Simaudio doesnt stock parts for discontinued produ

Your headline is not accurate because it is totally misleading in that it asserts that no parts (note the plural) are stocked for discontinued products.

The headline should read: "Simaudio doesn't stock replacement faceplates for discontinued products" You inquired about "a" part that wouldn't even be relevant to 99% of the people that would need "parts".

I think we all agree that a manufacturer should stock critical non standard parts for discontinued items.

I can see how that could be frustrating, however, your headline is misleading and unfair to simaudio. You are implying that it would be impossible to fix any discontinued product and no critical parts are made available. Is this a fact? The most important parts to make available and be able to help customers with are the ones that make your product work. I would be more concerned if I couldn't get a capacitor or something that rendered your unit inoperable and worthless rather than a poor match with your other equipment. I doubt that is the case from Simaudio.

There is an economic reality to small scale specialty production and downstream support. The faceplate is purely cosmetic and if someone is buying a new production unit it is easy to select the faceplate of choice at that time. I am guessing that this would be a very unusual request for them on gear that is already sold since most people buy what they want and take good care of their gear. Most electronic related replacement parts are fairly cheap to keep in stock whereas a faceplate could be much more expensive in comparison.

I am guessing that if simaudio did in fact go to the trouble of making extra faceplates, keeping them in inventory in case someone desired a different look, that the price they would ask for this convenience would appear as highway robbery and you wouldn't get it anyway.