Preamp casing cost? 1/3 of the price
 

I was watching a video of a well regarded preamp maker on youtube. I was surprised by a comment made in the video. The person stated that a third of the cost of one of their units is the casing. Is this common among hi-end outfits?

As far as I know there is no sonic benefits to a casing, so this is purely aesthetic?
I guess in the scheme of things, it just makes me wonder about the quality of the internals vs the overall price.

Saying one third of the cost is the casing means one third of the manufacturing cost, which is MUCH less than one third of the retail cost. One must also separate manufacturing cost from R&D, advertizing and the cost of running a factory.

I have no doubt that some components that have cases milled out of a block of metal are extremely expensive, but not one third of their retail costs.

Cases can definitely impact the performance, it's not just about aesthetics. For instance the case milled from a solid block may have significantly less resonance, or may be designed to separate two channels more effectively, or isolate the power supply from other components more effectively.

Try buying a Naim Statement without a casing...

The 1/3rd comment doesn't surprise me as the casing can run high, between the metal cost, the milling, sanding, painting,...

It's not just to look pretty but mainly to dissipate heat and protect from interference. It's also to look pretty...

Probably about the right ratio.

Not all chassis/casings are created equal. Maybe when speaking of the chassis milled out of a solid block of aluminum on a CNC machine, like the Ayre KX-R for example, it should cost 1/3. Not when it is made from stamped metal and held together with cheap screws... :rolleyes:

http://my-hiend.com/leoyeh2/2013a/DSC05465ss.jpg

With the TAD mono's the stand is also part of the case. There are those who don't care what a piece looks like as long as it performs well. I am not in that camp. If I am going to spend hours looking at my gear while I am listening, it better look as good as it performs.

WOW! I've never seen a piece of audio equipment like that before. Truly a piece of art!

:thumbsup: