Login / RegisterCommercial Electronics lets you listen to your favourite tunes through $200,000 speakers
Audiophiles in the Lower Mainland have a chance to listen to some of the most expensive speakers in the world.
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The French-made Grande Utopia EM by Focal cost a mere $200,000 per pair.
These 260-kilogram high-fidelity masterpieces, each standing more than two metres tall, are making their Vancouver debut at Commercial Electronics (1565 West 7th Avenue).
The company's vice president, Christina Adam, told the Georgia Straight by phone that people are welcome to visit the store with their favourite LP or CD and see how it sounds coming through the Grande Utopia EM's 16-inch electromagnetic woofer design.
"It's not about people necessarily buying them," she said. "It's just sharing this amazing speaker that has been lauded as the best in the world with audiophiles—sharing the love around."
Adam added that her company will profesionally wash a person's favourite LP before putting it on the turntable. The speakers will be at Commercial Electronics until July 28.
They include an 11-inch mid-bass woofer, two 6.5-inch woofers, and the IAL2 pure beryllium one-inch inverted dome tweeter.
Beryllium is the fourth lightest element, ranking behind hydrogen, helium, and lithium.
"We just want everyone to know they're here so they can get a listen in," Adam said.
If you've got a couple hundred grand...
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The volume knob is essential for it's smooth, organic sound qualities, unlike plastic or metal.
You likely wouldn't notice the difference though, since you're not as well trained or sophisticated as us real audiophiles.
They sound like this: "