Why is the price of new tonearms so high

Perrew you make a good point...

A couple of examples one being the Technics SP10 MKIII specifically Albert Porters and the Gerrard 301, a 50 plus year old design including other vintage tables.

Dear Axel, dear Halcro, - we do not need to get on terms in this discussion. If your point of view do differ from mine - fine with me.
And sorry again - the examples are off topic.
We aren't talking nano-mechanics here nor micro-optics or complex cable structures and - BTW - concrete was invented by the Romans too. They were really gifted engineers in their prime period.
My basic point is, that the design of a great (in terms of sound) TT or tonearm is - well... - simple.
Do do neither need computer nor digital equipment to design or put together either one.
These two are really fairly easy mechanical devices - where is the problem? I can not see the need for high-tech equipment nor for big sientific computers here.
Its brain we need - something apparently becoming increasingly less available in our days.
Do I need to constantly defend the FR-60 tonearms simply because Raul doesn't like their sound in his 10+ years memory ?
While other audiophiles like Thuchan, Syntax, Heradot with equally sophisticated set-up and all modern Skool tonerarms at hand do prefer their FR-tonearms and for good reason?
Ever given taht a thought - why should they prefer the FR over their other tonearms? Just to anoy other audiophiles? Get serious.

The proof?
There is onyl one possible and non-virtual proof:
Visit me - bring along the SME V, DaVinci or any Continuum together with your favourite cartridge.
Bring further with you some time.
I will set-up your prefered tonearm / cartridge combination and fine tune real fast and most likely you will hear your toy on all time new highs in terms of its sonic performance.
I won't stop till you agree that this is the best you've heard so far.
Then we will switch to the FR-66/Fr-7fx combo and you will loose all faith in modern day audio forever.
I know it - I have watched it happen several times and all with top-flight competitors.
See you here (now I am off for a weekend holiday with my family) some day !
Cheers,
D.

Halcro, Regarding the Romans and their Colosseum ,as you would know with the invention of cement the ancient Romans were able to build structures well beyond the heights of anything else in the world at that time.
Everything about is a marvel of ingenuity.

One last thing, You live in a city where there seems to be constant repairs to your water and sewer system? This is a common problem the world over.

I think most of these engineers that design these systems should have a long look at how the Romans built theirs. Today in Rome ancient sections are still in use with few problems.....A city could not be built nor would survive with out one.

Henry! your call I guess.
Good German Bier, Wurst, und Brezel :-)
A.

Unfortunately most do not understand what they "hear", so most discussions are not worth the time.
Most want to believe in something, in something modern, in something expensive, to a "Guide" or whatever. But it is so simple, go out, buy those units, compare them with records before Reissues became a "Standard".
I have those Arms and I did. Others too. It is is normal, some will never get it. NEVER. Not in this life, nor the next. That is normal.
When you don't hear the difference, fine, when you hear a difference, fine, too.
When you need to spend a lot of money, because you feel better that you can afford something the other one can't, fine too. Most do that. That's for most a kind of satisfaction, for showing others "look, I am the greatest music LOVER..."this is the normal business.
It is not necessary to change the world, but sometimes - not always - it can be interesting to go a different route, Hardware is for most a kind of Altar, a secret, a Holy Grail...they pray to it, they want it to look nice, expensive, important etc.
But when this is over and the needle touches the groove...then a new chapter starts....:-)