ascend sierra tower with raal or Focal Aria 936

You’re comparing two COMPLETELY different products at those price points. One a gen 2, one a gen 3, plus inflation. Plus the fact that they’re now made in the USA, plus the fact that they’re... you know... completely different.

Any other solid points you’d like to make?

Let me make this simple for you. I originally stated that there’s really extra substantial intrinsic value of an internet direct product at a given price point. There is no way that Ascend is selling a product that would sell for say $10,000 at retail, for $5,000 direct to customer just because they don’t have to deal with dealer/distributor cuts. No way they would be that dumb. If it has a consumer value of $10,000 why wouldn’t they sell it direct for say, $9,000 and keep the extra profit? I fully understand the point of “lower profit, but sell more” and to some minor extent there’s is an obvious SLIGHT bit of that but not nearly to the amount you suggested.



You can say this is Economics 101 all you want, and I’d agree. Basic short sighted overly simplistic economics. The real world of speaker/electronics selling is more complex than the basic simplicity you seem to be applying to it. There are so many more factors.

Look at Dollar Shave Club for a perfect example of the internet direct “advantage.”  Pay more for the same product and they laugh all the way to the bank.  

I believe there is no point in continuing this discussion, perhaps we can at least agree on that.

There are many factors on the Emotiva company, believe whatever makes sense to you.  I've been simplifying the discussion so those unfamiliar with business concepts could understand the basic issues.

One reason internet companies do not charge a full retail price on their products is specifically YOUR mind set. Many couldn’t be persuaded to try Ascend or Axiom or Aperion Audio or Hsu Research or Odyssey Audio or Oppo or any other such company. To succeed they have to discount their products to a point where enough are willing to try them out in their homes.

The first such product I ever bought was an Emotiva XPA-3 for around $500. The equivalent amp from Parasound was about 3000. I was willing to save 2500 and possibly get an inferior product. Since then I’ve purchased many pieces from the Oppos of the electronics world.

Some will try, but many like you won’t. Do whatever makes you happy.

I also do not believe all internet direct companies pass along the savings. SVS and Emotiva showed that when they switched and pricing stayed the same for a lot of products while adding the standard dealer margin. 

I like Focal and others that design and manufacture all of their parts and drivers. There are a lot of companies that do not do any research and just buy off the shelf drivers. That costs less then doing research. 

The factory direct companies live or die by their online reputation, they have to make you as happy as they can.

I can only go by my own experience.  Paradigm is a loudspeaker company that designed and made their own parts and drivers for decades, and I owned their second from very top of the line speaker, the Signature S6, which cost over 5000.  I owned these speakers for 7 years, and ran them first with Emotiva gear, then Parasound.  In my time, I've also owned 5 other models from Paradigm, from the Monitor and Performance series.  

And I can tell you that you can get equal performance of those $5000 speakers for much less money from Ascend(I've also owned 3 different pairs of Ascend speakers).  I compared them side by side and could not believe my ears.  

Believe whatever makes you happy, and spend multiple thousands like I did.