APL NWO2.5 ?

Ah... price anyone? Or is this a case of "if you have to ask you can't afford it" audiophile snobbery?

Hi Dracule1,

I posted the following on another Audiogon thread on 9/3/06:

The APL NWO-2.5 for USA is $21K and for Europe it's $22K. As I understand it, the price difference is due to the higher cost of the European version of the Esoteric unit.

Best Regards,
John

I am unable to locate reviews of any NWO models other than anecdotal remarks by a few internet posters. Can someone direct me to a bona fide review?

With $10K in mods on top of the Esoteric mule, APL is at an unprecedented price-point for a modder. It seems like what we are seeing here is evolution beyond the modder's art to a branded, productized solution, albeit one with dual branding. Don't know what APL's marketing plan is for this unit. Word of mouth? Travel to CA for Audition? It's quite an evolution in the hi-end that the world's best player could also be the world's best kept secret. A unit that preportedly "crushes" all other uber-hi-end units certainly deserves broader coverage. Or has our industry become so fragmented that stealth marketing by internet forum is both necessary & sufficient as a promotional tool for SOTA equipment?

Thanks John. The price is very high but not as stratospheric as the full Zanden setup.

Optarchie: What makes your opinion worth more than others? I tested and found the NWO-2 superior to the Meridian 808. You came to another conclusion? So what else is new? We have different opinions and setups.