[niron]

Massdrop is now offering the Pinnacle PX IEMs, a collaboration with MEE Audio that features "the same tuning and detailed, enjoyable sound signature as the Pinnacle P1, with updates to the build quality" at only $113.99

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-mee-audio-pinnacle-px-iems

 

[phthora]

Does Massdrop have to make everything "midnight blue"? Ugh. Makes everything look cheaply made.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Massdrop is now offering the Pinnacle PX IEMs, a collaboration with MEE Audio that features "the same tuning and detailed, enjoyable sound signature as the Pinnacle P1, with updates to the build quality" at only $113.99

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-mee-audio-pinnacle-px-iems

"Updates to the build quality"

Costs about 60% as much

This is why Massdrop gives me a headache. The subtext of every single drop is that everything is overpriced by a ton. It's essentially accusing MEE if offering an inferior product for $86 more.

 

[Audiotistic]

"Updates to the build quality"

Costs about 60% as much

This is why Massdrop gives me a headache. The subtext of every single drop is that everything is overpriced by a ton. It's essentially accusing MEE if offering an inferior product for $86 more.

They are giving me a headache too because as far as I can tell, the only 'updates' to the build quality include a 'scratch-resistant PVD finish in a custom dark blue'. How do they consider that an 'update'? Personally I prefer the look of the bare metal P1's and those PX's look black to me in the pictures

 

[ExpiredLabel]

+1

 

[kelchm]

Picked up an ADV Sound Model 3 recently and decided to try their bluetooth receiver with the Pinnacle P1 since the Model 3's also feature MMCX connectors.

I'm really liking the combination so far, and surprisingly there seems to be plenty of power on tap to comfortably drive the P1s. I think they sound better using the ADV Sound receiver than they did directly out of my Galaxy S8+.

 

[rawrster]

"Updates to the build quality"

Costs about 60% as much

This is why Massdrop gives me a headache. The subtext of every single drop is that everything is overpriced by a ton. It's essentially accusing MEE if offering an inferior product for $86 more.

Isn't that the point of massdrop? Buy more in quantity so the price can be lowered.

 

[KLK2A1]

Remember that this Massdrop offer does NOT include the additional silver-plated ofc cable included with the P1. That's a $50 usd value.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Isn't that the point of massdrop? Buy more in quantity so the price can be lowered.

This argument requires an equilibrium between two things: an expected sale normally, and the size of the drop. For a company to earn a profit on MD, it would have to mean that the amount they stand to gain via the drop price would have to be greater than if they'd simply sold them outright.

Now there is a HUGE problem with what I'm about to do, because the price on the PX doesn't change no matter how many it sells, but let's just do some numbers anyway.

To put some numbers on it (and really simplify things), the P1 costs $200 and the drop goes for $114. Let's completely ignore things like MD's cut or Amazon's percentage and just use the numbers as is.

At 200 sold, that's $22,800 made. To make that much at $200, they'd have to sell 114 of them. But that doesn't take profit into account.

Let's say that they cost $100 per unit on average (much more than that and they're losing money per unit on MD), that means that selling the 200 on MD gives them $2,800 profit, but selling 114 of them at $200 means $11,400 profit.

Uh oh, so the numbers really need to change. Let's see...

Cranking it up to 1000 sold, that's $114,000 raw, with a profit of $11,400. Meaning that they'll have to sell a thousand of the things in this drop to make the kind of money that they'd make from selling barely over one-tenth that at the normal price.

However, this crap only works if we take it as assumed fact that it costs them the exact same, and that they're the exact same product.

Bulk production and guaranteed sales make a difference in big industries, but when we're talking a couple hundred, those margins aren't going in wildly different directions. Certainly not enough to make up for that kind of price discrepancy.

No, the end result to me is that the MD versions are simply cheaper products, made with the help of the original company, offered at a lower price because they're a discount version for people who would like the original but can't afford it.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Remember that this Massdrop offer does NOT include the additional silver-plated ofc cable included with the P1. That's a $50 usd value.

Even if this is true, it assumes that the P1's raw value is still $150, but more than that, it *also* assumes that the P1 without that cable is being sold with a high overhead, but the cable is being sold exactly at cost. You can't claim the P1 can be sold for less than msrp easily but that the cable costs exactly as much to include as it increases the product price for. That's having it both ways.

 

[KLK2A1]

Even if this is true, it assumes that the P1's raw value is still $150, but more than that, it *also* assumes that the P1 without that cable is being sold with a high overhead, but the cable is being sold exactly at cost. You can't claim the P1 can be sold for less than msrp easily but that the cable costs exactly as much to include as it increases the product price for. That's having it both ways.

My statement is true. It was intended as a simple caveat to potential buyers that the Massdrop offering differs by more than just colour from the P1 package. It had nothing to do with your CVP analysis rant. I'm not claiming anything.

 

[benchan2]

They are giving me a headache too because as far as I can tell, the only 'updates' to the build quality include a 'scratch-resistant PVD finish in a custom dark blue'. How do they consider that an 'update'? Personally I prefer the look of the bare metal P1's and those PX's look black to me in the pictures

And that is why they call it an "update" instead of "upgrade". It is more scratch resistant, and does not need polishing like P1 does, which fits the nature of massdrop.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

My statement is true. It was intended as a simple caveat to potential buyers that the Massdrop offering differs by more than just colour from the P1 package. It had nothing to do with your CVP analysis rant. I'm not claiming anything.

It's important because you specifically said $50, when in the context of everything being discussed here is both misleading and unhelpful.

 

[KLK2A1]

It's important because you specifically said $50, when in the context of everything being discussed here is both misleading and unhelpful.

What are you on about? I specifically said the SPC cable costs $50 because it does. This is the link to Mee Audio where it can be purchased: http://www.meeaudio.com/CABLE-MMCX-HE-ZN/ . This cable is included in Pinnacle P1 package. It is NOT included in the Massdrop PX package. Again, I was simply pointing that anyone confusing the PX to be a discounted P1 package in its entirety with a different coating will be disappointed. If they want the additional non-miked, less stiff, silver-plated cable, it's going to cost them another $50+. Taking that into consideration, the PX + cable is $164, the P1 $200.

My original post speaks for itself. I did not quote you in the post. It was not in reference to anything you had posted. You seem to be the only one who found it "misleading and unhelpful". Slow down, go back and try to read a little more carefully.

 

[Audiotistic]

And that is why they call it an "update" instead of "upgrade". It is more scratch resistant, and does not need polishing like P1 does, which fits the nature of massdrop.

The shells are made out of the same material and are built exactly like the P1. Putting a coating over it doesn't update the build quality, it just puts a coating on it. I'm not trying to say anything bad about the PX's, I just didn't understand how a coating qualifies as an 'update to the build quality'.