So, the market 'corrects' this, even if there is 'buy in' initially. +1 Whart the cool thing about this industry, unlike many others, is that it is still in many ways a cottage industry...
think about how many of the products that are still around,
year after year, or pop up fresh and get a following, that are made by little companies, tinkerers, or long time enthusiasts from other industries who have transferred their skills +2 Considering home audio is an industry with new stuff coming to market all the time, created by both artisans and larger manufacturers, that offers a wide range of buying options from dealers to web-based sellers, a wide range of audition options from showrooms to audio shows to home demos, and the ability to achieve stunning sound from even modestly priced home systems, audiophiles sure find a lot to be critical about. |
None of this will ever make sense because this group will never agree on the definition of "overrated" as relates to audio manufacturers, which the OP should have defined as part of his question, in the first place. I found these definitions of "overrated" by the Urban Dictionary to sort of sum up the futility of this thread; A word which recently has been used liberally as a way of discrediting something without having to give a proper justification, most often when someone finds they have a disliking for a popular phenomenom and is resentful of those who embrace it. Often used by anti-trendies. and So due to personal opinion and anyone who hates anything that's well known, no matter how brilliant something is, if it gets a lot of media attention then there's always someone who will think it's overrated. and finally, an example; Person A) "I'm gonna watch my TV..."
Person B) "TV is overrated"
Person A) "I want an Xbox..."
Person B) "Xbox is overrated"
Person A) "Jesus, shutup"
Person B) "Jesus is overrate-"
*punches in face* |
Anybody who has amassed a bankroll like That is probably not on the "leading edge" of value. So, because his company is successful, the products must be a poor value? I learn something new here every day. |
I have no problem with people making money, but crazy claims and unbelievable profit margins exist in this arena "Unbelievable profit margins" does not make me think of the audio industry. Land development, automotive manufacturing, filmmaking, computer software or site development, defense manufacturing, energy exploration and transport (oil and gas), are some industries where "unbelievable profit margins" are possible but, for the most part, not audio. "Crazy claims" you can find pretty much anywhere. |
Any company that supposedly produces high end equipment but provides poor service would in my opinion be overated. +1 The whole "overrated" thing is in the ear of the beholder, as indicated in the "high value DAC" example by Chriswil. However, his "poor service" definition of overrated makes the most sense of anything I have so far read in this thread. |
Cannot agree with Lamm being mentioned here. I can see how someone might think of them as overpriced, but not overrated. IMO their high value comes from the sound quality of their gear, which is outstanding, and the length of time their models stay current and competitive with the best designs available. Their resale value is also solid across their lineup. From that perspective, one could argue they are not even overpriced. |
