ARC Galileo Range

[Dafos]

This is becoming a fashion show and not just ARC but other manufacturers as well. Hardly any breakthroughs to be had in audio circuits so change the "clothes," and continue jacking up prices.

[ariess]

I think its fine for ARC to have this line as long as they still have the Reference line, i.e., paying just for the best sound they can make in simple boxes. But it is remarkable to see how much it costs for the styling when your volume is so small (i.e., Apple can afford to style as they are selling 100 million units). But how many of this Galileo line will they sell? If its ~100 units and they spent ~$500,000 on a few FTE's (full time equivalents) for the styling, they need to get back $5,000 per unit, and double that to the customer after dealer markup. I would love to learn more about what exactly is inside the boxes. Are they pretty exactly the Ref150, SP-20 and VSi75 with drop-in replacement KT-150s for the KT-120's?

[Ritmo]

As long as they don't "bastardize" their brand...

[BillK]

Originally Posted by TOGA

Heart breaking expensive.
And INT probably is one of the most expensive INT amp around. Sigh....

Where did you see pricing?

For pricy integrateds, it's hard to beat the D'Agostino Momentum Integrated at $45,000…

[kfr01]

Originally Posted by cmalak

...Clearly the industrial design capabilities of Sonus Faber via Livio Cucuzza who is now heading up industrial design for the Fine Sounds Group are being leveraged across the companies as he has clearly started to make his mark with the new look of the Wadia Intuition integrated/DAC, the 321 DAC, the ARC SP-20 pre and now the Galielo line of ARC products.

And I don't view this as a good thing....

The Wadia 321 DAC is a perfect example. New casing, but where's the substance? No DSD? No real details on how the DAC or analog stage are designed?

Audio Research as I have known it with the Ref. 110 and Ref. 150 is substance, minimalist industrial design --- and, damnit, I like it that way.

I hope we don't start seeing price bloat for nothing more than a pretty case. Boo.

[2fastdriving]

I used to think "Reference" meant something...I already had the "second best" line from Transparent, now the same from ARC.

I give up, I'm going back to Bose.

[tima]

Originally Posted by cmalak

...

Clearly the industrial design capabilities of Sonus Faber via Livio Cucuzza who is now heading up industrial design for the Fine Sounds Group are being leveraged across the companies as he has clearly started to make his mark with the new look of the Wadia Intuition integrated/DAC, the 321 DAC, the ARC SP-20 pre and now the Galielo line of ARC products....

The Chris Bangle of audio componentry? heh.

[doggiehowser]

ouch. I like the retro looks but I don't think I like them to pay 2x over the regular stuff. I'd rather get the Reference range any day

[stollen]

Finally ARC comes out with my ideal piece of gear (tube integrated with built in DAC for super clean one box solution) and it's priced at a point so high it makes no sense to actually purchase it.

Here is to hoping to find a used example or for them to decide to put a DAC in the VSi75....

[sanji]

This industry and it's pricing is moving in a ridiculous direction.