I'm going to disagree with the "Phone company whats to make a huge profit, so people buy them" mentality and say it's because people want convenience. Consuming music on a phone is incredible easy whether it be through iTunes of Google Play. BTW, all companies want to make a profit. That's how they stay in business and that's how employees continue to get paid.
I paid $320 for my LG V20+ SK Edition unlocked NIB about a year ago. I paid $400 for for my wife's LG+ V30 a few months ago. I pay $9/month for my plan and $3.40/month for my wife's plan (Talk & Text, no Data). Some people have to have the latest and greatest phone at pay full price, or more, on the day it's released. If you overpaid for your phone, well that's on you. And, if you're paying Hundreds for a Cell Plan, maybe it's time to look around for something more economical.
I'm sure that there's a lot more profit in my "audiophile" EIM's then in the Phone or Plan. I have JH Audio, Campfire Audio and Periodic Audio IEM's that were all bought direct. So, that would mean that there probably at least a 40-50 Point line. At the 40 Point mark, there's more profit in my JH audio IEM's then the cost of both Phones. There might be enough to also go out for a nice Dinner. Remember, Audiophile companies tend to be niche, sell less product, and have higher prices.
Let's get back to the topic of this thread. After seeing the announcements for Oppo, I called them to get the reason for their exit. Quite simply, they found that manufacturer Blu-ray Players as an unsustainable model. They sell less Players every year, while cost continue to rise. So, they decided to take what money they had left and put it toward supporting the product that they had already sold; the Honorable thing. The other products they sold were just a small part of their revenue stream. BTW, they were surprised about the Sonica, but it was just too late. We can debate this over and over, but every year less and less people buy physical media. Every year there are less and less "High-End" CD, SACD and Blu-ray players and transports. Right now all the buzz is about Computer Audio and Streaming.
Now, I have to take my leave. My Custom Horse drawn Coach Builder just called and he has some design considerations to discuss. Yes, I found the last Builder of Custom Coaches and you can't have his Telegraph number.
