[bob]

On Aug 2, 12:38=A0pm, Audio Empire wrote:

There are easily 50 manufacturers making so-called high-end tables today,
perhaps more, but unlike my earlier flight of hyperbole, I think you'd re=
ally
have to struggle to reach 100. Still and all, that's a lot of manufacture=
rs
vying for a piece of what is a pretty small market.

The reason there are a lot of little manufacturers is that the market
is too small to attract a larger maker who could take advantage of
economies of scale. A healthier market might actually see fewer but
larger producers.

A better way to make the case for the continued vitality of this
(admittedly tiny) market is to look at the major retailers. Best Buy
and Crutchfield now carry Pro-Ject. J&R carries Music Hall. That's far
more significant than some guy making 5 $20,000 tables a year in his
garage.

I will predict this, that
vinyl production will outlive the physical CD.

And I will predict that 16/44.1 will still be the standard for
uncompressed digital audio after the last vinyl plant closes.Only the
distribution channel will change.

bob