Gadgets and just Gadgets

The Podium 1 speaker:1″ thick, 6.5 feet tall, $8K a pair!

Laufer Teknik promotes uber audio, stratospherically priced exotica from cutting-edge manufacturers, mainly from Europe; Laufer also serves as a distributor for Behold electronics, Ascendo speakers, and Podium Sound. The goal is to bring advanced audio technology to new markets.

As high-end designs go, the $8,000/pair Podium 1 speakers are the height of practicality–they radiate sound from their front and rear surfaces. Sam Laufer isn’t really courting the audiophile market; he believes there’s a wider audience interested in buying quality sound. He has, for example, teamed up with a high-end food caterer to provide sound and music for parties. Hmm, sounds like a great new way to spread awareness of quality audio beyond the usual confines of the audiophile market. I hope so!

It’s clear that Laufer’s customers have a taste not only for sound, but just as much for the brand’s artisan craftsmanship and innovative engineering. (How many Porsche owners ever really come close to pushing the car to its limit?) Yes, the components and speakers are expensive, but hardly out of line compared with high-end cars, clothes, and watches. Patek Philippe’s top wristwatch goes for $900K, and buyers have to endure a one- to four-year wait to get one! Damn, how do they know what time it is while they’re waiting?

Tags: Laufer Teknik, high-end audio, podium 1 speakers, speakers,