Swiss amps. Worth the price?

The Swiss were famous for their mechanical devices more than their electronics. That may have changed a bit, but I have yet to hear a Swiss made amp, other than the ones built in to Studer and Revox machines. 

The older Thorens and Lenco turntables are also highly prized. 

I once heard the Nagra phono preamp in a shop, but I wasn't there long enough to really evaluate it. 

Everything from Switzerland is expensive relatively, it's a remote, sparsely populated country with few natural resources. And a wealthy population. Another example, Swiss wine is mostly not very good but very expensive and mostly consumed in country adding to the export costs. Some sweet looking lust inspiring gear though, especially Nagra and Goldmund.

I live in Switzerland and have visited the Dartzeel, CH, Goldmund, Rowen, and Stenheim HQs as well as a branch of Illusonic. I know some of these guys personally.

Cant be a Swiss sound as, there are famous tube amp makers here too like ColoTube, Eternity Jo, Tron and Nagra.

Swiss gear tends to be expensive because labour is expensive here and the Swiss wisely deceded to go after the luxury (high end) segment of the market, where they can compete best. The engineering standards in the Helvetic Confederation (official name of Switzerland) is very, very high.

The country is by no means remote! It is in the geographical centre of Western Europe and shares borders with 5 countries. White wine is extremely good from places like Aigle and Yvorne and is expensive as the Swiss keep the best for themselves (they know a good thing), so drive the prices up. 8.5m population in a country 5 times bigger than Connecticut in area.

Current exchange rates make Swiss products even more expensive than in former years.

Dart has the LHC-208 which is a 200wpc Integrated combined with an Network connected Ethernet Dac called affectionately the "Danalog". It is also their cheapest product at $14k. Dartzeel stuff is excellent....as is CH Precision and Goldmund (the wireless active speakers). Dartzeel will get even better...so watch that space.

Rowen is also excellent but ONLY sold in Switzerland where they are the domestic mid-high end market leader.