Lyra Dorian or Lyra Delos cartridge?

Morning.
Even with trade-in programs and retipping cartridges are very expensive in the long run. $5k turntable that will last for 30 years with minor repairs is okay but middle of the range, nothing really to talk about cartridge for $1.5k is not. For $1.5k it should be a masterpiece. How much does it cost to produce? $100?

Mr.Carr if you are still tuned in to this thread. EXCELLENT JOB on both Cartridges!! I really liked the Delos but it was such a good deal to get the Kleos and WOW!
As mentioned I always wanted a Skala but really feel I made the right decision. And thanks for the insight to the demise of the Dorian, we do live in a tough economic climate. I see it in my industry where steel, fuel and other costs make one look at every penny to determine if profit can be achieved. I think both of your cartridges could sell for more than they do and get away with it. But some seem to believe that PROFIT is a dirty word. I guess they have no bills to pay and no concept of the cost of production, research, developement and marketing. And they feel their time is worth nothing. We all are entitled to our opinions and in my opinion Lyra does a great job at a reasonable market comparable price level.
But if you could answer one question for me: What does Lyra do with the trade ins? My LydianB was in great shape and it would make someone a good used cartridge and I am sure you get many that are.

"How much does it cost to produce? $100?"

Don't know exactly but likely many times that. If you read how their carts are made on the Lyra website or in their info materials you will realize that they are hand made by two people. One does the basics and a master craftsman does the final setup and test. Also, high end products are made in small numbers compared to mass market goods. So you cannot amortize your costs over thousands and thousands or millions of units. Ortofon said they only made 400 A90's and as recently as two weeks ago there were some new ones available. Now you may say that something that sells for 1.5k will sell many more than something that is over 4k. True within the limits of production. As jcarr has explained elsewhere, (I believe in one of the long threads here) his two assembly folks make all the carts from the Delos up in price. So they do a batch of Delos, then maybe some Kleos, then a few Skala and Titan i.

As you are probably aware hadmade products cost more due the humans involved. Secondly, when you produce something in small numbers you pay more for materials. Small batches of high purity copper cost more by weight than large quantities. This true of virtually all materials. Copper itself has risen greatly over the last 10 years due to the demand in China and the pre 2008 building boom in the US. Thirdly, you add the cost of packing a fragile item to survive international shipping and UPS. Fourthly, add the cost of the shipping.

And we haven't even gotten into Mr. Carr's time or the overhead of the office and manufacturing facility.

I believe Lyra to not be one of the evil ones.

Have a good whatever,
Robert

To add to Robob's astute commentary, "within the limits of production" are whatever number the cartridge maker can make. One cannot hire other cartmakers to pick up the slack when demand picks up. And one has to still pay the cart-maker when times are slow. This is a boutique business. I believe Lyra is all hand-made (some it is "from the Delos up in price" but before that it was "from the Dorian up in price"). Note that the Lyras seem to have great care in the materials choices (milled titanium body, special magnets, etc), and while the copper used is not that expensive in terms of quantity, the wire is not off-the-rack wire; and the list of these things goes on.

interesting thread and a little surprising on the tone to me.

I can personally say the lyra team is top notch. I've owned 4 of their cartridges over the last 12 years. Each one of them special and killer great sound (Lydian b, Helicon and 2 Skala's).

I suspect the original poster will love his Dorian. And I bet he'll like the Delos more. Then of course he'll like a Kleos, Skala or Titan i that much more to!

Theo, good question, I wondered that to :), mostly curiosity.

At some point we all have to make a buying decision and money plays into it.

Montgomery, I'd give that Dorian a spin...you may be completely enthralled by it. This audiophile "next best thing" is a madness we all have to deal with. Out of curiosity, what cartridge are you coming from to the Lyras?

Best of luck to everyone.