Odd DAC Pricing

Pricing is odd and low so be careful. Used prices of a Tambaqui from reputable dealers and reputable independents are going for $8,900 to $9,500. I recommend you contact Bill Parish, owner, GTT Audio in New Jersey (gttaudio.com; 908.850.3092).  There is a preowned one listed on their webpage.  GTT is the US importer and distributor for Mola Mola.  Bill is extremely knowledgeable, patient, and does not believe in pressure sales.  I audition the Tambaqui in comparison to my previous DAC.  He spent over an hour not imparting any impartial comments to sway my opinion. He then waited over 8 months until I made a decision to purchase a preowned unit from him. I compared the Mola Mola to the Bricasti M1 and DCS Bartok. I found the Tambaqui had the most natural timbre, better micro and macro dynamics, better bass extension and detail, better detail in general without being etched or fatiguing, and most dense imaging.  Staging had better separation between instruments and blacker space between instruments.  However, I personally feel width not as wide as the other two.  Really knit picking, possibly secondary harmonic decay in the spaces between were a little less evident than the others.   I said I was knit picking because the envelope or bubble of sound that harmonic decay produces is very evident and combined with the dense sound stage produces lifelike images.  In the end I felt the Tambaqui just sounded more musical.  Realize, this is my analysis and if you go with a Tambaqui please audition and use your own ears.  As I stated, the list preowned Tambaquis I see listed by reputable dealers and independents are in the range I stated and therefore be careful of much lower advertised prices. Maybe it’s a real bargain, but maybe it is not. I recommend contacting GTT.  

I've been following the asking price on hifi Shark for about the last year. There was a bottom limit of about $9000. That changed right around the New Year and there have been more listings and there have been several listed in the $7000-$8500 range.

@snookhaus I just reviewed all listings on Agon and the Mart.  Lowest list preowned price is $8700.  Most above $9000.  I look often.  Never saw one below $8700.  

@jsalerno277 if you use the search function on hifi Shark and look in the sold/expired section there have been 4 in the last 3 months under $8000.

You’re also in an economy that higher priced items sit longer so maybe that has something to do with it as well.  I would agree on the age of the design and 40% discount wouldn’t be abnormal, you also don’t know what they actually paid for it.  30-40 points of markup is not out of the ordinary from distributer cost to retail price, special discounted prices on large buys from distributor, etc. could play a part in a cheaper than list new sell price.  I have multiple retail dealer friends that have shared with the way the business works as I had discussed going into retail audio for a hobby after I retire.