Why is the price of new tonearms so high

But why is the 66s six times the price of a 64s? If the 64s is not far behind it must be a bargain?

Dear Perrew, the FR-64s is indeed the ONE BIG bargain in todays 2nd hand audio market regarding tonearms. It would still be if it were fetching $3000. The FR-66s is simply so rare. Production numbers of the FR-66s are less then 1/30th of the FR-64s. Its rarity. The performance is on a par with very slight differences only notceable in direct comparism.
Cheers,
D.

Hi Axel, lets make it simple: buy a FR-64s and simply compare it with careful set-up with some of the other tonearms you mentioned (I already did...).
When you've done so, we can talk that subject and the "facts" which are not in "my physics" book again.
But then, it won't nessecary any longer....

Cheers,
D.

D. :-) :-)
why, we ARE always good for a laugh.
Have you ever had an 'Empire S1000 ZE/X' in your FR 66?
That would be telling, --- before I go shopping from Schroeder to Brinkman and back to what not.

Now it bedtime, nighty night.
A.

It is all about marketing. Brand name has value because it is a reputation built over years. But these days, the wall street types push that "value" to the limit. Every generation of brand name product released comes with a 25% increase in price. Manufacturing costs continue to decrease as more products are outsourced to China. So profits have to be at an all time high. Gives new meaning to High End.
I see the resell prices of used products showing the real value of a product. A lot of high end products take substantial equity hits on the used markets.