Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: Blu-ray, 135,000, Goldmund, Edios, Player | Themes: Home Theater, Digital Entertainment, Audio/Video Players
Here's another over-the-top priced gadget packed with gold, brass, and aluminum.
We've certainly seen a few crazy-priced gadgets as of late: the $1 million speaker, a $175,000 HD projector, a $35k gold-plated iPhone. These price tags are somewhat scary to those with smaller wallets, and may leave some consumers wondering why anyone would buy diamond-studded devices when an identical version--minus without the jewelry and gold plating--can be picked up down the street at Walmart.
Enter Goldmund's Eidos Reference Blue, a Blu-ray player that's not exactly meant to fit into that slot under the TV. In fact, there's only 50 of these hyper-high-end players available for purchase, costing big-time spenders a whopping $135,000. UltimateAVMag got its hands on one of the players, and didn't seem too impressed given the device's amplified pricetag.
The expense, if it's not obvious already, is in the overall design. The site says that it's "built like a tank," and the player is heavily damped, supposedly improving image stability and sonic transparency. The device features both brass and aluminum, weighing 66 pounds, and is suspended by four spring-loaded legs on its own dedicated table. The controls are actually mounted on the table, and encased in a gold-plated display.
On the technical side, the Eidos Reference Blue is a Profile 1.1 player, and does not provide Internet access or BD-Live. Goldmund claims that the Blu-ray player is universal, however UltimateAVMag discovered that it can't play DVD-Audio or SACD. The site also says that the analog-audio outputs are unbalanced. Despite all the gold, brass, and aluminum, consumers are better off getting a cheap Blu-ray player at Best Buy that offers more features.
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Short of making the case out of gold or platinum, I really don't see how you could possibly get to a $135,000 price tag for a Blu-Ray player (or any media player, for that matter).
Drop the price tag and the value drops a lot too
I'd rather buy a house.
OK, this is just stupid. First of all, it looks like it is from the 80's. It is so huge, heavy, ugly, and outdated that the original design probably used a LaserDisc instead of a Blu-Ray disc. As for the dampening system, unless you live on a fault line or want to make computer chips on top of it, it is a fairly useless feature. Yes, spinning discs are sensitive to slight vibrations, but you don't need 66lbs and a dedicated table to do it. Do they honestly think it will move more than 1cm? Really, just look at the legs and how much room they have to move. This thing won't be bought by the military, sorry guys.
This is one of the dumbest consumer electronics products I've ever seen, if not THE dumbest. The dedicated table is retarded, the features are lacking (unbalanced audio for pete's sake) and the price is an insult. Oh, it cost you 130k for all that brass? Really? I bet it costs them under $500 to build one of these things and they have the nerve to charge $135k for one? I hope this company goes out of business TODAY. Anyone who buys one of these is a MORON with TOO MUCH MONEY.
soooo, the suspension on this thing is more complicated than a Ferrari's?... And that's why you're supposed to pay that much on it?
C'mon! One could buy an actual Ferrari with that cash...albeit not new, but still...
The speakers and the projector I get, this I get not. Why anyone would buy such a thing? Anyone?!
I'd rather buy a house.
or a really nice sports car!
If it had 4K X 2K projection capability, I could maybe see the markup. I wonder if the Monster HDMI cables your are supposed to use with this are included, or extra?
Well, there's always a market for the more-money-than-brains crowd.
or a complete high end home threater system.
The suspension is useless, this isn't a record player. Obviously thats the audience they are aiming for. Too bad it's a DIGITAL player where the suspension is 110% not needed. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Maybe I can start selling an iPod dock that has a "transparency" suspension system, keeps all those bits from bouncing around. I'll only charge $5000 for it though.
"supposedly improving image stability and sonic transparency.". Wow, you mean it has snake oil in it too? Jeepers! It truly has everything! I blame you, "audiophiles", for starting this business of making up things that the human eye and ear can't detect.
You can watch it during 9.0 earthquake
This is for stupid rich people. Not that all rich people are stupid, but they share in the percentage of the population who happen to wear the stupid hat.
It going to look better because it weighs more.... ummm that only really worked with analog sources because they were highly vulnerable to vibrations.. because they were analog sources. Yes you can a DVD or CD skip, but suspending one from a 66 pound shock absorber not gonna do a darn thing. .. Image stability.. sonic transparency.. anyone who believes that deserves to looks 135,000.
NO.. NO.. I have a better idea.. I am going to do the same thing. I am going to make a 66 pounds aluminum and brass PS3 enclosure. I will set the $299 PS3 in the 66 pounds block of recycled Coke CANS. I will only charge $130,000 for it.. I mean it is the PS3 Slim after all. Have to pass along the savings!
Another device I can't afford. I would have to win the lottery. Fat chance.
Sum of the parts (and including engineering/design) don't add up. While it maybe impressive it's just a Sony or Denon or Phillips BD player broken down with a new case. Like taking a Dell computer and putting a sic 1 inch thick aluminum case around it. The BD player drive and electronics probably came from something high-end but no more than $3K. And the casing was probably $4K to produce. Overall cost is $7K for a waste of time and a $128K mark up.
EVEN IF YOU STOLE IT, IT'D BE WORTH NOTHING.
vondrasher
dumb... if you buy one you're dumb. That is it, no arguements of buts about it. You're just stupid.
But if man thought some dumb4ss would buy a terd for $478,000 instead of $5 then it will be done. The trick is to market to rich suckers that think the more you spend the better it is... Save yourself a LOT of money and pass on this one!
Hope it has back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back lifetime warranty with no questions asked, both labor and material. Lol. I too would rather buy a house with that money.
The piece of shit can't even play Crysis I bet.
For $135k that piece of shit had better play Crysis
damn you THG and your inability to delete double posts!
I would like a new, 2009 Porsche Boxster S with a small little villa in upstate NY. IS THAT A GOLD, BRASS AND ALUMINUM BLURAY PLAYER!!?? FUCK THAT SHIT, GIVE ME ONE OF THOSE INSTEAD!!
I would like a new, 2009 Porsche Boxster S with a small little villa in upstate NY. IS THAT A GOLD, BRASS AND ALUMINUM BLURAY PLAYER!!?? FUCK THAT SHIT, GIVE ME ONE OF THOSE INSTEAD!!
Sorry, that wasn't supposed to happen.
or a really nice sports car!
One that comes with a blu-ray player to boot!!
I'd rather buy a house.
I bet the seller may even throw in a PS3 to sweeten the deal!
[citation]...and does not provide Internet access or BD-Live.[/citation]
So if there changes to the encryption keys, this player won't be able to update itself? What about new movies based on updated DRM?
Oh... I get it now... Those who bought this player would have no choice but to also seek the services of the manufacturer just to update its software. And I'm guessing the cost is not included in the purchase price. Clever little devils, aren't they?
Pay me $135,000 and I'll give you a Blu-ray player* that has a dedicated table, a spring-stability system, internet access, BD-live, and all that jazz. I'll even throw in a custom paint job.
*Player itself will not be made by me, only bought. Table may simply be Walmart brand, not made by me. Springs will be bought from local hardware store. Payment will be for labor, nothing else.
Way to build an expensive piece of crap that really is an expensive piece of crap.
Can I just slap the $hit out of whoever buys this!