D'Agostino Helius Monoblock Amplifiers

puroagave said:
i loved that magazine, but tedium set in quickly with too many reviews of cookie cutter british integrated amps and monitor speakers. they did embrace low power SET and Horns before the mainstream publications did, just before their demise.

as they say, perception is everything. how many quarter million dollars amps wil Dan sell and at anywhere near list price? I'm the curious type and almost always ask rep at shows how many of X have they sold. the numbers would disappoint you. that said i still think the prices are accelerating much faster than inflation or the cost of living, you can spin the numbers anyway you want but that's my perception.
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Who said the price charged has to bear any relation to inflation or the cost of living? What luxury item in the marketplace has their selling priced tied to either one of those barometers? Some companies charge what the market will bear above all the rest of the costs they need to recuperate that were incurred during the design, testing, build, and placing the product into the retail market. You either sell the units or you don't. If your goal was to only sell 10 pairs at "X" dollars and you met that goal, you were successful. In the end, it really doesn't matter what the snipers in the peanut gallery think. If a company has a successful business model and people don't like it because they can't afford what is being offered, it just comes across as sour grapes after awhile.
 
the professor said:
I think the watch comparison is pretty accurate. I know I guy in Singapore that collects watches and he doesn't think twice on spending half a million on a watch.


All the power to him.

If I had that kind of money - I'd be tempted if it sounded great. But I dont. So looking is all I can do. But it's fun to look. :)
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Sort of like gorgeous high-maintenance women.
 
mep said:
Who said the price charged has to bear any relation to inflation or the cost of living? What luxury item in the marketplace has their selling priced tied to either one of those barometers?
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you don't have to look too far, the luxury car market, high-end wrist watches, etc they're not accelerating at the same pace.

sour grapes? not me, i'm an outside observer i'm not in the market for theses amp nor was i in the market when Dan made the KRS reference. Maybe his market is this guy:

The Average Bugatti Owner Has 84 cars, 3 Jets, And A Yacht
 
Rob-The luxury car market and high-end wrist watches started at over the top prices many, many years ago. High-end audio has a ways to go to catch up to them, but I have no doubt they will unless the world economy collapses.

And like you, I'm not in those markets either. I simply can't afford those prices. I feel lucky to have what I do, trust me.
 
Myles B. Astor said:
The real problem is that audiophiles clamor for inexpensive audio products but don't support the market. Same as audio magazines. Audiophiles clamor for magazines that review affordable products but don't subscribe with Listener being the most recent example in a trail of failed affordable magazines. Thing is those who want affordable gear don't necessarily have the income to support the industry while that segment with six figure and higher incomes have the disposable income to buy the gear.
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I don't clamor for affordable products, but the market for 5-10k products has never been more slim. The average Stereophile system is 20k, so that is your real "market." but manufacturers would now rather sell 5 statement pieces instead. sad, really, as it creates a bigger downward spiral for the high end.
 
the professor said:
I think the watch comparison is pretty accurate. I know I guy in Singapore that collects watches and he doesn't think twice on spending half a million on a watch.
All the power to him.
If I had that kind of money - I'd be tempted if it sounded great. But I dont. So looking is all I can do. But it's fun to look. :)
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as a former WIS, I'd disagree. most if not all the watch trading/discussion that goes on is between 5-15k on TZ. nobody talks about 200k Breguets.

and car guys really don't talk about Bugattis- which happens to weigh 1000 too many lbs for most sports car enthusiasts.

but audio, all we talk about is the next 100k speaker or 65k pair of bloody speaker cables or now, a 250k pair of amps. and in the past 5-10 years, prices have really ballooned.

I'd rather have a pair of FirstWatt SIT-1s than a pair of Dan's behemoth monoblocks- I'd also wager big dollars they sound better on the appropriate speaker.

KeithR
 
Keith - there will always be more expensive products coming out. I still go back to the benefits of trickle down technology.

As for $65,000 speaker cables....sorry, I got nothing.
 
I guess that shows there is a market for the ultra high end. If manufactures are not selling it then why build it. I don't think in all cases the price to performance gain is justified. I think it's more of a prestige thing more than anything
 
I just wish the manufactures would protect the dealers that bring in this ultra high end gear for demo in their stores. If you bring in a flagship product like this then only displaying dealers should be allowed to sell that model. I would like that level of sale to go direct to the manufacture with a maximum preset discount allowed. Then the manufacture issues a check to the dealer. This would cut down consumers using dealers resources and then purchasing from another dealer that doesn't even have a showroom. Obviously at a highly discounted price because that dealer has no investment in demo gear. But that's a different topic
 
Mike said:
Keith - there will always be more expensive products coming out. I still go back to the benefits of trickle down technology.

As for $65,000 speaker cables....sorry, I got nothing.
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Which is why its humorous that JA thinks the Pass X60.5s are the best amps he's ever heard- 11k. Ayre did the whole solid aluminum brick thing before anyone and originally charged $18k/pair. Dan adds copper and a Breguet copy cat dial and charges 55k.
 
JA said "in his room" - and when you consider all the factors (cost, weight, heat, etc.), they are excellent amps. JA told me he's reviewing the 60.8's right now. Will be interesting to hear how he likes them.
 
I think a lot of times the ultra high end is used as a sales tool. Demo the 250k and then the 60k and instantly write up the 60k pair because of that trickle down technology
 
KeithR said:
Which is why its humorous that JA thinks the Pass X60.5s are the best amps he's ever heard- 11k. Ayre did the whole solid aluminum brick thing before anyone and originally charged $18k/pair. Dan adds copper and a Breguet copy cat dial and charges 55k.
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And now Ayre charges $28.5 them. Since by your definition whats inside means nothing then Ayre just added ~$10k of profit for no reason.
 
I think someone is suffering from "Amp Envy". :)

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1412633769.693018.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
still-one said:
And now Ayre charges $28.5 them. Since by your definition whats inside means nothing then Ayre just added ~$10k of profit for no reason.
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Actually Charlie had a long post about why it costs them so much now- just the parts increase was like 4-5k to the Series 2 version. Said he tried a zillion other brands and didn't sound right. He was not happy about raising price. He also offers an upgrade to all prior customers for just the difference in price.

Alternatively, I'd like to hear why Dan raised prices for his monoblocks so much in the past two years.
 
KeithR said:
Actually Charlie had a long post about why it costs them so much now- just the parts increase was like 4-5k to the Series 2 version. Said he tried a zillion other brands and didn't sound right. He was not happy about raising price. He also offers an upgrade to all prior customers for just the difference in price.

Alternatively, I'd like to hear why Dan raised prices for his monoblocks so much in the past two years.
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Actually if you sit down and talk to Dan he will readily explain why those increases occurred. Like Charlie he is very open.
 
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