of the MSRP. The listed MSRP is set at $1000 so that it's aligned with that of the TH-600 MSRP. If we take that at face value, the TH-X00 should be valued at roughly the same as the TH-600. Currently the TH-600's street price is around $600. So for $400, you're getting a $600 set of cans. Already, this looks like a pretty good value; it looks even better when you consider that the few reviews of the TH-X00 are overwhelmingly positive, better even than the TH-900 in some respects. I would expect to be able to sell a TH-X00 for $600-700 on eBay, possibly more if the hype continues. This looks to me like a smart buy, even if you aren't looking for phones in category.
Now let's buy up the remaining units so they'll ship them pronto. I want my headphones. :)
Nov 30, 2015
JamesX
552
Nov 30, 2015
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GoCreateWell the TH-600 have that discount because they are discontinued. I don't think you simply set it at the street value of the 600. The THX are arguably an improved/tweaked version so you could argue it's the TH-600 version 2.
Nov 30, 2015
Will
8470
Chief Product Officer
Nov 30, 2015
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GoCreateHey GoCreate,
Thanks for supporting this drop! I want to take a moment to explore the concept of an MSRP.
People interpret MSRP in different ways, but honestly, it means nothing. Literally nothing. It is a make-believe number. Sadly most people don't realize this, maybe because they like to believe they're getting a deal when they pay $50 for something with a $500 msrp, despite the item really being worth $40.
So... If I'd put the MSRP at $2000, and the TH-900 sells for $1200, is this a $1200 headphone? What about the Denon D7000 that sold for $1000 and used objectively inferior parts throughout (except maybe those expensive gold "DENON" letters)?
At this point, I'm essentially ranting, and while it's usually frowned upon to rant at the customers, I feel like there are a lot of people who genuinely believe the MSRP of a product is a valid signal to work with. Rid yourself of this assumption.
Nov 30, 2015
GoCreate
13
Nov 30, 2015
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WillI think you may have misunderstood my post, Will. I made no assertion about a direct correspondence between the value of the product and the MSRP. I made an assertion about the street price of this product and the street price of a similar product. Reviews suggest this is an improvement over the TH-600, and I take them at their word. If this product holds its relationship to the street price of an existing product, after the dust settles it'll land somewhere north of that product. Bear in mind that post Christmas the TH-600 will see another dip in its street price.
My point in observing that the MSRP of both the TH-600 and the TH-X00 were the same was simply to recognize that the products fall roughly into the same category of consumer expectation. I think this is a $600-700 headphone because that's what the market will bear for a set of this caliber, based on price histories of existing products. It won't be less, it could be more. This is, I think, a finer point than you give me credit for.
At any rate, I maintain this is a bargain, making this a purchase worth repeating. Is there an argument to the contrary?
Nov 30, 2015
ZALHERA
843
Nov 30, 2015
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GoCreateI disagree. People can try to sell these for more than $400, but only the foolish and the uninformed will buy it. These are $400 headphones. Massdrop will likely do multiple runs of this. Therefore to buy a secondhand pair for more than its retail/street price ($400) is stupid. If you disagree you simply need to look at the used K7XX market. I did a quick search and found plenty of listings for $200 for untouched pairs to $185 for lightly used. I'm sure more digging will yield a better range, but my point holds true. No one will set their price above the original retail price for thede headphones, and those who do will probably not sell them easily.
Nov 30, 2015
GoCreate
13
Nov 30, 2015
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JamesXActually, I think that's in line with my comments -- thinking of this as TH-600v2. I'm estimating TH-600 street based on a price trend that will likely see another dip after the holidays. The TH-600 dips 10%, the TH-X00 settles into a higher price niche as an improvement over the TH-600. I am assuming, of course, that the TH-X00 will go into mass production at some point in some slight variation (different wood on the ear cups, or similar). I admit to speculation, of course. Cheers.
Nov 30, 2015
PixelPusher21
139
Nov 30, 2015
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ZALHERAWell, that is totally not true.. Probable, but not true. Its all supply and demand. If these get released soon, and they get reviewed well, then anything is possible. First take into account that the K702s, while being really nice headphones, were nothing special to the high end audio community who are spending 1000 plus dollars for a set of cans. The headphones that these are based on were/are considered the best in their class, in the world. Second, its Christmas, there is no supply, the market inflates and who knows what these will sell for. After the holidays, and when the next run gets released, and demand goes down, the market will stabilize the prices if they did get inflated. If these are just a "safe headphone" that takes the best and the worst of the former products it is based on, and squishes them down to something that is just "average", then these are going to be very disappointing to a lot of people and the price won't fluctuate much at all. You have to remember that there are going to be less than 2000 of these in the entire world right before the biggest gift giving season. Just seems silly to think anyone can predict what these are going to sell for in the next month after their release. As for what they are worth. Right now, 399.99. If they sound amazing, they are going to be worth a whole lot more than that to me.
Nov 30, 2015
StayFrostE
70
Nov 30, 2015
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PixelPusher21The main reason they will sell at 399 and LESS for the foreseeable future is because Massdrop will most certainly do multiple runs of this headphone which will keep the price low. Unlike Denon when they stopped making headphones. As of right now we have a "constant" supply of TX-X00's because we know MD will keep making them. For a mass produced product the only thing that's going to increase their value is MD saying they won't make them ever again(unlikely).
And to be honest, the situation is even worse, because MD doesn't keep a constant supply(they do "drops"). In most scenarios we know when a manufacturer discontinues a product. But in MD's case they can come back anytime, which means the price will stay low in fear of that. And when MD finally decides to stop making them we'll never know but the resale price will stay low do the "fear" of it being redropped.
I suspect it'll take about 2 years of the TH-X00 never being "dropped" to increase their sale price over 399(sans official announcement).
Nov 30, 2015
PixelPusher21
139
Nov 30, 2015
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StayFrostEYou don't have a constant supply right before Christmas, you only have 1950 of them. Supply and demand is about how price fluctuates when an item is or isn't in demand. That was the point I was making. Ever seen what happens to a high demand item that sells out during the holidays, even when there are 200,000 of them ready to hit the shelves the next week. It is not something anyone can predict. So I still stand by what I said.
Nov 30, 2015
ZALHERA
843
Nov 30, 2015
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PixelPusher21True, only time will tell. I was basing my stance on the observation of the market's behaviour towards the K7XX, but I now see that it may not necessarily apply to the TH-X00. We'll see how it goes.
Nov 30, 2015
Sonido
61
Nov 30, 2015
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PixelPusher21I remember right after the first batch of K7XX got delivered people were selling new in box ones on ebay for $300-400. Now that there are subsequent drops and it's rather frequent, there are more reasonable prices ones on ebay. I can see how this will happen again after this initial drop and people will buy for premium before the next drop goes live especially if these are well received
Nov 30, 2015
PixelPusher21
139
Nov 30, 2015
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ZALHERAThere is no way to really know, but I can see the potential in these if they were done right. I really only want them to sound nice. I have the HE560's and I love them, but sometimes I with they were a little bit more bouncy on the low end. These sound like they might fill a nice little hole in my collection. Not needing a powerful amp also means I will be able to use them away from my desk more then my HE560's.
Nov 30, 2015
Kweze
48
Nov 30, 2015
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PixelPusher21I've read on numerous websites that the he-400i has a deeper bottom end and that the sound difference comparing the mids are the exact same. Only difference is the 400i is "darker" in the highs and it's 300 less via the sale right now - can't be beat in my opinion.
Nov 30, 2015
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