What’s the Sweet Spot price point wise in your audio journey?

@goofyfoot 

You just nailed it!  
 

The harder the times, the higher the buying power should be. There’s plenty of margin in the mark up of luxury items. The prices demanded more often depends on the restraints some manufacturers put on the dealer market place. Protectionism and price maintenance by brand names are directly at odds with fair competition.

Exclusivity + no competition = higher prices

Collusion (price maintenance) is rife between “brand” and “dealership” retailers, who both love to keep their sweet spots as high as possible.

@mylogic I hear different claims regarding profit margins. For example, the profit margin on phono cartridges is very low versus headphones which is very high. Where getting ten percent off might be standard, it might be impossible when buying a phono cartridge. I'm pretty much at the dealers mercy on certain items but if I think I'm being treated unfairly, I just go to a different dealer.

@goofyfoot “Profit margins”

l think it’s a bit hit and miss with cartridges particularly at the lower end of the market, but it certainly is not for speaker cables and interconnects where the mark ups are 50% or more.

Insider information (which may or may not be reliable) suggests hardware like speakers and amplifiers are higher than that. Hi-fi is similar to the margins made on furniture. Furnishings can reach a staggering 75 - 100% mark up before discounts are offered.

”Profit” is not a dirty word, but “sky high mark ups” (margin) are dirty words.

Pioneer SA-9800 integrated amp, Pioneer SG-9800 equalizer, Pioneer HPM-100 is what I have in my “vintage” room..  My sweet spot would be more than that, but it sounds so good I have no desire to upgrade.

@everyone. Didn’t ask anyone to judge what , how or why any person decides to spend their money. I just asked what was your sweet spot in your journey. I didn’t’ ask you or anyone to critique why someone or why someone spent their money a particular way. It’s personal to you.  Happy listening everyone