The 10 Coolest and Most Expensive Speaker Systems Money Can Buy

Having the most expensive set of speakers is somewhat of a guy thing. For as long as anyone can remember, how many bills a guy can drop for a set of speakers is almost synonymous as to how fast his car can go or how well "equipped" he is. The digital age may have changed the world of vinyl and CDs forever, but speakers are still making a killing off the indulgence of the male ego. All guys want some speaker system that will blow their socks, pants, or toupees off.

We've compiled ten of the most expensive and craziest speaker systems to date. The price tags on these speakers will make you think if you're really the biggest spender on the lot. A word of advice, you might want to sell your Ferrari or refinance your house if you're really serious about buying one of these boom boxes. A special mention must be made to HigherFi.com for scouring the world to seek the best and most expensive speakers.

1. Grand Enigma by Kharma

   
   

   This one of a kind speaker set hails from the Netherlands. Founded in 1982, Charles van Oosterum clearly makes his mark with this beauty. The name is pretty apt since no one truly knows exactly what the specifications are. On the other hand, everyone does agree that spending an even million dollars for a speaker set sends a message that you are either one hardcore audiophile or just someone who can buy his own island.

   Source: [Gizmodo]

2. ULTIMATE by Transmission Audio

   

   Yes, ULTIMATE is spelled with an all-caps syntax, at least that's how Transmission Audio spells it. The manufacturer describes this as the epitome speaker equivalent of a Ferrari, Mazerati, and Kenigsegg all-in-one chassis. For two million dollars, it better be! The built-to-order system is made of 4 separate dipole subwoofers, each containing ten 15-inch subwoofers, one dipole panel per channel with twenty-four 8 inch units, followed by two full MF ribbon dipoles per channel plus one HF panel for each channel with a grand total of 68 meters of true ribbons.

   Conclusion: 31,000 watts of I-will-blow-your-house-down-if-your-eyes-don't-fall-off-first.

   Source: [Transmission Audio]

3. Infinite Wisdom Grande Loudspeaker by Wisdom Audio

   

   If wisdom could be bought through speakers, then the Infinite Wisdom Grande loudspeaker is well worth the money. Not a bad deal at all for shelling out $700,000 in exchange for infinite wisdom. This speaker set is Wisdom Audio's pride and joy. The system towers at 23 feet tall and almost weighs two tons. This third most expensive system is also the bigger brother of the Infinite Wisdom, another speaker system care of Wisdom Audio that bleeps on the HottestGadgets radar as well.

   Source: [Wisdom Audio]

4. MBX 10.9s46 by California Audio Technology

   

   Providing musical prowess and eye candy for the 30,000 square feet "Exotic Car" showroom in Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, the MBX 10.9s46 is a speaker duo that is definitely hard to miss. Priced at $560,000, its Ferrari red exterior gazes down at the crowd from 12 feet high and weighs about a ton each. The weight comes from the MBX 105 alloy material that provides nothing but the best audio accuracy.

   Source: [California Audio Technology]

5. Sphäron Excalibur by Acapella Audio Arts

   

   No, it's not a foghorn but it certainly makes you think twice about staying right beside any large speakers when going out. The 12-square-meter horn transmits the lowest frequencies while the twin pillars are made of four 15-inch subwoofers each. Derived from the classical Sphäron model, this German made item promises to bring that marching band or orchestra piece straight to your brain while being simultaneously soft enough to "caress your skin." That's what the folks at Acapella are telling us to make our hard-earned $380,700 worth our while.

   Source: [Acapella Audio Arts]

6. Olympus Sound System "OSS" by Adam Audio

   Adam Audio's claim of the OSS is this: "to be the most ambitious, most complex, and most innovative of all existing speaker systems". With its fridge like furnishing, it does look ambitious, complex, and innovative. No cost was spared in developing this $325,000 masterpiece. The quest for the perfect speaker system has left the OSS with eight columns of twelve built-in amplifiers, sixty individual drivers and a digital signal processing brain. Whatever happens, Adam Audio asks you to spend some time with the OSS because it's "an acquaintance of a unique kind…an experience you will never forget". Now, that's sexy.

   Source: [Adam Audio]

7. T-1 by Tidal

   The T-1 is a modified version of Tidal's Sunray speakers. What is a Sunray speaker, you ask? According to the folks at Tidal, the Sunray is, first of all, a statement. Its Sunray speaker offers you nothing less than a really good seat at a live concert. It is also the first ever speaker to feature a 30mm diamond tweeter and superior black ceramic diaphragms. So if that's a Sunray, the T-1 is the exact same thing but jacked up on steroids. At least for $322,000, the 30mm diamond twitter reminds you where your money went. Bravo, Tidal, the builder of emotions!

   Source: [Tidal]

8. Infinite Wisdom by Wisdom Audio

   It's not as grand as its big brother, but it can still give you a run for your money. Built for large household or multi-leveled rooms, the Infinite Wisdom speaker set provides its enthusiasts with eight 12-inch, underhung, 3-inch voice coil low frequency regenerators for each channel that make up a total of sixteen drivers for each set. This $300,000 speaker set should be more than enough to guarantee not a moment of silence at one of your many listening parties.

   Source: [Wisdom Audio]

9. Coltrane Supreme by Marten

   Following his award-winning British Hi-Fi product, the Coltrane, Leif Mårten Olofsson came out with his final frontier project, which is the Coltrane Supreme. Featuring a four cabinet system, the Coltrane Supreme is built with two loudspeakers and two subwoofers. Each loudspeaker has four 7-inch ceramic upper bass units, one 7-inch ceramic lower midrange unit, and a 2-inch diamond midrange and a 1-inch diamond tweeter. The subwoofer, on the other hand, has four 10-inch long throw ceramic bass units with the lowest of the low bass. The Coltrane Supreme costs $295,000. It does not come with a Coltrane record but it is highly recommended that a Coltrane track is its first order of business.

   Source: [Marten]

10. Ultimate II by Magico

    Since the word "Ultimate" cannot be copyrighted, Magico has developed its own Ultimate series and is now at its second coming. The Ultimate II is a 5-way system that includes four pairs of the most ambitious compression drivers. Taking four months to build, it is enclosed in an all 6061T-6 aircraft grade hard-anodized aluminum with a 4-inch front panel made of thick slabs of solid aluminum. If the enclosure wasn't a mouthful, then maybe the $289,000 price tag will make the Ultimate II a tougher cookie to swallow.

    Source: [Magico]