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Comments on Profile Post by netforce

  1. Ksaurav402
    Ksaurav402
    Maybe he can get a used Utopia for cheaper
    Mar 11, 2020
    Lyander and E_Schaaf like this.
  2. E_Schaaf
    E_Schaaf
    He may as well buy a used elear / elex and transplant the drivers and pads.
    Mar 11, 2020
    Jinxy245 likes this.
  3. netforce
    netforce
    Yeah, got quoted like $2100 to fix the yoke. Just thought about suggesting an Elear transplant to him since those aren't a bad price for a used pair right now.

    Think maybe he could just take them off the yokes and keep the Utopia cups.
    Mar 11, 2020
  4. E_Schaaf
    E_Schaaf
    $2100??? That's bullshit! You and I both know the build cost for a whole set from scratch has got to be WAY less than $2100. Makes me think they're trying to massively profit on repairs too. Gross.
    Mar 11, 2020
    FlySweep, dubharmonic, SeanT and 4 others like this.
  5. Lyander
    Lyander
    This is why I don't plan on buying Focals anymore. Mother of Christ, I feel bad for the dude. Hope he gets a frankencan up and running.
    Mar 11, 2020
  6. Biodegraded
    Biodegraded
    Evidently confusion is arising from SBAF now also being a toilet review site...

    (but my sympathies to your customer).
    Mar 11, 2020
  7. Thad E Ginathom
    Thad E Ginathom
    Toilet reviews. Must be some kind of a yoke.

    (The Focal parts cost is sick joke. I'm glad my stuff is Sennheiser, regardless of how good that Utopia sounded when I had it on my head for a few minutes.)
    Mar 11, 2020
    Tchoupitoulas likes this.
  8. ChaChaRealSmooth
    ChaChaRealSmooth
    Do they actually believe that we think that's even close to the cost of manufacture?
    Mar 11, 2020
    E_Schaaf likes this.
  9. Thad E Ginathom
    Thad E Ginathom
    Bottom-lie cost of manufacture is going to be a fraction of the sale price of many items. In luxury markets, it is going to be irrelevant.

    I guess the Focal Utopia /is/ a luxury product.
    Mar 11, 2020
    E_Schaaf likes this.
  10. E_Schaaf
    E_Schaaf
    '$1 in manufacturing is $6 or more at retail' - actual quote from a national sales rep for a multi-million dollar high-end audio company.
    Mar 11, 2020
    Thad E Ginathom likes this.
  11. netforce
    netforce
    Called him and pitched the Elear yoke transplant idea. He wanted to see if I could buy it and do that for him. Time to open up a Focal and find out if I can.
    Mar 11, 2020
    Inoculator and Lyander like this.
  12. Tchoupitoulas
    Tchoupitoulas
    There's a broken "for parts" Elear listed on eBay for $275 (with cable and case). The seller is "adorama-trade." Might be worth making them an offer?
    Mar 11, 2020
    Thad E Ginathom, DigMe and netforce like this.
  13. Thad E Ginathom
    Thad E Ginathom
    @E_Schaaf, '$1 in manufacturing is $6 or more at retail'

    I always remember a metalwork teacher, at school in 1967 putting the factor at 4.

    In a lowish-cost-item industry, Greeting cards, we used to multiply by 2 to reach wholesale price, but was just the production cost, and the doubling had to cover all other company costs and the profit. Retailer margin on top of that.
    Mar 12, 2020