Price fixing, restriction of trade, protection payoffs? Do we want to condone this? (1 Viewer)

[Thomas_Berg]

great post Merc! i am very shocked in hearing this and will now take Paradigm off my shopping list for my speaker purchase this summer.

 

[Rick Radford]

Thomas: no need to punish yourself! IF you can't get a satisfactory price on the Paradigms of your choice, you obviously have many more speaker companies to consider.

But if you like Paradigm, why would you cross them off because of this? You may or may not know that Paradigm does not allow mail order/internet sales either (like many other companies). I say, so what? If I like, I buy (if I'm happy with the price/value.) If not, I look elsewhere.

(Just curious)

 

[Kevin C Brown]

I guess the other thing is that pre/pros in general have crappy resale value, as technology changes to fast in this arena.

Actually, I don't think this is true.
Here's some data points, gleaned while I was looking at older pre/pros a month or so ago because I was getting restless waiting for Outlaw.
B&K Ref 30's are selling for around $2k new (if you look around), and upwards of $1750 used. Been out maybe 1 to 2 yrs.
Let's not talk about the Acurus ACT3-ABM. This one has dropped quite a bit. Probably because the reviews were never that steller (high noise floor, mainly). But, it is a nice looking unit.
I also looked at the Marantz AV9000. They are still getting over $1000 new for these, and close to that for used ones. This pre/pro has been discontinued for at least a year!
Sony TA-E9000ES are getting close to maybe $800 new, maybe even slightly more. I got mine brand new for $1270 over 3 yrs ago. Only a 1/3 or so drop in 3 yrs? Name one receiver that comes close to that for a similar price point. (McIntosh doesn't count either...)
And I bet Lexicons are even better. (I've been debating getting an older DC-1 or MC-1, but I'm not as familar with model numbers and features and such yet! Would want DD/DTS; I'll add the DD EX/DTS-ES part.)
I personally think that pre/pro's *maintain* their value more than receivers over time because they are updated less frequently. Good sound is good sound, whether it came out yesterday, or 10 years ago. New formats are nice too.
Now with that being said, once the new batch of *reasonably priced* pre/pros come out, with 24/96 or even 24/192 processing, the value of older 24/48 units will drop I bet.
Will have to unload *my* TA-E9000ES before that happens.

 

[Michael Yung]

What Paradigm/SF/Anthem is doing is no different than GM's Saturn division. No price negotiation. As a matter of fact, a lot of stuff we buy in stores are the same way but we just don't know about it. I believe Compaq computer also does the same with its retail dealers.

This practice may have turn you off to Paradigm/SF/Anthem just as some people are turn off by Outlaw for only selling over the Internet. I guess you just simply cannot please all the people all the time.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Ahh, but Saturn's are reasonably priced to begin with.
Unfortunately, people like me, will *not* buy a piece of equipment unless we can get 20 - 35% off, because that's what we *typically always* get off of list.
But, there are *always* enterprising individuals out there that are *not* licensed dealers that *will* sell at a discount. Just "buyer beware." And you have to be able to find them too, of course!
I would *love* to get into it with a manufacturer who wouldn't honor a warranty because I bought from an unauthorized dealer.