Dragon_vibe,
I bought the Dude based on the postings here and everything that is said is true. It truly changed what I thought was possible with my system.
Consider the amount of marketing a company does and whether they have a resellar/distributor model. If they do, part of what your purchase price is for those things. It is obvious to at least me, the money you are paying for a Dude all goes into quality parts, labor and unbelievable sound quality and nothing else.