ARC Ref 5se inferior to LS28?

So true, Schubert and JMC. Brooks Berdan had customers who bought Jadis or VTL pre's and amps instead of the Music Reference he also sold, and Wilsons instead of Vandersteens. At one CES in the late 90's, while eating steak and drinking wine (Vandersteen likes his meat and spirits), Richard told us of dealers who encouraged him to raise his prices, so that his speakers would be perceived as a more prestigious brand. Instead, he designed the higher priced but also higher performing models 5 an 7. The man has integrity.

So true, Schubert and JMC. Brooks Berdan had customers who bought Jadis or VTL pre's and amps instead of the Music Reference he also sold ...

Customers have good hearing and taste! 

Face it - most of us are trickle downers!

schubert

There are not a few people that will buy something that costs 50K who would not touch exact same  item were it priced at 25K

Do you have anything that supports this claim?

There are many mistaken notions about wealth and wealthy people. The researcher Thomas J. Stanley did some of the groundbreaking work in this area, and his data certainly conflicts with your claim.

Seen it happen a hundred times on everything from autos to audio ,watches to rings , shoes to suits .
So has everybody else who pays attention .
That is not written in stone is why I said "not a few" which is not everyone .