Capitalism, production standards, microphones and er?

[Henri Gaudier]

Excuse the title but I don't really now what to call this question but .... here goes. When a company makes a product and sells it for say 1200€ and 5 years later it is retailing for 500€ is the product the "same" one. Are we buying the exact same thing with regard to quality of components/manufacture etc or do companies cut back over the years in line with it's falling price? I don't mean hi tech like plasma TV's where prices fall for different reasons but in things like music gear or more specifficallly microphones. AKG makes the "Solid Tube" mic and on it's release it was around 1200€ / £800 / $1600 and it was very well reviewed. Move forwards a few years and the "Solid Tube" is still available but for much less around 500€ / £350 / $700. If I were to buy it am I receiving the same microphone or am I buying the 2007 reduced quality version that isn't "worth" 1200€, instead I'm buying a mic of the same name that is only worth 500€? Phew ... I hope that's clear!

 

[bartelby]

It's the same quality, maybe slightly better.

Components become cheaper to buy because production yields go up.
Production yields of the actual product you buy go up so manufacturing costs are reduced and that saving can be passed on to consumers.

 

[imac/cheese]

They have to pass the savings of less expensive components on to the customer in order to compete with the latest technology. Plus they might have already recouped their research and development costs for that product so they can lower the price. Finally, since production of the product is already mature, the costs of running manufacturing per unit go down quite a bit.

 

[CanadaRAM]

But in general terms ( don't believe this is true of AKG) there is nothing stopping a company from making engineering changes in a model line and substituting cheaper components or even a whole new circuit, while keeping the same model name.

Compaq, Linksys are 2 I can think of. Also witness the circuit changes in the Arp Odyssey over its lifetime that had a distinct difference in its sound.

 

[Henri Gaudier]

I was getting swayed until Canadaram. What he says is true although the stories I've heard are also synths so perhaps not applicable?