I'd like to know who offered the 80% (maybe it was a B stock or something they really couldn't resell???). In my 30 years of reviewing, no company has ever offered me that sort of discount. The industry standard is 50% (as in pretty much other profession) with discounts ranging from 40 to 60% depending upon the company.
While we're on the subject, lets also talk about the restrictions that manufacturers place upon reviewers-the biggest being have to sign a form stating that they will not sell that piece for a period of a year. So if something else comes up in 6 months, you're stuck with what you have. And when reviewers sell gear (for what they paid, no more), someone is getting a hell of a bargain on Audiogon!
The we can talk about all the money that the magazines (and not all do) pay their writers. I doubt few here would work for the hourly wages reviewing pays (figure out three months of listening on average to a piece of gear and getting paid $100); Stereophile pays the most around $1200/piece--but one is not going to live on that either). And not to mention, paying one's own way to CES and other audio shows.
So it's not all fun and glory for reviewers
Or it's like being a trainer-where everyone goes oh isn't it great that you can work out for free anytime? Yeah, right. Try getting up every day @4:30 AM and having some energy to work out by 1 PM!
