Primaluna?

I haven't read the whole thread, neither the one that was recently deleted. But you can see that Kevn has a lifetime interest in the tube audio hobby. If you live in SoCal, you owe it to yourself to go visit and hear for yourself; I'd recommend a call to let him know you are coming. If you don't live near enough, give him a call. You can get his take on what's going on and then be in a better position to make a purchase.

I have never bought anything from Kevin, but I've been in his store years ago. It is a neat place, especially seeing his vintage tube gear; it is one way to show off his "love" as he says for the hobby.

Best of luck OP.

Kevin, I purchased Gizmos SE308 SunlIght Engineering drivers used them in a few cabinet types.

 And while you want to buy cheaper Chinese-designed brands and wing it, most people want a known product with a proven track record and no hassles. If all someone can afford is $1200, then they have no choice I guess. Not my concern.

Nice attitude Kevin.  I think you should have stopped long before this, but this quote really gets my back up.  I've bought some tubes and a subwoofer from your store, but since I don't really want to spend 5k on an amp I guess that doesn't matter.  I really enjoy music on my moderately priced set up, and I'll probably buy a few things in the future, but it won't be from you.  It's elitist A-holes such as yourself that ruin the experience of audio and music enjoyment for so many.

Last time I'll be here, I forgot how much audiophiles can ruin music enjoyment.  

@mozartfan - my observation is that a well-run luxury brand emphasizing quality *never* runs a “sales event”, both to maintain long-term economics as well as value associated with the brand. They might offer discount on an older product line as it is being replaced ( @upscaleaudio might smack this assertion around)

If second-hand prices are falling, or dealers are selling “grey market” at a discount, then the maker cuts production and lives with lower revenue for a few years, but maintains pricing

The second-hand market is where price-sensitive buyers look for less expensive entry points

Rolex. Porsche. Hermes.  Companies with brand value including quality and longevity, that sell massive volumes, but never discount

Appreciate the above contains generalizations in service of sharing an idea