Audio Research I/50 Integrated Amp

It may seem like a lot but HiFi is a very small community.   A lot of these products are built in very small numbers. 

As an example I had an early  Zesto preamp.   It was SN 106.    From what I can see they started at 101 and built that model up to SN 159.  Less than 60 units.  Over two or three years of production. 

Another good example is my Quicksilver Headphone Amp.  Early pics show the press release unit is serial #6.  Mine is #18.    Its been in production 4 years and someone here or SHF posted their new QS amp a few weeks ago and it was SN 65 or something like that.  Super small runs.  

I was in this biz around 20 years ago.  When we launched a new product it would have a SN that would give the illusion that many more were built than the one you just received.     You didn't get SN 000023 ,  you got  SN 5101023 ....   it was number 23 off the line but you think there were hundreds or thousands built before it. 

My CD transport is SN x00001 , so maybe I did get the first one, but even that model is a super small run

DAC is SN 00141,  again tiny production numbers.  

Integrated amp. SN 00077

Some of these products we buy as audiophools get tons of press, thread discussions,  etc yet there are only a few hundred examples built.   

A good barometer for sales is HiFi Shark.com.   If your search yields few results or no results it's scarce or so coveted it rarely changes hands.   On the other end of the spectrum is something like the RME DAC.  A great DAC but they built thousands of them.    When I sold mine there were dozens for sale but that's why.  They built a ton. 

If I saw a few i50 for sale at once I wouldn't be too concerned,  but if I saw a dozen or 20 I'd be wondering why.   Especially knowing they are built in small numbers.