McIntosh's Most Powerful 2CH Amp Ever Unveiled!

[Irvrobinson]

Regardless, no $9000.00 amp for me. This product is for someone like Bill Gates or Tim Cook.

There is a substantial target market with budgets between Bill Gates and you. According to this article, there were over 73,000 people in the US in 2016 with a net worth of $30 million dollars or more:

http://time.com/money/4833875/ultra-wealthy-americans-millionaire-billionaire/

I suspect that number is approaching 100,000 people in 2018.

Lower the bar to a mere few million dollars in assets and I'm guessing the population in the US alone is more than five million people.

 

[Out-Of-Phase]

Audiophile companies need rich people. I suppose that McIntosh is a good value when you think about it.

After all, the Pass Labs X260.8 mono amp is priced at $13,500.00 ea. And you gotta have two of those, so you had better figure on spending around $27,000,00 just to power the speakers. Now that's high-priced electrons.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Audiophile companies need rich people.

Like it or not, we all need rich people. They pay most of the taxes. The top 1% pay more than half of all federal income taxes. The percentage is probably at least that much for state and local income taxes too.

As an aside, the people I appreciate most are smokers. Here in CA, a pack of cigarettes costs about $5.00. That's unreal, especially for a product that probably has a production cost of less than 50 cents. If any of you smoke, a profound thank you from me. You're helping to keep taxes lower for the rest of us, and you tend to die younger too, reducing the Social Security pay-out burden.

 

[Out-Of-Phase]

Like it or not, we all need rich people. They pay most of the taxes. The top 1% pay more than half of all federal income taxes. The percentage is probably at least that much for state and local income taxes too.

As an aside, the people I appreciate most are smokers. Here in CA, a pack of cigarettes costs about $5.00. That's unreal, especially for a product that probably has a production cost of less than 50 cents. If any of you smoke, a profound thank you from me. You're helping to keep taxes lower for the rest of us, and you tend to die younger too, reducing the Social Security pay-out burden.

Create an audiophile tax then. They can afford it.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

On the other hand I doubt rich people would be that silly, not with their money anyway!

What? If you had $500 Billion, you wouldn't buy some $250K amps?

 

[Verdinut]

Regardless, no $9000.00 amp for me. This product is for someone like Bill Gates or Tim Cook.

That's not expensive enough for them.

How about the new Accuphase A-75 Class A Integrated Stereo amp with rated output of 60w/ch at 8ohms and 120w/ch for a 4 ohm load. It sells for close to US$20,000:

 

[Verdinut]

Create an audiophile tax then. They can afford it.

And if we wanted to avoid paying that audiophile tax, we would just use pro audio equipment instead.

 

[Out-Of-Phase]

And if we wanted to avoid paying that audiophile tax, we would just use pro audio equipment instead.

Yes! Absolutely.

 

[Out-Of-Phase]

That's not expensive enough for them.

How about the new Accuphase A-75 Class A Integrated Stereo amp with rated output of 60w/ch at 8ohms and 120w/ch for a 4 ohm load. It sells for close to US$20,000:

View attachment 25430

Good grief. At least with that audiophile tax the rest of us would get some benefit.

 

[Kvn_Walker]

Like it or not, we all need rich people. They pay most of the taxes. The top 1% pay more than half of all federal income taxes. The percentage is probably at least that much for state and local income taxes too.

As an aside, the people I appreciate most are smokers. Here in CA, a pack of cigarettes costs about $5.00. That's unreal, especially for a product that probably has a production cost of less than 50 cents. If any of you smoke, a profound thank you from me. You're helping to keep taxes lower for the rest of us, and you tend to die younger too, reducing the Social Security pay-out burden.

$5 is cheap from what I've seen in stores here in Virginia... Newports and Marlboros trend around $6. And we grow tobacco in this part of the country.

 

[PENG]

What? If you had $500 Billion, you wouldn't buy some $250K amps?

I would, but that's why I don't get rich!!

Was told by someone rich, that it would be difficult to make money from rich people, in general..

 

[Irvrobinson]

Was told by someone rich, that it would be difficult to make money from rich people, in general..

I think that rich person is full of baloney. Let's see, how many people/companies can we name who make tons of money only on rich people:

Auction houses (most have a substantial buyer's fee, that's purely incremental over the winning bid)
Real estate agents, both residential and commercial
Wealth managers (the companies and the people)
Business / personal jet manufacturing & leasing companies
Personal jet airlines (like NetJets - which is Birkshire Hathaway company for a reason)
High-end watch makers
Luxury car manufacturers and dealers
Craftsmen who outfit private jets and yachts

Need I go on?

 

[Out-Of-Phase]

You forgot audiophile hifi companies.

 

[WookieGR]

From the perspective of someone that's about to buy a AVR for around $3000, I must ask, for that price... where the hell are the other nine channels?

 

[everettT]

From the perspective of someone that's about to buy a AVR for around $3000, I must ask, for that price... where the hell are the other nine channels?

Quite sure you will never see 9chs from them, unless you wanna lift a 400# amp.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

If I had $500 Billion, I would open an AV company with a business model of not making any money (selling for a loss).

It would just be for pleasure - giving back to the community.

Regarding making money off rich people, I depends on how you define "rich".

I bet is really easy to make money from people who have $500 billion.

 

[Irvrobinson]

You forgot audiophile hifi companies.

Purposely. I don't think any of them make a lot of money. I think they're mostly more hobbies than businesses. McIntosh is probably more of an exception than the norm. Putting their names on automotive systems seems like their primary money-making plan lately.

 

[everettT]

Purposely. I don't think any of them make a lot of money. I think they're mostly more hobbies than businesses. McIntosh is probably more of an exception than the norm. Putting their names on automotive systems seems like their primary money-making plan lately.

I bought one of their car amps back in the Clarion days. Its was like $700 for a 300w mono. Sold it for about what I paid. It seems audio licensing to manufacturers with exclusivity is growing.

 

[PENG]

I think that rich person is full of baloney. Let's see, how many people/companies can we name who make tons of money only on rich people:

Auction houses (most have a substantial buyer's fee, that's purely incremental over the winning bid)
Real estate agents, both residential and commercial
Wealth managers (the companies and the people)
Business / personal jet manufacturing & leasing companies
Personal jet airlines (like NetJets - which is Birkshire Hathaway company for a reason)
High-end watch makers
Luxury car manufacturers and dealers
Craftsmen who outfit private jets and yachts

Need I go on?

I think ADTG may be right, it depends on how we define rich. I was thinking 10-20 million dollar rich, not the 10-50 billion rich. To me, even if you have only USD 9 million net worth, you are rich, and if I have that much, I know what kind of amp(s) I am going to buy and I won't wait for clearance price either.

 

[Out-Of-Phase]

"I think they're mostly more hobbies than businesses."

Just hobbies acting as companies, well that is interesting. It's a bit like candle making I suppose. I wonder if guys like Robert Harley know this?

I still remember looking at that Krell 2-channel system in an audiophile showroom recently and being aghast by the price. It's good to know it's just a hobby for the manufacturer and has no profit-margin.