What direction is VPI headed?


First let me state that I own a VPI Prime w/perifial ring, SDS, and a couple extra arm wands so I have invested some $ overall, this being my third VPI table, with that said I am a happy VPI customer but here recently have taken a few notes on their constantly coming up with the next iteration of what ever is moving well and I do believe the Prime is one of those. When they came out with the Prime Signature it was hard not to sell and replace with it but I didn't now the Prime Signature Rosewood is gorgeous but at $6,800.00, now when you get to that cost level I started looking used and have seen the prices dropping ridiculously low on a couple of HRX setups with all the extras for  a lot less than that and they still aren't moving. I know there are those that speak of VPIs marketing from time to time but what is going on.
tooblue

Showing 1 response by has2be

Consumers are a fickle bunch that can quickly turn , made in the USA or not. Creating exclusivity such as is alluded to above in a shrinking market , and the constant reworking and naming of virtually the same product, in an already tighter consumer spending era could possibly finally bite them in the arse.
Not a knock on the product itself, many like them and the made in the USA mantra , but IMHO, not having other real competition in the same market nationally has made the innovation and design of their tables lazy and marketing over pushed ahead of the previous.
I get that people want to buy something from a company they feel will be around longer, but, it still doesn't change the reality a lack of competition and the fear the Old business supporters portray of any other outside the country options. Doesn't make either products bad or better, it just has a tendency to repackage the same old over and over .  I'm not a fan of VPI personally, but that's a choice made based on the playback, I prefer, not the product so much itself. Any entity  that continues to build and promote products for the use of vinyl is good in my book.  
Someone predicted the demise, which if anything will kill it, its pricing has become idiotic for both new and the absurd prices people put on tired out of shape tables of yesteryear. Some of which certainly are a measure of respectable , but in reality are far from  worth the original price let alone 5 to 10 times it some 40 years onward .