Joeyboynj and Knghifi,
Here is another way of looking at this Powercell thing. Version 1 cost you $5,000. About 2 and a half years later version 5 will cost you $5,000. How much is your version 1 now worth? At least 80% less than your purchase price -- and perhaps your version 1 has no actual resale value in the marketplace.
So, you may be forced into an up-trade policy that says you have to spend $10,000 to get a 70% value from your old Powercell. That means you have to find another SR product you want to purchase that costs at least $10,000 which will see you a further $6,500 out of pocket -- total out of pocket in 2 and a half years comes to $11,500. Who could honestly call this a generous up-trade policy? This is what I call a "we win -- you lose" policy. And if you get cheesed off or don't have another SR product you want to buy with the up-trade -- and have the deep pockets for it -- you are out in the cold. That's the real audio world -- sans hype.
Another way of looking at this is that, 2 and a half years ago, you spent $5,000 on a product that has perhaps, if you are lucky, 20% of the sonic effectiveness of the equivalent-priced product today. How do you feel about that?
If there is one cell in version 1 and there are 2 cells in version 2 and there are 3 cells in version 3 then one might come to the reasonable conclusion that all of this was part of a carefully planned marketing scheme. This may make sense for the bottom line -- but there is another side to the coin -- the customer's side. How many times can a customer afford to up-trade? How many audiophiles have pockets deep enough to play this game? Many audiophiles have to be careful with their audio dollars while others do not.
Ultimately, IMO, this kind of policy is destructive of customer base. People start to walk away -- which is what so many are doing now. The feeling is "I've taken a huge haircut in a very short time -- and I dont like the feeling". The logical remedy for this is an upgrade policy. Thats a win-win situation. Not a win-lose situation.
Here is another way of looking at this Powercell thing. Version 1 cost you $5,000. About 2 and a half years later version 5 will cost you $5,000. How much is your version 1 now worth? At least 80% less than your purchase price -- and perhaps your version 1 has no actual resale value in the marketplace.
So, you may be forced into an up-trade policy that says you have to spend $10,000 to get a 70% value from your old Powercell. That means you have to find another SR product you want to purchase that costs at least $10,000 which will see you a further $6,500 out of pocket -- total out of pocket in 2 and a half years comes to $11,500. Who could honestly call this a generous up-trade policy? This is what I call a "we win -- you lose" policy. And if you get cheesed off or don't have another SR product you want to buy with the up-trade -- and have the deep pockets for it -- you are out in the cold. That's the real audio world -- sans hype.
Another way of looking at this is that, 2 and a half years ago, you spent $5,000 on a product that has perhaps, if you are lucky, 20% of the sonic effectiveness of the equivalent-priced product today. How do you feel about that?
If there is one cell in version 1 and there are 2 cells in version 2 and there are 3 cells in version 3 then one might come to the reasonable conclusion that all of this was part of a carefully planned marketing scheme. This may make sense for the bottom line -- but there is another side to the coin -- the customer's side. How many times can a customer afford to up-trade? How many audiophiles have pockets deep enough to play this game? Many audiophiles have to be careful with their audio dollars while others do not.
Ultimately, IMO, this kind of policy is destructive of customer base. People start to walk away -- which is what so many are doing now. The feeling is "I've taken a huge haircut in a very short time -- and I dont like the feeling". The logical remedy for this is an upgrade policy. Thats a win-win situation. Not a win-lose situation.