Billie MK3 Pre order and Price!!

So how much should the Mk 3 be? Is that a silly question too?

Hmmm. I wonder if the cost of his parts went up. Maybe the machining for the new casework is higher. Perhaps, a different design and production run of modular circuit boards. He doesn’t have the same purchasing power for volume discounts as his bigger competitors.

Is it possible that Billie’s cost-of-living has gone up? Car insurance? Health insurance? Business liability insurance? How about the rent for his shop? I’ve used the same independent auto mechanic for 10 years. His shop labor has risen from $70/hr to $140/hr. I suspect he’s using the same socket wrenches.

steakster;

You are overpaying. When I got out of the service in late 1970, I went to work at a Lincoln-Mercury dealership. Our retail labor rate was $7.00 per hour

Hi -

I purchased the Heaven 11 Bille MK II amp just about 2 years ago.  I paid roughly $1600 USD new.  It is used in a second system with Golden Ear BRX speakers, PS Audio SACD transport and GainCell DAC, and a Technics 1500 turntable.  The Billie amp replaced a Rogue Sphinx MK 3 integrated that I really liked, but was just too damn noisy.  A REGA Brio amp preceded the Rogue.

I paid $1600 USD new for the amp.  I splurged and got the marble volume knobs.  Very pretty.

I wanted an integrated amp with phono.  Bluetooth and DAC were not of interest.  The amp was an attractive buy at $1600 and was keeping with the Rogue price wise.  At the time, if it were $3000, I would have looked for something else.  

Don't get me wrong, it is a nice performing amp.  Watched the Steve Guttenberg YouTube videos for a more full review as he delves into all the audio niceties.  Reviewers all praise this amp.  I like the amp, I just don't love it.  Maybe it is Class D fatigue.  The overall sound doesn't move me and I have tried different speakers (Zu Omen Monitors), swapped interconnects, just not sure how to tweak this one.  

If I were going to drop $3k, I would probably go with something like the Prima Luna EVO 100 integrated.  Granted, prices have gotten stupid crazy over the last few years, but $3k is steep in my mind for my uses.  

Rich 

Then don’t buy anything if prices are too high.