Munich Hi End show
- CN211276
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Re: Munich Hi End show
I can accept R&D costs in the context of emerging science and new technology. Where audio is concerned this only applies to streaming as everything else has been around for decades.
Main System
NVA BMU, P90SA/A80s (latest spec), Cube 1s, TIS, TISC(LS7)
Sonore OpticalRendu, Chord Mscaler & Qutest, Sbooster PSs
Network Acoustics Eno, ifi iPurifier3, AQ JB FMJ, Cisco 2940 & 2960
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RIP Doc
NVA BMU, P90SA/A80s (latest spec), Cube 1s, TIS, TISC(LS7)
Sonore OpticalRendu, Chord Mscaler & Qutest, Sbooster PSs
Network Acoustics Eno, ifi iPurifier3, AQ JB FMJ, Cisco 2940 & 2960
DH Labs ethernet, BNC & USB cables, Lindy cat 6 US ethernet cable
Second System
NVA P20/ A20, Cubettes, LS3, SSP, SC
Sonore MicroRendu, Chord Mojo 2 MCRU PSs, AQ Carbon USB cable & JB FMJ
Headphones
Grado SR325e/Chord Mojo, Beyerdynamic Avetho/AQ DF Colbat
RIP Doc
- savvypaul
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Re: Munich Hi End show
We've had some costs that could be considered R&D. Minimal cost for experimenting with different stepped attenuators. More significant costs for developing the case for the new integrated and for prototyping the new Cubes - new drivers and birch-ply cabinet options. Those costs get factored into our overall financial planning. However, our biggest 'hit' to cashflow is the upfront cost of having items made in sufficient quantity to achieve a realistic unit price.Lindsayt wrote: ↑Wed Jun 01, 2022 10:13 am If we take NVA as an example. The cost of the initial R&D would have involved Richard trying various designs, listening to them, trying something different, listening etc etc. I get the impression that he never incorporated these costs into the selling price of NVA. Effectively the R&D was seen as a personal hobby / passion / interest and the costs were written off and Richard never directly compensated himself for this time and materials cost.
In the post Richard Dunn era, it seems that this approach has been carried on?
For someone like a Richard Dunn or a Colin Wonfor or a Les W - going into the design of an amplifier, they have so much expertise already that we're not talking about a lot of R&D. They know what they're doing. And it's just a case of going ahead, making what they think will work well, listening to it and going into production if it's good enough for the price.
If a company were to claim that they needed a huge amount of R&D for a minimialist hi-fi product, then I'd be questioning the expertise of the designer. Or his sanity.
For something like a Devialet, I can see why they had upfront R&D costs.
When the Linn Keel came out, there were people on forums saying that the high price was a reflection of the R&D. Seeing as it was produced by a company that had been selling mechanical engineering products for over 30 years, with claims that they were the best in the world at what they did, they should have so much mechanical engineering expertise that coming up with the Keel would be a piece of cake.
If we only kept the same range, in the same cases, in the same materials, R&D costs would have been negligible. If we wanted to make a new Statement amp from scratch, however, I would be budgeting around £15k to develop a prototype. I know that Richard paid an equivalent amount, back in the day, looking back through the receipts we inherited - which is one reason why the Statement amps were on a multiplier that was in a different league compared to the black box stuff, despite having pretty much the same internals.
If anyone would like to knock us up a Statement case for free, don't hesitate to let me know
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Re: Munich Hi End show
This is John DeVore YouTube clip I briefly mentioned earlier. In this he discusses his approach to designing and building speakers and he also mentions in passing having to buy 1000 super tweeters when he could only ever envisage using 30 - 50 of them. He did buy the 1,000 and then many years later found a use for the remaining stock in the new baby O's
Modified Airlink BPS 3110S with LDA DC filter
TTs, Kenwood KD 8030 with AT OC9XSH, Opera Consonance Wax Engine mk2 with modified Apheta 2 MC cart, PT TOO awaiting restoration.
LDA MCJ3 phono,Schiit Freya plus pre amp, NAD M23, Audiolab 9000 CD transport, Denafrips Pontus 2 DAC, Mano Ultra2 streamer, Cisco switch, Audio Technica ATH 70 cans, Serhan Swift Mu2 mk2 speakers & NSNO W48.5 speaker cables
TTs, Kenwood KD 8030 with AT OC9XSH, Opera Consonance Wax Engine mk2 with modified Apheta 2 MC cart, PT TOO awaiting restoration.
LDA MCJ3 phono,Schiit Freya plus pre amp, NAD M23, Audiolab 9000 CD transport, Denafrips Pontus 2 DAC, Mano Ultra2 streamer, Cisco switch, Audio Technica ATH 70 cans, Serhan Swift Mu2 mk2 speakers & NSNO W48.5 speaker cables
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Re: Munich Hi End show
Chassis what a joke the company that made mine in the UK jump up price from £120 each to now over £500 each, criminal and also every time I get them made the sods hang on tooling again , why well because they destroy due to lack of storage the last one, eeeek oh shit more hair out.
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Re: Munich Hi End show
It's about time you wrote a book Colin , remember the truth is an absolute defence to defamation , so you can tell it all .
Ps . Sorry to hear about Howard , I spoke to him frequently on the Facebook groups he ran , he was a nice man
Ps . Sorry to hear about Howard , I spoke to him frequently on the Facebook groups he ran , he was a nice man
- These users thanked the author Daniel Quinn for the post (total 2):
- Lindsayt (Fri Mar 24, 2023 11:10 pm) • Wonfor14 (Sat Mar 25, 2023 9:46 am)