They should charge more for it…

I don't even equate this to a full fledged supercar. More a over-hyped car obscenely priced. 

It's more a story about a vast amount of Government Grant money spent(ie) someone got rich developing this. Now they need to price it into the stratosphere to justify where the money went. At 320K they'd break even by selling less than 20 of them.

So this is the great value of the 5 million grant. Less than 20 people get a turntable arm and cartridge. More sales if they want to make a profit. Do I envisage $100K turntable owners moving up? Not really. 320K is a different sector. 320K(for now) watch this one spiral in price. I'd be surprised if this thing is a hit. I think they'll sell their 20 because it isn't that big a number to break even. I don't see a 320K product for minimal people as a great use of  millions of grant money.

If they really have developed a new standard, watch the Chinese tweak it enough to get around the patents and sell their version for one tenth the price. It might be good but next to no-one will own one so what was the point?

Secondly, it might be excellent. Standard setting in fact but Fremer will be gifted his. In return, his true testimony will sell at least 50 of them. Good for Fremer. Good for WB. What did the government grant buy the populace at large?

They openly state that this is but the first and there will be more to follow: A 500K model? WOW we'll all be waiting anxiously for that.

For 99.9999999% of the world's population nothing to see here folks.

@dayglow "In transportation is a new Ferrari a better value proposition than a new Cirrus SR20?"

At least when the Ferrari stalls it doesn’t need a parachute. (Just kidding). 

Seriously, I’m a boring aerospace engineer working as a mechanical engineer and almost ready to retire.

I look at anything that moves with an eye to whether or not it is doing its job via physics. Holding a spinning piece of plastic up to a diamond stylus and doing it silently isn’t rocket science these days and hasn’t been in decades. You can spend $2000, $4000, or in this case $302K and pretty much accomplish the same thing. For those with such deep pockets, more power to them. When they make such a purchase it ripples on through the economy, so it is all good. 

At some point these products become "lifestyle" products, purchased not based on performance but merely to separate yourself from the great unwashed who couldn’t dream of buying one. Fair enough. 

@ghdprentice 

Thank you for the good laugh of the day!

"If I had the means, I am sure my system would cost... well commiserate with my wealth."

1. "To feel sorrow, pain, or regret for"... Yes I'm sure your wealth would have a bad day.

I know you meant "commensurate".

Its all good.

Regards,

barts

@theophile The money from the government grant didn't go to develop the turntable, but the technology used tin the turntable, i.e. bio composites, which can be used for a host of things, mostly non-audio related.