R&D vs. Marketing: Are we paying for tech or fake online hype?

I opened up a highly-reviewed $3K streamer/DAC last week out of curiosity. The actual tech inside? An off-the-shelf ESS board and a basic switching power supply. The R&D budget clearly wasn't spent on the circuit design or component quality. But if you look at this brand online, they have massive social media accounts, thousands of likes, and constant hype. It’s pretty obvious what's happening. A lot of these newer boutique audio brands aren't growing organically. They just use panels like fameviso.com to buy thousands of followers and fake their prestige. They build a fancy aluminum chassis, buy the "clout" so reviewers take them seriously, and sell us basic, unoriginal tech at a huge markup. When did the audio industry shift from paying for massive toroidal transformers and custom capacitors to paying for a brand's fake Instagram budget? Am I the only one noticing that actual electrical engineering is taking a backseat to social media marketing?

radiantdream05-01-2026 8:17pm

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kr4 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 3,781 posts 05-02-2026 at 08:49pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete I'm also not sure what "Off-the-shelf" ESS board is. It probably means an exact duplication of the ESS Evaluation boards. See: ESS Evaluation Boards
kr4 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 3,781 posts 05-02-2026 at 10:24pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Of course, there’s really nothing wrong with this because ESS probably know how to get this right. OTOH, it’s wrong if the product manufacturer implies otherwise.
easystreamer Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 119 posts 05-03-2026 at 02:33pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Don't forget that the magic sauce is the software that makes the hardware sing. This is where a lot of manufacturers struggle (or fail) to keep up with compatibility and new developments. A major cause of much frustration for users that want our equipment to just work. Software development is not cheap. So yeah, once you get past the sexy first impressions of the jewelry boxes, there is not much to look at inside except for some circuit boards and power supplies. This is particularly true of streamers (glorified computers) and DACs. How special it feels when you do look inside to see copper screws holding down those PCBs or beautiful cable routing :)
elliottbnewcombjr Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 7,693 posts 05-03-2026 at 05:45pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete OP How about a photo of the innards? I like taking the covers off, seeing what’s what. You learn a lot, even if you don’t understand what is what. I’ve opened up and worked on all 6 items here Overhauled this, bath of deoxit, then had VAS align the tuner seen the impressive 7 layer construction of this plinth seen why this unit is S/N 105 db, it’s all done in one Philips chip btw, when the in/out jacks are part of the printed circuit card, do NOT push 'too tight' connectors on, I damaged one pair of connectors, right channel erratic, luckily I can use one of the other 3 inputs. High Quality Innards Tonearm Innards are fun I’ve seen the innards of both of these, quite impressive Overhaul Vintage Speakers, you see the the crossovers, quality of L-Pads (or Pots in this case), and how small gauge wire was used The innards of both this Vertical TT and reel to Reel Deck are both Impressive
elliottbnewcombjr Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 7,693 posts 05-03-2026 at 05:48pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete did you ever see the innards of an 8 Track Cartridge? What a POC, The diameter (thus the circumference) of the ’take up’ spool of tape is larger (a full tape much larger) than the inner hub the tape is taken from as it plays. Could anyone explain how you can take the tape off of an inner 2" wheel (circumference 6.28"), and wind it onto a 4" outer wheel (circumference 12.56") that are making the same revolution speed?