Look at car prices; a Kia, Mercedes and Rolls Royce all have 4 wheels, a seat and will get you there but the price differential is enormous. Remember that construction cost usually equals 10% of selling price; the rest is overhead and profit. If this seems excessive look at the mortality among high end companies. The best product in the world requires distribution and advertising; things do not sell themselves. Also when you build your own gear your time is free; don't forget to factor that in.
Amp design logic
I hope you'll excuse my absolute and obvious ignorance...but this is a sincere question.
I don't get why one company is selling a new tube amp for ~$1000, and another is selling one for ~$50,000. What is one paying for? The proprietary circuit design?
Surely if one adds up the cost of the parts, trannies, chassis, etc. it's not worth $50K.
I accept that the more expensive one sounds lots, lots better. But what makes the price so high? Demand?
I think given a circuit diagram from a repair manual, I could eventually build most tube amps from scratch, using the absolute best of each part available. After I learn to solder. For less than $50K, just buying the best cap, resistor, wire, etc. made, for each part, I could slowly build an amp equal to the best in the world. So I don't get it.
What makes an amp worth $50K? It can only be the proprietary tube amp design.
Maybe another factor is the transformers. Each company seems to have their own iron, but that can't be a significant part of $50K?
Thanks, just really wondering about this. And wondering why don't I just make my own? If I buy one part at a time, eventually I can have the best amp there can be.
Jim
I don't get why one company is selling a new tube amp for ~$1000, and another is selling one for ~$50,000. What is one paying for? The proprietary circuit design?
Surely if one adds up the cost of the parts, trannies, chassis, etc. it's not worth $50K.
I accept that the more expensive one sounds lots, lots better. But what makes the price so high? Demand?
I think given a circuit diagram from a repair manual, I could eventually build most tube amps from scratch, using the absolute best of each part available. After I learn to solder. For less than $50K, just buying the best cap, resistor, wire, etc. made, for each part, I could slowly build an amp equal to the best in the world. So I don't get it.
What makes an amp worth $50K? It can only be the proprietary tube amp design.
Maybe another factor is the transformers. Each company seems to have their own iron, but that can't be a significant part of $50K?
Thanks, just really wondering about this. And wondering why don't I just make my own? If I buy one part at a time, eventually I can have the best amp there can be.
Jim