About 15 years ago I found an Audire Crescendo amp and Audire Diffet pre in a stereo shop (?!). I walked out with both units for $92 + tax. I turned around and traded them in at my local stereo shop for $500 credit. I guess the selling shop had never heard of the company and considered them cheap junk. Audire made really excellent amps and the pres were good too, if you're into SS preamps. I had a big smile on my face that day.