Gregm, I'd like to add to your comments:
1) Many, if not most engineers may design great products, but usually are not well enough versed in marketing, business models, and don't have the finances to compete in the 21st century. They become consultants or journeymen for major audio corporations. Their careful design parameters are then usually compromised by corporate accountants.
2) Giant hi-end corporate entities (Harmen comes to mind) will pay finance games within their different corporate product lines to make sure that their "bottom line" is a winner, not necessarily their products. A popular item may have a HUGE profit margin thus supporting a potentially superior product that has "under performing" sales. But this is actually "life support"...if this superior product fails to continually meet the "numbers"...it's history. Someone has to pay for the huge marketing, advertising, and corporate structure costs. And that someone is YOU, the consumer!
2) Small corporations that are owned by the engineering genius may very well be undercapitalized, and may not have a viable long-term business model, as many engineers are just not particularly adept at running a business. So a business partner (usually a "moneyman" investor) is bought on board to make a go of the product. Clashes in personalities and business philosophies develop, and that "wonder product" stops production after a few years. The name tag is bought by a giant corporation. Sometimes the original engineer works for the new corporation, but he is still a slave to his "masters", the corporate bean counters, and the corporate marketing model. Quality and innovation becomes secondary to sales and profits.
3) There are standout small companies that have been around for years. Quality is high, the engineer has full control over production and marketing, and there is no monstrous corporate structure to increase unit cost. Advertising is kept to a minimum. The build quality, reputation, and a personal relationship with customers, provide a loyal consumer following, resulting in these same customers being a great source of advertising. Ralph Karsten of Atma-sphere is probably the best example here!
1) Many, if not most engineers may design great products, but usually are not well enough versed in marketing, business models, and don't have the finances to compete in the 21st century. They become consultants or journeymen for major audio corporations. Their careful design parameters are then usually compromised by corporate accountants.
2) Giant hi-end corporate entities (Harmen comes to mind) will pay finance games within their different corporate product lines to make sure that their "bottom line" is a winner, not necessarily their products. A popular item may have a HUGE profit margin thus supporting a potentially superior product that has "under performing" sales. But this is actually "life support"...if this superior product fails to continually meet the "numbers"...it's history. Someone has to pay for the huge marketing, advertising, and corporate structure costs. And that someone is YOU, the consumer!
2) Small corporations that are owned by the engineering genius may very well be undercapitalized, and may not have a viable long-term business model, as many engineers are just not particularly adept at running a business. So a business partner (usually a "moneyman" investor) is bought on board to make a go of the product. Clashes in personalities and business philosophies develop, and that "wonder product" stops production after a few years. The name tag is bought by a giant corporation. Sometimes the original engineer works for the new corporation, but he is still a slave to his "masters", the corporate bean counters, and the corporate marketing model. Quality and innovation becomes secondary to sales and profits.
3) There are standout small companies that have been around for years. Quality is high, the engineer has full control over production and marketing, and there is no monstrous corporate structure to increase unit cost. Advertising is kept to a minimum. The build quality, reputation, and a personal relationship with customers, provide a loyal consumer following, resulting in these same customers being a great source of advertising. Ralph Karsten of Atma-sphere is probably the best example here!