what price to pay?

[pnredkar]

Also I should add that there are dealers doing a superlative job in India by offering products at international prices and EVEN well below. I bought my CA kit from FX Entertainment at well below even the Richer Sounds price. And Designer Audio has been offering excellent prices for Wharfedale and Quad for some years now.

Second that from my own experience.

- Prasad.

 

[ranjeetrain]

Lets take Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 and Monitor Audio BR2. Both are 180 pounds on release in UK. In india its 11k vs 18k. How do you explain this.

Pound is 80 to a Rupee. So the Indian equivalent price would be 14.4k

Secondly, UK market is overpriced by itself. If you compare with US prices, you'd be shocked.

Sometimes dealers give discount on items that are not selling and they have a big stock. So to get the cash back into the flow, they offer discount.

A rough cut math reveals to me that in general an Indian pays 10 times worth of money for the same setup compared to a person in US.

A bit of exaggeration there.

 

[gopi]

I knew somebody would say I was exaggerating Let me explain why I say 10 times here. Its as simple as this. For an average guy in India what will be his salary vs the average guy in US. Today, an entry level software engineer in Infosys will get a take home of 25k atleast. While the average IT entry level salary in US is 3000 dollars take home. This is quite a generalization, but I suppose that it would be around the same ballpark. But, In India with 25k I can buy NAD C325BEE, while it will cost around 300 dollars in US. Now, thats what I meant as 10 times. With my one month salary for 3000 dollars in US just imagine the bliss I will be in.

 

[ranjeetrain]

I knew somebody would say I was exaggerating Let me explain why I say 10 times here. Its as simple as this. For an average guy in India what will be his salary vs the average guy in US. Today, an entry level software engineer in Infosys will get a take home of 25k atleast. While the average IT entry level salary in US is 3000 dollars take home. This is quite a generalization, but I suppose that it would be around the same ballpark. But, In India with 25k I can buy NAD C325BEE, while it will cost around 300 dollars in US. Now, thats what I meant as 10 times. With my one month salary for 3000 dollars in US just imagine the bliss I will be in.

Oh that way, LOL. I agree 1000%

In US/UK you can buy a complete hifi system from one month of your salary. To buy a similar system here in India probably even entire year's salary would be inadequate. No wonder people fill their bags with electronics when they come back.

Gosh, what would Americans be thinking of us, when they can buy a decent T-shirt in the local market for 2 dollars, or have a full meal for 1 dollar in a local dhaba, or ride a rickshaw for 25 cents

And if we think about Europeans

 

[particleman]

Today, an entry level software engineer in Infosys will get a take home of 25k atleast. While the average IT entry level salary in US is 3000 dollars take home. This is quite a generalization, but I suppose that it would be around the same ballpark. But, In India with 25k I can buy NAD C325BEE, while it will cost around 300 dollars in US. Now, thats what I meant as 10 times. With my one month salary for 3000 dollars in US just imagine the bliss I will be in.

What an excellent way to put it -- changes your perspective on the problem. Thankfully there are good companies like Norge and Sonodyne offering VFM products to this end.

 

[gopi]

Thanx Particleman. Unfortunately even with Norge and Sonodyne, the network is small, resulting in me not being able to audition them in Hyderabad. Sad, that I had to end up buying imported products without giving these even a chance. And if I read things right I would say that they are rated good and might be good entry points but hardly the destination. Infact that even raises question on government taxing. If I understood the concept correctly, you tax imports so that the local manufacturers don't suffer. But hardly we have an hi-fi industry and neither they are providing us with excellent choices nor government is allowing foreign guys to come in, simply resulting in Indians only listening to Sony's etc. Worse, our folks are in the end so ignorant about the audio world out there, that the other day I was in a Bose showroom, and I could see a Rich villager walked in and just like that ordered a Rs1.3lac home theatre. They wouldn't even know that just 500 metres from the showroom is a Hifi Shop that imports all brands from abroad and could do many times better for that money. Or even for that matter whenever I say that I have got a costly hifi system, almost 9 out of 10 folks ask me is it bose and are shocked when I say no. They are also surprised that mine cost 50k and it has only 2 speakers I was trying to sell my Marantz DVD player to a colleague of mine, who just needed a DVD player only to know that he doesn't need it anymore as he got a free DVD player when he bought some silk saree locally.
hmmm, I think we slowly hijacked the thread to put all our cribs here

 

[gopi]

oh! forgot about this one awesome guy who wanted a surround system for his bathroom. What the hell. I just wish I was atleast 1/10th as rich as him.

 

[ranjeetrain]

LOL, gopi, so true. You point out the facts there.

But there is one perspective that no body thinks about. And it is related to US. All of us blame dealers and the government for levying heavy duty, but none of us thinks about are WE doing something to help the situation.

I have a question to ask. All of us want hifi sound and all of us run for the global brands. Does any of us run behind Indian brands? Do we take pride in owning an Indian hifi component? Do we give them an audition even. Do we even consider them when we purchase?

True, there are problems with the hifi industry in India. But then, the whole world is full of problems. Who doesn't have problems? China doesn't have? China has (or had) more problems than India. But see how they turned it around. They are making it big everywhere, including the hifi industry. You'd be shocked to see the levels of sophistication they have reached in manufacturing hifi.

How did that happen? Do you think the skeptic and chauvinistic west helped them emerge? No, they emerged on their own. Their market developed because their own people believe in their products.

That's not the case in India.

We, Us, all of us, need to change our own perspective towards Indian hifi. Once we have done that, the sales of Indian hifi will boost up. When that happens, they will be encouraged. They will increase the production. With increased production there will come obvious advantages. Reduced price, innvations, updates and a flourishing industry and a more common hifi culture.

PS: 2leftears is currently busy auditioning speakers, so I guess its okay if we hijack his thread and take it to Kandhar

 

[ranjeetrain]

Okay, that sounded a little like a political speech. Ignore me, i was just venting out the steam LOL

 

[gopi]

Hy, that was a bit serious. I might defer in thinking here. I was ready to give an equal chance to hear the indian brands as well. Just like I said I couldn't get the chance. If they are good I will pick them. If they were on a tie, I will pick them as well. But, I wouldn't be happy owning an inferior product just because its Indian

 

[ranjeetrain]

Very true. Agree with you 100% Even I wouldn't buy an Indian product just to showcase my patriotism.

But yes, if they are equal, then I would. But then, for that I need to at least be in the state of considering Indian hifi. At least I should be mentally prepared to tak Indian hifi seriously.

Gopi, not a personal comment, on you and anyone else, but majority of members here wouldn't take Indian hifi seriously. That's the truth.

 

[particleman]

I am sure that many buyers who do their research will consider Indian products as well. I certainly did during my auditions. But here's the problem -- you have a lot of budget brands at one end and very high quality stuff at the other end of the price spectrum. Not much in between. If this can change and we have CA, NAD, style ranges spanning entry-level to mid-level then things will start to look up for Indian brands. Quality is no problem at all -- Cadence, Lyrita Audio, Acoustic Portrait, etc. are already delivering world-class products for some time now.

 

[gopi]

ranjeet, dont worry i wont take it personal. particleman is right. Its 7k Norge amp and then 64k arita. I needed something in between.

 

[Nevil]

I am sure that many buyers who do their research will consider Indian products as well. I certainly did during my auditions. But here's the problem -- you have a lot of budget brands at one end and very high quality stuff at the other end of the price spectrum. Not much in between. If this can change and we have CA, NAD, style ranges spanning entry-level to mid-level then things will start to look up for Indian brands. Quality is no problem at all -- Cadence, Lyrita Audio, Acoustic Portrait, etc. are already delivering world-class products for some time now.

Hey Particleman, you seem to have done what I want to do....compare all the Indian brands (Cadence, Lyrita Audio, Acoustic Portrait). How do you compare them on quality of sound, build, and lastly pricing?
Ciao Nevil

 

[2leftears]

I have a question to ask. All of us want hifi sound and all of us run for the global brands. Does any of us run behind Indian brands? Do we take pride in owning an Indian hifi component? Do we give them an audition even. Do we even consider them when we purchase?

We, Us, all of us, need to change our own perspective towards Indian hifi. Once we have done that, the sales of Indian hifi will boost up. When that happens, they will be encouraged. They will increase the production. With increased production there will come obvious advantages. Reduced price, innvations, updates and a flourishing industry and a more common hifi culture.

[/B]

How many INDIAN BRAND owners on this forum? Please reply.

 

[dinyaar]

Hi Kunal,
Firstly i have not heard the aritas for a decent amount of time to really have an opinion and though i did like what i heard i feel its a bit difficult for me to do an A/B with a dyna 52(ur other thread). I repeat what i had said earlier that a dynaudio is a great speaker but somehow the dyna sound does not really filter down fully to the lower ranges. Am not saying the audience is not a good speaker because it is.In fact the bass is as it should be, and has a beautiful integration of all frequencies, good build and finish and very reliable.

Regarding ur enquiry on how many of us own the aritas(on both threads) i have a feeling that though most feel its a very good speaker very few actually go and buy them. Dont know what it is really, maybe its more hip to go for the big, established, international speaker brands!!!!!! That apart i feel that the aritas also have a lot of bass maybe the punch(dont know how else to put it) of the dyna is more and hence is more appealing to u. As far as the cables curing the problem i suggest u dont go down that road yet!!!! Different cables will sound different but first buy ur electronics and then decide on cables/stands etc

Lastly if a thumpy bass is what u like and the dyna fits the bill go with it. They are ur speakers, catering to ur musical expectations and please do not go with our views as ur speakers should appeal/satisfy u alone.

Anyway both are good.Hear them a bit more before u take the plunge. Either way u wont go wrong.
Regards.

 

[ranjeetrain]

ranjeet, dont worry i wont take it personal. particleman is right. Its 7k Norge amp and then 64k arita. I needed something in between.

Sonodyne. Electronics and speakers. From the house of Sonodyne. Well matched. Check out Sonodyne

 

[odyssey]

I see that a few people have given an opinion on the following question, I was wondering if more people would post their opinions...and please post what you feel is reasonable...

what is the range in which you think its reasonable to see Indian prices compared to say European prices, or even US prices? I know there are many factors that determine final pricing so this is a very generic question. Since I know to some extent what goes into pricing, I will actually divide this into three categories (broad generalisation) based on say foreign retail price

1.equipment <$1000
2.equipment between $1000 and $2500
3. equipment > $2500

I am looking at getting certain components from vendors, whose products at this point are not sold in India. I consider these as value for money, but then again, this is my opinion.

...greatly appreciated

thanks
Sridhar

 

[ranjeetrain]

How many INDIAN BRAND owners on this forum? Please reply.

They are hesitant to come forward because of poor acceptance. Even if someone ownes a Sonodyne and is fully satisfied with it, he will be hesitant to highlight it. He would rather highlight a much inferior Yamaha or a Cambridge Audio.

 

[smedhavi]

I have used Sonodyne over the years, and let me confirm that most of their current products are bad! They went the HT way. Even the 2 channel stereo amps went bad when they incorporated the remote. They even removed the volume control knob! I don't know what they did to spoil the sound, but they did it.

Same with the speakers. The only good product that still survives is the Ginnie II satellite. I was sad every time they upgraded their models. We have lost a good audio company. I used to be their fan in the eighties, but there wasn't much competition in India those days. I knew only Marantz (Philips) and Sonodyne, both used to be good. Someone older than me might throw more light on this.

Thanks,
Sharad