Has anyone heard the SAT XD1

First, let me say that my opening remark was not meant as a condemnation of the SAT products per se just on the basis of their very high cost.  I try not to do that or think like that.  The turntables and tonearms might be very very good, maybe they are the very best in the world, for all I know.  I only meant to say that they may as well not exist for me in my frame of relative affluence.  As to whether Mr Gomez is wise to cater to the super rich, that is his business and was his marketing decision apparently.  His financial success or failure, eventually, will signal whether he made a good decision or not.  (It was obviously a conscious decision NOT to be another Rega or Music Hall.)  If you search the internet for ultimate cost stereo systems, you will see that there are dozens of speaker systems that cost more than $250,000 and even $1M is not unheard of.  Buyers of such systems are also candidates to buy SAT products.  Such persons do not care a fig about cost, depreciation, or resale value, and yes most of them seem convinced that cost is proportional to sound quality.  Mr Gomez seems to want to appeal to that audience, and with the stamp of approval afforded by Mike Fremer, he probably will.  There's nothing wrong with that. The rest of us can go on about our business, and I don't think we need to feel deprived.

@cleeds Do point out where I am talking about the tonearm..
vs. the table in respect to the Formula 1 car example brought up by dover.

@lewm One maybe has to ask where the pricing structure that seems ever more prevalent in this hobby becomes...’comical’. Sure, to some that number is not ever reached...or is it??
One could ask Marc Gomez why he didn’t price his table at multiple millions of dollars--- after all, why not?? Do you see my point?

daveyf

@cleeds Do point out where I am talking about the tonearm..
vs. the table ...

Oops, my mistake and I am sorry. I should have asked about your actual experience with the turntable. Please tell us about it.

@cleeds Do explain how my experience, your experience, or anyone’s experience with the table has anything to do with the asking price of this product? Or, are you missing these points on purpose??
Oh, I forgot, you are able to purchase this table with your pocket change, isn't that right...and think it is a value proposition.

davey, I think your point or what is driving your responses is that you are angry/upset/unhappy with the prices.  Life is too short for that sort of fretting, so far as I am concerned, but you are entitled to your huff.  I am more pissed off that a 1962 Ferrari 250GTO could sell at auction for more than $30M, because I neglected to buy one in 1972 that was for sale at $12,500, from a reputable Ferrari dealer who was also the North American distributor at that time.  (Of course, my salary that year as a medical intern was $8500 plus an apartment for me and my wife.) Try not to want the SAT turntable and tonearm, and you will feel a lot better.  We can agree the prices are ridiculous and so what?