The Nature of the high-end market will always mean it is small. Any manufacturer that goes for mass market numbers, by definition, will no longer be high-end. For truly high-end stuff, there is no 'entry level' to it. Or, the level of entry required is just that - fairly high, due to the nature of the product (e.g. $2000 or whatever).
BTW Jvia - diamonds are a poor comparison. Personally I get way more life and pleasure out of a 2k amp than a 2k rock. Of course the girlfriend (wife to be) may not agree... But ultimately diamonds are the most over-valued commodity there is, propped up by an industry-controlling cartel (DeBeers) which is sitting on a huge hoard, that if ever released at one, would destroy the market. Intrinsically (e.g. based on scarcity) diamonds are worth at most 1/4 or less of what they sell for. If it was really an open market on them, prices would be much less. To wit: Rubies are much more scarce than diamonds, yet diamonds nearly equal them in price up to a given point in size. Wacky.
-Ed
BTW Jvia - diamonds are a poor comparison. Personally I get way more life and pleasure out of a 2k amp than a 2k rock. Of course the girlfriend (wife to be) may not agree... But ultimately diamonds are the most over-valued commodity there is, propped up by an industry-controlling cartel (DeBeers) which is sitting on a huge hoard, that if ever released at one, would destroy the market. Intrinsically (e.g. based on scarcity) diamonds are worth at most 1/4 or less of what they sell for. If it was really an open market on them, prices would be much less. To wit: Rubies are much more scarce than diamonds, yet diamonds nearly equal them in price up to a given point in size. Wacky.
-Ed