[discord]

The fact they announced this over an email really pissed me off lol. Like, no... stop it.

They text me.

 

[Sifo]

Please put 100 hours at least on yourJewel, Sifo, and then give us your impressions.

These have been burned in as they were owned by @tgx78, dunno how many hours he's had on them.

I will give them a fair amount of listening time as well, of course.

 

[Stu Paddasso]

They text me.

Why do Yankees call this a Beanie when everyone in Canada Knows it's a Toque!!!!

 

[Natesdailies]

What happened to the prices anyway, remember when it used to be enough to eat ramen for a few months, now sell organs.

U12T at $2,000 was expensive then

Some macro economics bleeding into luxury goods. 80% of the U.S. dollars in existence were printed in 22 months.

Other goods also went up during the same time. Clothing, bags, watches, Housing +50% in many areas world wide.

 

[RTodd]

Honestly I’d blame it on the Trailii. As soon as people accepted that price for Summit fi wares , it raised the water of what people would pay for IEMs.

I remember when $3k was a rare thing for IEMs. Now everyone offers multiple $3k offerings and even push for $4k (Xe6), $5k (Jewel) and $6k+?(Mutilple UM limited edition offerings)

True as it was such a success. I remember there being lots over 2K before the Bird though prices were already inching upward in like $500 to $800 dollar jumps prior to Traillii. I do not remember how many were already north of 4K before Traillii.

The ramp up has been only three years and TOTL price levels seems to have doubled and tripled. Way beyond inflation rates or income increases.

Perfect storm I guess, successful Traillii and supply chain excuse for profit taking. I am the most irritated with UM.

 

[RTodd]

There have been $3k + IEMs all the way back as far as I can remember. The U18t and Fourte came out in 2017 at $2999 and $3599 (?) I think the Fourte original MSRP was actually higher at one point. I don’t think the Traillii is to take the blame. I also don’t think there’s been an IEM since the Traillii came out, regardless of price point, that has been as universally accepted as the Traillii.

The biggest difference now I feel is that the audience this hobby has reached out to is larger, and there’s more people that are willing to spend big bucks for top sets. Not all of them are winners and the market eventually shows that, i don’t know a single person that owns an oBravo Ra and it’s like £9000 or something.

At the end of the day it is just best to vote with your wallet.

Great point Covid shut ins increased the market.

oBravo is just for people that only care about bling.

 

[Whazzzup]

The problem with inflation is the solution. Lower the velocity of money and decrease demand and increase supply, thus lower prices. The rub is there’s to much darn cash and wealth. So the interest rate play by feds world wide, well there has never not been a recession induced by fighting inflation. Well yet, 0% soft landing ever.

 

[SteveK27]

True as it was such a success. I remember there being lots over 2K before the Bird though prices were already inching upward in like $500 to $800 dollar jumps prior to Traillii. I do not remember how many were already north of 4K before Traillii.

The ramp up has been only three years and TOTL price levels seems to have doubled and tripled. Way beyond inflation rates or income increases.

Perfect storm I guess, successful Traillii and supply chain excuse for profit taking. I am the most irritated with UM.

UM seem to do it in the most blatant way possible that I find their flagships hard to get intrigued by when they introduce a multi-kilobuck iem on a quarterly basis.

 

[Natesdailies]

This topic comes up quite often and it is interesting to me. Part of me thinks it's the changes in our economy, inflation, etc...another part of me is more simple. There is a demand for those who can push the envelope of diminishing returns.

Inflation ballooned the asset class' disposable income leading to an environment where manufacturers can charge higher prices

 

[gnahra]

Inflation ballooned the asset class' disposable income leading to an environment where manufacturers can charge higher prices

But their input costs have also gone up…a lot.

 

[dmphile]

But their input costs have also gone up…a lot.

There is merit and some truth to the overall cost of goods both at the manufacturer and ultimately through the supply chain. However, there is the saying, don't let a crisis go to waste and I'm sure this gave companies a 'reason' to Jack up prices.

 

[Sifo]

UM's business model seems maliciously predatory from where I stand, along with some other questionable actions they've taken in the past. But I guess that's just how the market is in their region. And I guess I can't really say anything with a Jewel now, I have no idea why Aroma's stuff costs as much as it does. Both UM and Aroma make great sounding products, all things aside. I probably wouldn't have this Jewel if it wasn't such a great price and already imported into Canada. But yet I have some other 4k+ IEMs on the wishlist.

 

[drftr]

UM's business model seems maliciously predatory from where I stand, along with some other questionable actions they've taken in the past. But I guess that's just how the market is in their region. And I guess I can't really say anything with a Jewel now, I have no idea why Aroma's stuff costs as much as it does. Both UM and Aroma make great sounding products, all things aside. I probably wouldn't have this Jewel if it wasn't such a great price and already imported into Canada. But yet I have some other 4k+ IEMs on the wishlist.

New models means new attention. I think that's very important in their main market where they may have plenty of customers that buy anything new without even demoing. It's prestige that matters for more people than they would like to admit (nor have to admit of course).

drftr

 

[Deferenz]

Now there’s a thought.

Survey: What deflowered you into the TOTL realm?

For me it was the OG Solaris.

I think I’m a bit late to this, but for me it was also the Shure SE846.

 

[RTodd]

UM's business model seems maliciously predatory from where I stand, along with some other questionable actions they've taken in the past. But I guess that's just how the market is in their region. And I guess I can't really say anything with a Jewel now, I have no idea why Aroma's stuff costs as much as it does. Both UM and Aroma make great sounding products, all things aside. I probably wouldn't have this Jewel if it wasn't such a great price and already imported into Canada. But yet I have some other 4k+ IEMs on the wishlist.

Jewell was overpriced for what it sounded like to me, and the cable at that price, non starter.

UM Masons are definitely overpriced for what they sound like, and releases so frequent that just change the color claim a new generation driver and still sound similar to the last iteration (released too recently). I am all for pushing releases to higher levels of performance just make the leap in more significantly audible steps to justify another huge spend from your customers that are not all millionaires.

Juxtapose against Oriolus who gets pegged with breaching 6K with a set that sounded very nice and was supplied with a cable that did not detract, (worth the price hard to say that even now), than to follow that up with Isabellae and then Szalayi both reasonably priced and great value, and at least for now Oriolus is easier to admire.