Why so expensive??

what really gets me is these guys that buy expensive hand rolled cigars from Cuba? They are rolled with by hand and by spit!! I hate cigars and love to call someone who brags about smoking a $10 cigar a spit sucker!!!!! Yes some people with lots of money have more money than brains!

Hey, like any luxury item, if you got the bucks and having the best floats your boat, and everyone's happy in the end (particularly the vendor) why not?

Personally, I'd rather go for value and donate the savings to charity or use it for other good cause. Ideally, if more people did this, the world would be a much better place. Then again, I've spent plenty of money on what still has to be considered expensive audio equipment that I am able to afford (barely). I do this because I work hard, love music and aspire to high standards for things I care about.

Realistically, of course, I am not wealthy enough to afford the creme-de-la-creme. If I were, the temptations would surely be hard to resist......

I feel lucky to live in a place and time where so many things (both good and bad) are available to so many and everyone has the ability to chose.

What a wonderful world.......

Does a $500 bottle of wine cost that much more to produce than a $5 bottle?

Who knows how much the quest for audio nirvana costs but some people are willing to pay for it.

High end audio is a luxury good. As in any luxury market price is used to segment the market into narrower niches. Ultra-expensive is one of those niches. It's aimed at the customer who wants the most expensive and exclusive item in that market.

Because of the belief in the following equation:

$$$$$$$$$ = sound quality.

As a high-end axiom, one can only seek to refute at at one's risk and peril.

you pay for marginalia.....its hi end

Just like any premium brand, they fulfill a psychological need that some folks have: To be exclusive, to feel a sense of accomplishment, to be unique, to be viewed as successful. It's basic marketing and there's nothing wrong with it. As someone else has mentioned, there's a premium brand category in most product service categories; Clothes, watches, clothing accessories (eg. purses), wines, cars, food, eyeglasses, writing instruments etc.

Other Uber Expensive retail items are driven by scarcity (supply) and demand; Original Artwork, Wine, Musical Instruments (Stratavarious sp?)

Spaz,

There is a huge price disparity in nearly every hobby. Labor and parts cost don't drive the price. Scarcity and lust drive the price.

Enjoy,

TIC

In almost every hobby there is a way to spend huge money because the market exists at those stratospheric levels. As Aball notes, those people are paying for expertise and rarity and the ability to say I have $100K pre-amp to their buddies.

You don't only pay for parts and build time, you pay for knowledge and talent too - and they are the majority. This is generally the case with any quality thing if you stop to think about it. Even services, like your car mechanic. If he finds the problem in 5 minutes because of his knowledge, does that mean you should only pay him $5 for the repair? I doubt you will find one who agrees.

Having said that, I too feel some audio components are overpriced but that gives no reason to spaz out over it.

Arthur