[BigTony]

Price is something we can get a handle on very easily, value on the other hand isn't so simple.

 

[Currawong]

I'll grant that back when the 5th gen iPod was current, the sound quality from the headphone socket wasn't really that great. However, especially with the iPhone and iPod Touch, the situation is much improved and I have trouble imagining that with most IEMs an amp is any use at all. If the ultra-sensitive IEMs benefit from an amp with a digital volume control, then fair enough too, but I have the impression that the game has changed yet the kids running around saying "Buy an amp and expensive LOD" haven't. The only other thing of interest that has arrived other than the 4 digital volume amps has been the balanced amp from RSA, but I'd say that's for the JH-11/UE-18 crowd mostly if it makes a significant difference.

 

[estreeter]

Having just severed a relationship with a gal who, in my estimation, accounted for about 20k of my spending over the last 2 years, I can assure you that gear is a much better investment. Buy it *all*.

 

[MomijiTMO]

I'll be your new gal

 

[kunalraiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MomijiTMO /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll be your new gal

I was feeling you were a guy

 

[estreeter]

kunaraiker, I dont know what you have been feeling, but that was the gag : its not side-splitting, granted, but now you've gone and ruined what little fun we were having. For some Head-Fiers, 20K wouldnt be enough anyway.

If I could take back all the travel, the hotel rooms, the gifts, I might just have enough to buy some of HPAs cast-offs.

 

[Skylab]

I think it's pretty well impossible for anyone to impose a sense of "value" on anyone else, and it's not fruitful to try. People buy things for their own, different reasons.

I do have one very fundamental issue here though. I see some of some of the same people who seem to think that every major amp manufacturer is ripping people off also spend weeks or months rolling op-amps in their DIY or cloned or cheap Chinese amp and describing the changes in sound that the op-amps make - which is fine, but it implies a certain choice in terms of spending money versus time.

Now let's look at what an amp maker like RSA or Meier Audio does - the designer spends weeks, or months, researching different parts, including op-amps, to decide what sounds best to him. He then makes that decision, and offers it at a price that reflects a fair value of his time as a designer to do that work.

Now, some people may PREFER to spend less money on a DIY-type amp and do the op-amp rolling themselves. There is a time cost of money to this approach (not to mention the cost of the op-amps), but for some, that may be fun.

But let's recognize that for some people, it is worth the money to have someone else do all that work for you, and pay them for that. Not to mention that what you buy from someone like a RSA or Meier or Headamp or Headroom is backed by a warranty - all of those sellers, and many more, will fix any issue you have without question. If you bugger a DIY amp you bought, you are out the money. And a lot of people have buggered their DIY amps, to be sure.

There is a great saying - "you pays your money, and you makes your choice". How fortunate for all of us that we live in a place and time where the choice is ours to make.

 

[TheAudioDude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif There is a great saying - "you pays your money, and you makes your choice". How fortunate for all of us that we live in a place and time where the choice is ours to make.

Not only can we make the choice, but we usually have 30 days to decide if we're satisfied with it.

 

[Guidostrunk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slash47 /img/forum/go_quote.gif No it isn't. You have no idea how much it costs to build prototypes, samples and most of all to get people to know you. Then there is insurance, transport (what do you think a fancy box costs?), all the stuff Boomana mentioned. Do you know how hard it is to make a competetive product that people enjoy? You are (again) downright insulting people who want to make a nice product and sell it. Let's be honest: the RSA stuff looks and feels WAY better than that crap on eBay. Some people (like me) are willing to pay for that. If you're not, that's perfectly fine, but don't act like you know it all when clearly you don't. This whole money thing in audio really pisses me off. It'd be nice if more people could just talk about stuff without their envy or pride getting in the way all the bloody time. Sexual frustration maybe? You're not a better or worse person whether you're rich or poor and just because something is expensive or cheap doesn't mean it's a fraudulent product by default. /rant

What he said

 

[Guidostrunk]

I'm sure that LeePerry has a DIY automobile also, I'm sure he cant see spending the money on a "Greedy" Automobile Manufacturer.

 

[leeperry]

oh sure thing, warranty costs a lot to a manufacturer! no question about it.

gear in europe is more expensive than in the US, but I would definitely not buy a videoprojector only backed w/ a 1y warranty...reason why there's many companies offering warranty extensions for a fee in the US apparently?

You could compare the prices of the top models from Mitsubishi between Europe and the US...but here we get 5y on-site warranty, no question asked.

 

[leeperry]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guidostrunk /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm sure that LeePerry has a DIY automobile also, I'm sure he cant see spending the money on a "Greedy" Automobile Manufacturer.

does the job as they say!

 

[Guidostrunk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeperry /img/forum/go_quote.gif does the job as they say!

LOL, thats a pretty cool pic.

 

[.Sup]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dfkt /img/forum/go_quote.gif Some seem to charge less markup than RSA and provide more features with less 'minimal' innards. They don't need mil-spec nail-polish either.

doesn't the upper amp have a battery there?

 

[kboe]

Oh its good to know that there are some people with like minded thinking. Thanks krmathias and Skylab. As long as your not spending my money, I wont spend yours!