Why do better MC cartridges cost a fortune?

I can only imagine the hours that are spent voicing a top LOMC design and then they are usually built by hand one at a time. This costs money. These are not a commodity to be judged by weight or only cost of materials, although that is quite high too as all parts are highest spec and unique to that design.

Economies of scale are not in play and amortization of the design cost is poor as not many of a given model are sold.

Dave

Why does everyone have such a problem with value pricing. If company X wants to sell something that delivers a 1% increase in perceived performance over anything else they have then they are free to (and by economic theory bound to) charge as much as the market is prepared to pay for that improvement. The manufacturing costs or other fixed costs are irrelevant, as long as they are covered in the long run. And, As others have pointed out, in the context of a six figure analog system changing the cartridge is in fact one of the cheaper ways of upgrading.

Big deal is that the increasing number of audiophiles cannot afford anything real good new and like second rate citizens have to chase things on a 'flea' market.  

Come on @inna to use AirTight as an illustration. At the same time they added the $15K Magnum Opus they also brought out the $2.5K PC-7 at the bottom end so bringing the cost of entry to the line down. The same is true of most manufacturers in that we are seeing options added that expand the range at both ends

They are the emperor's new clothes.