Audio Research S80 with DeVORE FIDELITY O/96

It's always a good idea to combine overpriced components with each other. 12 grand for a couple of drivers in a box with a veneered front? Count me in! 

For the record (is there a record?), my amps, speakers, preamp, cables, a DAC, headphone amps, and EQs (including a brilliant Loki Max I just bought) are all US made. DeVore’s cabinets are made in a furniture shop (surprisingly owned by an attorney friend’s brother in law) next to his "chimp world" or whatever he calls it, the 96 and 93 are absolutely veneered plywood that can (and does) peel off, and ARC stuff is circuit boards and tubes being sold for multiples of other brand’s components. Hand made...really? Ever seen a Collings guitar? I have owned and can recommend plenty of things equal to or better sounding than anything from ARC or DeVore, but if people need to spend on a Japanese esthetic I’m sure John and his cat will be happy.

I mention Collings guitars as an example of actual craftsmanship as opposed to what DeVore does. I'll always feel that ARC and DeVore are overpriced, and if ARC's recent financial troubles are any indication of this I'm not alone. Schiit makes astoundingly well designed stuff that sounds great without unnecessary frippery and sells it for a fraction of what many others might...the Max is 1500 bucks. A pedestrian circuit board that works well does that because that's all it needs. I understand that hyperbole sells and ARC and DeVore are well liked by some, but veneered plywood and machine made circuit boards simply aren't expensive enough to justify the selling price. Box Furniture is not known for "artisan built" anything...saw a board, make a box.