I don't know about that.
Some may buy for status reasons; however, every income bracket makes decisions based on what they can afford and what the perceive as the "best" product for their purposes. Not sure why, when it comes to the wealthy so many assign "status" to their purchasing decisions when I am sure most, like any income bracket, make educated decisions.
Especially this Riviera, few even know about it, so I am not sure paying 90K for a Riviera Phono Pre is a status symbol; not like it has 4 wheels and they are driving it around the neighborhood saying, look at me. In the world of 750K turntables is this nuts?
Personally, I think the prices of these things in general, not particular to this product are nuts, totally unjustifiable and geared to a market that in many ways is self-sustaining (which I really don't want to get into), but my retort was mainly to the trolling of Mikado.