...numero uno...let's take coffee...first it's a pound can for, let's say a buck or so. Then instead of raising the price, they give you less coffee...then they just raise the price on some bogus pretext...then they come out with a can that says "NEW and IMPROVED" or some such clap-trap...you are so in awe of this new, improved blend, you fail to see in the fine print that you are getting even less coffee at an even higher price...so now we have 11oz. of ground beans @ four bux or better...or perhaps diner joe is more your cup of tea? A quarter, thirty-five cents...a smaller cup and the price goes up...so now you have $6 latte mocha supremos.The trickle-down is whatever the market will bear and many morons think they are getting a great deal...anything cheaper is looked upon as somehow inferior...consumer conditioning, they have ya' jumpin' thru hoops.

No diff with audio or any other consumer goods...you get sold a bill-of-goods...some believe it, some see through it...quite simple.

As far as Marantz integrated amps and the dealer who won't carry 'em...well, unless I'm mistaken, there hasn't been one available in the US market for quite some time...until they decided to release the 7200(which has been available outside the US for some time now...in BOTH black and aluminum). When dealers say stuff like that, it gives me pause...are they blowin' smoke or don't they know or ? I'd take THEIR advice with a big grain of salt!

jimHJJ(...just my skewed take on life in general...)