Synergistic New Tesla Line...Any comments?

@Sabai, I agree with your post 100%. I couldn't have said it better than that...

There's a COST for enjoying/using Version 1 to the time Version 2 is released. Version 1 starts to depreciate immediately after purchase. This is true with every commodity with the exception of investments. Washing machines, toasters, computers ...

For example, once a new car is driven off the lot, it has depreciated 20 to 30%. If traded it in after 5 years with 120K miles, the dealer has to consider the over head in selling it, time in inventory, market price ... basically they have to make a PROFIT in the whole transaction. So in MOST cases, it's always better to sell it yourself.

Trade in or upgrade program are for consumers that don't want to deal with selling it themselves. Probably 99.9% of the time not financially advantageous.

Sabai, I know you are special but I hate to break this to you, companies exist to make money and not to serve you. They can ONLY exist if profitable so is a factor in every policy decisions.

Like I said, SR has been in business for a long time so I can assume the customer base supports their overall business practices. If not, SR has to change or go out of business.

Another way of looking at this is that, 2 and a half years ago, you spent $5,000 on a product that has perhaps, if you are lucky, 20% of the sonic effectiveness of the equivalent-priced product today. How do you feel about that?

My 1st desktop computer running Windows 3.1 cost $7500 and my latest laptop with everything top of the line cost $1750. It's call innovation, increased productivity and I LOVE it.

How many times can a customer afford to up-trade? How many audiophiles have pockets deep enough to play this game? Many audiophiles have to be careful with their audio dollars while others do not.

Probably 99.9% of the population has to live in some budget. If you want something bad enough, IMO, the only way is to improve your financial situation. Taking action takes MORE effort, sacrifice ... than complaining and blaming others for your short falls.

By the way, you may live in an entitled society but I do not. I live abroad -- in a third world country where there is no entitlement at all.

47% in my country welcomes you with open arms or maybe 51% now ... Hmmm!

11-22-12: Bacardi
@Sabai, I agree with your post 100%. I couldn't have said it better than that...
Bacardi (Reviews | Threads | Answers | This Thread)

Why am I NOT surprise.

Knghifi,
You stated the following:

1. "Trade in or upgrade program are for consumers that don't want to deal with selling it themselves."

I don't know anyone on Audiogon who does not "want to deal with" selling an item that will fetch them a reasonable price. The uptrade policy of SR is for those who have virtually no alternative. This is obvious. Who would take up the "offer" to purchase an item twice as expensive as the one they bought earlier if they were not already in the market for that product -- unless they had no other choice -- or had very deep pockets?

2. "Sabai, I know you are special but I hate to break this to you, companies exist to make money and not to serve you." They can ONLY exist if profitable ..."

Since I am no more special than other Audiogon member I have no idea why you make this rather puerile statement about being "special".

I am a businessman. It may come as a shock that I know businesses have to make money to survive. But you got the last part dead wrong. Without serving their customers a business will have no customers. That's a moot point. The problem is how well they serve them.

3. "My 1st desktop computer running Windows 3.1 cost $7500 and my latest laptop with everything top of the line cost $1750. It's call innovation, increased productivity and I LOVE it."

Of course, your analogy is totally false. Computers are not high end audio equipment. They are not upgradeable in the way that many audio companies upgrade their equipment -- Merlin and Atma-Sphere come to mind. And there are so many others. Innovation does not always mean abandoning an earlier version of a product. In fact, many audio companies build their customer base on upgrading. So, the audio fact is often the exact opposite of what you are stating.

4. "If you want something bad enough, IMO, the only way is to improve your financial situation. Taking action takes MORE effort, sacrifice ... than complaining and blaming others for your short falls."

The point is not "short falls" at all. The point is that high end audio has many buyers with deep enough pockets that they do not need to "take MORE effort", as you put it, to make more money. They just don't want to throw their money away unnecessarily. I have made enough money these past years to put together a pretty good system. I can afford what I want. But I am not foolish enough to throw my money away. Why should I? I work too hard for it. I want the best possible value for my audio dollars.

Regarding your comment about taking "MORE effort, sacrifice", I work 365 days a year. I do not need to be lectured on working harder. Thank you.

This is about giving audiophiles who can afford to enter the ballpark more choices. The companies that do so are to be highly commended. They truly serve their customers well. And, you may have noticed, they attract a following of loyal and often vocal supporters who are happy to stick with them because they appreciate what those companies are doing for them. It is like a partnership. These are the companies I especially like dealing with. These companies show they care. They work hard to please their customers by adding value -- at a reasonable cost -- to an already valuable product. They do not require customers to sell their products off at a loss in order to purchase the next version.

There are different ways to make a profit. The route that companies choose to take is not inevitably, as you make out, against their customers' best interests. There are many possible routes to take that will produce a profit. This is a choice that companies make. There is no law that says that companies must refuse to act in the best interest of their customers to be successful. On the contrary. Those that choose to do act more in line with their customers' interests do very well in high end audio.

@Knghifi, read Foster_9's message to you....read it well.....

"Power cords. They can’t possibly make a difference, can they? ... The answer is Yes. Unequivocally, resoundingly, and oh my, Yes. How big a difference? ... To put it in perspective, the difference is akin to replacing an undistinguished MOSFET stereo amp with a pair of absolutely top-flight mono tube amps — or replacing a midfi direct-drive turntable with a well set up Linn, Sota, or VPI. To say I was unprepared for the difference these power cords made would be a big, big understatement ... for what they do, they represent the biggest bang for the audio buck I have seen."

What are we talking about here? The Apex or the Element Tungsten? No. This is from the The Absolute Sound 2004 review of the SR Master Coupler power cord reprinted on the Synergistic Research site here:

http://www.synergisticresearch.com/reviews/ac-master-coupler/

This is what I mean by being careful how you spend your hard-earned audio dollars. Don't believe everything you read. You might be reading the same thing tomorrow about the next latest and greatest.