0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Read 186869 times.
-2 just to cancel yours out and add another positive one to TP's post
Werd, buddy, I'm no math-lete by any stretch but.... D.D.
Ok the first -1 cancels out devil's post but the second -1 actually would show as +1 on a separate post for tonepubs post. So I used two - to do that. Ha
Well, I've always maintained that Werd left a vowel out of his screen name.Doc
Since I've started wearing an additional audio hat, going from an audiophile to reviewer in the past year, I now tend to agree generally with Tonepub regarding cost structure. Before I started reviewing, I often wondered why some components retail for tens of thousands and sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars more than other high-end components. Certainly the fixed and variable costs of the top product(s) of a manufacturer's audio line compared to the company's less expensive models shouldn't be an increase in multiples of ten or more. Now I realize that statement with some exceptions is true. A manufacturer's "statement" or "signature" product(s) does (do) cost somewhat more to make but not proportionally more than their lesser products. Some exceptions are concept or experimental products. The manufacturer is not trying to rip off the potential buyer of this market segment. A buyer in this segment generally wants the "cachet" of owning the best or most expensive, not necessarily the best sounding which is subjective anyway. These products are specifically targeted for the ultra high end market where price is not a factor. As other posters on this thread have already stated, it's only a rip-off if it is perceived as such. Manufacturers do not expect or want the average audio buyer to purchase their uber expensive products, but want them to purchase the company's less expensive product line to get a "significant taste of the best" because selling in volume normally generates greater profit.
.
...I have another good friend that lives in hong kong who's friends loved his Vandersteen 5A's a few years ago when he brought one of the first pairs into the country, yet when they found out that they were ONLY $17k a pair, lost interest, so I can see where the temptation for some is to price things higher than prudence suggests...
A manufacturer's "statement" or "signature" product(s) does (do) cost somewhat more to make but not proportionally more than their lesser products. Some exceptions are concept or experimental products. The manufacturer is not trying to rip off the potential buyer of this market segment. A buyer in this segment generally wants the "cachet" of owning the best or most expensive, not necessarily the best sounding which is subjective anyway. These products are specifically targeted for the ultra high end market where price is not a factor.
thank you for reinforcing what i said earlier, regarding way-overpriced product - some folks in fact do want to purchase stuff simply because it is expensive. even tho you disputed this fact when i mentioned it earlier... doug s.
Why bother posting on a hifi forum if all you are going to do is whine that things cost too much?
That's it. I'm starting work right now on my flagship loudspeaker, for the price of 1 mil...wait that's been done???.......no, wait, for the price of....
Jeff - that is uncalled for.
Ha! Ha! You guys are very funny.My additional 2 cents...I think there is/will be a shock felt across the Audio retail world that I just recently stumbled upon when I bought an Integrated Tube amp.He called me to tell me about a NEW line of amps and speakers he is selling from Line Magnetic Audio from China. Knowing that many companies are manufacturing components there, but designing in house in Europe, USA, Canada and Japan (among other places), he told me the sound from this Chinese company was nothing short of amazing for the price point he is seeing. Sure enough, I came for a listen and the sound and build quality was as good or better than AR, Primaluna or Rogue Audio. But the cost was half as much.I bought a LM Audio integrated tube amp for a few hundred south of 2K and it sounds superb.I could see China as a very big player in the audio world tomorrow if they keep labor costs down and the government allows it. This just might drive prices down...
