Home Amp/Preamp Asylum

Looking for a new Amp or Preamp? If you're after tubes, post over here.

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ Amp/Preamp Asylum ]
[ Alert Moderator ]

Still not so clear

Certainly there are a lot of crazy expensive products in high end audio but it's not clear whether they are overpriced because of simple greed or because of manufacturing costs. Amps with fancy cases, silver thingeys, and first-rate customer service, sold at brick-and-mortar salons, and built-by-hand in the USA (rather than stamped out in a factory) will probably cost a pretty penny.

Let's say that a hypothetical amp has $1000 worth of circuit boards, power supplies, case, etc. The manufacturer has to cover that plus pay for labor, facilities, utilities, etc. Then they have to make a profit to pay the designer and owners. Then the retail store has to make enough to cover the purchase, all their expenses, and make a profit. By the time it gets to the consumer it probably retails $6-10K. That's the cost of doing business under this model.

Most people aren't willing (or cannot afford) to pay this price, so they go down to Best Buy and get a Chinese-made amp. One reason they aren't willing to is because they also want money buy a big screen TV and a jet ski. I own a really nice stereo and have a middle-class income. I'm able to do that because I drive a 1997 pick-up and don't own a jet ski (my TV is a 20 year old vacuum tube).

Also, if your claim was clear cut, don't you think there might be at least one integrous person who would build nice stuff in the USA that regular people could afford?

Not so clear . . .


Edits: 08/30/16
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
  Schiit Audio  

Follow Ups Full Thread
Follow Ups
FAQ

Post a Message!

 Forgot Password?
Moniker (Username):
Password (Optional):
  Remember my Moniker & Password  (What's this?)    Eat Me
E-Mail (Optional):
Subject:
Message:   (Posts are subject to Content Rules)
Optional Link URL:
Optional Link Title:
Optional Image URL:
Upload Image:
E-mail Replies:  Automagically notify you when someone responds.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]