DarTzeel’s new direction

I wonder if he's gonna finally offer gear in black and silver 🤔 

In regards to Dartzeel. To me the really good designers are ones who can design equipment that surpasses their cost. Take the knowledge he's learned to this point, and make $8,000 to $50,000 preamps, amps, and integrated amps.

He may very well find that a lot more people would be able to enjoy his designs, that to me would be more satisfying

Actually I think he realizes his equipment at its price point has too much competition. Other competitors are producing products without limits and he’s not going to keep playing that game. A lot of people think his equipment is butt ugly but the execution of his topology is second to none and he wants that to appeal to a broader market. I think he’s only the beginning of what other manufacturers eventually will do: come to their senses and look to produce at a lower cost.

The oligarch market is probably saturated. This isn’t meant as a joke; with the Russians shut out of the West, there are fewer oligarchs around, so the market itself has fewer buyers today than five years ago. And it can’t be all that big ... maybe a few thousand people or less. Eventually, all of their New York, London, and Zurich mansions have $500,000 systems, and the market shrinks.

Creating a new "value" brand is difficult, since it undercuts the Veblen-good pricing model of the original brand. Choosing the appearance is even more tricky, since you don’t dare mimic the look and feel of the original product. A separate brand is about the only way to go.