Are $300 headphones worth it?:I am much like Seth Godin in the fact that perceived value is almost completely dependent on how well a product is able to function at its intended purpose; or at least how well I perceive it to function. I allow myself to believe I am able to make my own informed decisions and not be enticed (duped) by the marketing. I never consciously think about how something is advertised or how cool using a product might make me look. I am sure it enters into the equation without me even realizing it.
A friend wanted to buy Dr. Dre headphones. They list for about $300.
Any audiophile can tell you that they sound like $39 headphones. Instead, consider these. We can prove they sound better!
But of course, that's not the question. It's not what sounds better, it's what's worth it.
The Dre headphones come with admiring glances at no extra charge. They come with self-esteem built in. You can argue that this is a worthless feature in a device designed to reproduce sound accurately, but you'd be wrong. After all, the whole reason you're listening to music in the first place is to feel good. To be happy. If the Dre's make you happy, and your happiness is worth $300, then they're worth it, no?
For others (put me in that category) I get more happiness knowing that I didn't fall for a clever marketing ploy, and I buy the ones that I believe sound better. Of course, that's a clever marketing ploy too--persuading me that better sound is worth this much. But don't tell anyone. That would make me feel manipulated."
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Are $300 headphones worth it?
I usually don't find much value in re-posting somebody else's blog. I mean, why can't I just throw the link up on facebook or twitter and be done with it? This one specifically intrigued me. I've always been fascinated with the psychology of advertising. It seemed appropriate to think about this subject the day after millions of people gathered around their television sets to watch the Super Bowl. For many of those people (a majority?) the highlight of the night was not athletics, but advertising.
