February 26, 2008 5:32 AM PST

Goldmund's $17,000 Blu-ray player

(Credit: SlashGear)

If you've ever wondered how a media room can run up a $300,000 tab, try this on for starters: a Blu-ray Disc player that goes for $17,000.

Switzerland-based Goldmund has upgraded its "Eidos 20" media player with the victorious video format, claiming that it's the first Blu-ray player from a high-end audio-video equipment maker. As with all such products, one can't help but wonder how the exorbitant price can be justified, though Goldmund claims "the finest AS-Curator power supply circuit and magnetic damping for ultimate sound and video reproduction with least amount of mechanical and electrical distortions," according to SlashGear. Whatever.

Almost as if to add insult to injury, the box is about as nondescript as one can imagine: It looks like a piece of hospital equipment or something. For that kind of dough, you'd think they'd at least stick a couple of Swarovski crystals on it, just to humor us.

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Add a Comment (Log in or register) 16 comments (Page 1 of 2)
Versus a PC with Blu-ray drive?
by rduggal February 26, 2008 10:11 AM PST
I wonder how this compares to a PC with Blu-ray drive... Here's an interesting article comparing a PC with regular DVD drive Vs high end DVD player units... "ATI and nVidia crush high-end DVD players" http://tinyurl.com/ysucgg Cheers, Rajesh.
Reply to this comment
Versus a PC with Blu-ray drive?
by rduggal February 26, 2008 10:11 AM PST
I wonder how this compares to a PC with Blu-ray drive... Here's an interesting article comparing a PC with regular DVD drive Vs high end DVD player units... "ATI and nVidia crush high-end DVD players" http://tinyurl.com/ysucgg Cheers, Rajesh.
Reply to this comment
$17k for an ugly player
by allargon February 27, 2008 2:01 PM PST
Is it even profile 2.0, or do I need to spring for the $25k Eidos 30 instead? (j/k)
Reply to this comment
$17k for an ugly player
by allargon February 27, 2008 2:01 PM PST
Is it even profile 2.0, or do I need to spring for the $25k Eidos 30 instead? (j/k)
Reply to this comment
PC replacing DVD player
by speedvillain February 27, 2008 8:00 PM PST
PC replacing high end DVD player is very interesting but I do have a question.. The article states " http://www.hardware.info/en-UK/articles/am9nY2pqZA/ATI_and_nVidia_crush_highend_DVD_players/16" hooking up your computer to your tv.. Now to watch a movies on dvd I'm assuming you would use your PC dvd player so kind of confused how nVidia or ATI would work.. The article is 2 years old, I believe Blue Ray was beginning hitting the market..
Reply to this comment
PC replacing DVD player
by speedvillain February 27, 2008 8:00 PM PST
PC replacing high end DVD player is very interesting but I do have a question.. The article states " http://www.hardware.info/en-UK/articles/am9nY2pqZA/ATI_and_nVidia_crush_highend_DVD_players/16" hooking up your computer to your tv.. Now to watch a movies on dvd I'm assuming you would use your PC dvd player so kind of confused how nVidia or ATI would work.. The article is 2 years old, I believe Blue Ray was beginning hitting the market..
Reply to this comment
C'mon, you KNEW it was going to happen
by make_or_break February 28, 2008 7:10 AM PST
With virtually [i]every[/i] entertainment equipent product genotype, once someone decides to target the [i]'philes[/i] marketplace there's going to be that fringe element that will dole out their ideal of what makes the 'ultimate widget'. You and Guttenberg should compare notes before posting such rants. Certainly these companies cater to the snob faction. The minimalist approach in turn is supposed to incite notions that there's NOTHING that needs to be adjusted with this device, for at this point in its place-holding spot in the space/time continuum it's the best its makers could make it be, latest (for THIS week) bleeding-edge connectivity or data standards be damned. It's the "ultimate" device, locked down to some imagined highest standard at the moment it was conceived. Doesn't matter how [i]yesterday[/i] it already is, as long as it's the [i]absolute best[/i] yesterday it could possibly be. And as long as production is at best in the hundreds of units, then WHY NOT give it a five figure price tag? This is from the land and peoples that gave the human race Rolex and Patek Philippe, after all. That said, I have to wonder where the eff the tubes are supposed to go...
Reply to this comment
C'mon, you KNEW it was going to happen
by make_or_break February 28, 2008 7:10 AM PST
With virtually [i]every[/i] entertainment equipent product genotype, once someone decides to target the [i]'philes[/i] marketplace there's going to be that fringe element that will dole out their ideal of what makes the 'ultimate widget'. You and Guttenberg should compare notes before posting such rants. Certainly these companies cater to the snob faction. The minimalist approach in turn is supposed to incite notions that there's NOTHING that needs to be adjusted with this device, for at this point in its place-holding spot in the space/time continuum it's the best its makers could make it be, latest (for THIS week) bleeding-edge connectivity or data standards be damned. It's the "ultimate" device, locked down to some imagined highest standard at the moment it was conceived. Doesn't matter how [i]yesterday[/i] it already is, as long as it's the [i]absolute best[/i] yesterday it could possibly be. And as long as production is at best in the hundreds of units, then WHY NOT give it a five figure price tag? This is from the land and peoples that gave the human race Rolex and Patek Philippe, after all. That said, I have to wonder where the eff the tubes are supposed to go...
Reply to this comment
I wonder if it is as boring and sterile as other..
by YojimboMeyers February 28, 2008 9:49 AM PST
Goldmund gear. Their equipment is overbuilt and generally quite boring to listen to. When Naim, Arcam, Linn, or SimAudio offer a player, it might be worth looking into.
Reply to this comment
I wonder if it is as boring and sterile as other..
by YojimboMeyers February 28, 2008 9:49 AM PST
Goldmund gear. Their equipment is overbuilt and generally quite boring to listen to. When Naim, Arcam, Linn, or SimAudio offer a player, it might be worth looking into.
Reply to this comment
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