Dan D'Agostino Relentless Mono Power-amplifier

[parkcaka]

In hi-end market, we never buy only performance in mind.

Would you like to have your Porsche or Ferrari with a Toyota Corolla exterior? It will be significantly cheaper with similar performance. High-end car buyers are not fools with too much money. You sometimes pay to own a Ferrari and that is not a bad thing. Ferraris and Porsches are great art pieces just by sitting in a garage.

Rolex can also sell the same watch (performance) with a plastic Casio exterior and it would be much much cheaper.

The same idea applies to every hi-end artisan product out there on the market.

When you are looking to buy the best in any product category, you have to be rich first. Second, you never pay for performance alone. You pay for the performance + the design + the artisanship + the legacy + the status + the story + the uniqueness all together. That defines the HI-END. You can never be hi-end with performance alone. Even if you manage to modify your Honda Civic to lap faster than any car in production it is still a Honda not a 911. The performance is nearly worthless in this case.

So if I'm buying a high-end amp, I will pay for all the other elements in production of the amp other than the performance. That doesn't make me a fool. That just tells me I am rich enough to own it.

PS: By the way, I am not.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Plus soundquality cannot be measured which doesnt make it easier to put a price on sound lol
In the high end anything is possible , to me its half performance/half hocus pocus industry.

By the way im in istanbul tomorrow, (Working in a real industry,lol ) any nice highend shops overthere ?

 

[parkcaka]

Plus soundquality cannot be measured which doesnt make it easier to put a price on sound lol
In the high end anything is possible , to me its half performance/half hocus pocus industry.

By the way im in istanbul tomorrow, (Working in a real industry,lol ) any nice highend shops overthere ?

Hi,

Yes there are but it's first of May so probably they will be closed.

Lotus Concept
Extreme Audio
Audiogen

are 3 stores you can find most of the hi-end brands on demo.

Love and respect.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Thanks yes i know i have to take a flight to ataturk airport/Taxi no flights on sabiha gokcen tomorrow.
Istanbul traffic aint easy

 

[es347]

..why on earth don’t the unwashed masses understand our hobby? A quarter of a million dollars for a pr of amplifiers...what’s so hard to understand?

 

[Legolas]

the latest CAT Convergent JL3 Statement Amps were also above 100k...

Top Kondo, about 150K I believe?

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Top Kondo, about 150K I believe?

Kondo Kagura Mono's are $195k list I think.

 

[mikem]

Relentless at Munich

I heard yesterday that the Relentless will be on static display only at Munich.
I will be at the show and will try to get a few good photos of the amp.

I’ve owned the D’Agostino Momentum Integrated for 3 years. I purchased it based on it’s sound quality driving Magico M/Q series speakers, considering which I think it’s pricing is competitive. Top shelf build quality and U.S. manufacture and Support were pluses for me. The distinctive visual style of the Momentum line didn’t influence my decision one way or the other.

- Michael

 

[thedudeabides]

In hi-end market, we never buy only performance in mind.

So if I'm buying a high-end amp, I will pay for all the other elements in production of the amp other than the performance. That doesn't make me a fool. That just tells me I am rich enough to own it.

You don't have to be wealthy to purchase modest gear and enjoy hi - end sound. Especially if you buy "used" equipment. Unfortunately, items like this reinforce the very "fact" (to the vast majority of people) that you do.

 

[Folsom]

Spending a lot of money often makes the trip to getting a system "there" a faster one. It is no guarantee of great sound, nor required. But at some point DIY becomes a requirement within budget constraints, which also compounds factors that complicate getting "there".

I must say, I like this quote,

"So if I'm buying a high-end amp, I will pay for all the other elements in production of the amp other than the performance. That doesn't make me a fool. That just tells me I am rich enough to own it."

 

[thedudeabides]

In hi-end market, we never buy only performance in mind.

For me and many other music lovers, performance (maximizing sonic value for dollars spent) IS the prime consideration.

Like all generalizations, this one is dubious at best.

 

[still-one]

For me and many other music lovers, performance (maximizing sonic value for dollars spent) IS the prime consideration.

Like all generalizations, this one is dubious at best.

That is your definition of "performance" and one that very few individuals would agree with.

 

[DaveyF]

for me and many other music lovers, performance (maximizing sonic value for dollars spent) is the prime consideration.

Like all generalizations, this one is dubious at best.

+1

 

[KeithR]

the big Boulder's had a share of this too, but there is a bit more grief maybe associated with the D'Ag due to the big meters, copper and green industrial design. tends to be a love-hate thing and stimulates input. the Boulder and Constellation are more conservatively styled and so looking at pictures you are not passing judgement on the look.

the Asian market loves bling-bling and is not put off by over-the-top look and feel like some here are typically.

Don’t forget the gold 1-box dcs lol

 

[Legolas]

That is your definition of "performance" and one that very few individuals would agree with.

That is beyond......... If we don't aim for performance v dollars spent, that would obviously feed the manufacturers that produce insanely expensive products that don't perform well. not a good idea IMO.

 

[still-one]

That is beyond......... If we don't aim for performance v dollars spent, that would obviously feed the manufacturers that produce insanely expensive products that don't perform well. not a good idea IMO.

Those that don't deliver on sound don't stay in business. Your position is that audio is different from watches or similar luxury purchases. Why would anyone buy a Patek or Vacheron when a $90 Casio sync'd to a atomic clock is guaranteed to keep better time. So it isn't a price/performance issue.

Don't get me wrong there are plenty of audio products where the price makes no sense especially when compared to the complexity of what you get for similar price in a automobile.

 

[still-one]

Don’t forget the gold 1-box dcs lol

Keith, my dealer just installed a gold version this past week. In the midwest.

 

[BMCG]

Keith, my dealer just installed a gold version this past week. In the midwest.

yeah...seen it in the flesh..and whilst i can understand the economic sales logic...customer wants...prepared to pay...dCS provides....still feel it diminishes the brand

as I have never seen dCS as bling...

serious digital engineering yes.....shiny bobbles ....not so much ...YMMV

 

[morricab]

Those that don't deliver on sound don't stay in business. Your position is that audio is different from watches or similar luxury purchases. Why would anyone buy a Patek or Vacheron when a $90 Casio sync'd to a atomic clock is guaranteed to keep better time. So it isn't a price/performance issue.

Don't get me wrong there are plenty of audio products where the price makes no sense especially when compared to the complexity of what you get for similar price in a automobile.

Audio as a hobby is different from watches or similar luxury purchases. All can agree on time keeping and that a mechanical watch is inferior in its primary function...thus it becomes essentially a functional piece of jewelery. An audio system delivers music an although, IMO, there is a standard, it is not universally agreed upon nor is it readily apparent how to judge whether or not a system is close to that reference. Thus there is a convolution between form and function, where many manufacturers would claim their expensive casework is not just for looks but also for function...this is quesitonable and often is. As a results for audio Price/performance is convoluted and there is an unclear trend (if any). For watches and such it is clear that performance is not a valid criteria to judge the price (in fact it is more or less inverse) for audio...not so clear.

 

[morricab]

yeah...seen it in the flesh..and whilst i can understand the economic sales logic...customer wants...prepared to pay...dCS provides....still feel it diminishes the brand

as I have never seen dCS as bling...

serious digital engineering yes.....shiny bobbles ....not so much ...YMMV

Seems no one is immune to the corrupting influence of the almighty dollar...