pico vs predator, real measurements

[luvdunhill]

maybe this mod would help the predator measure better:

[Whirlio]

While the graphs are interesting and empirically conclusive, I think we need some perspective here... the Predator will, no doubt, sound incredible (if you don't get the hiss when plugged into a PC) and plenty of people will like it a lot. From what I can gather there are probably 160 Predators and maybe 300-350 Picos that have been sold... and there will be 500 or so happy customers there (along with 2 happy vendors).

Why all the trashtalk when we could have a big love-in?

[dc]

love is for sissies

[kevin gilmore]

My guess is that one of those two vendors is not happy at all.

[Whirlio]

160 x $425 initial price = $68,000.00

245 x $400 (average between non-dac and dac) = $98,000.00 not including orders that aren't on the headamp preorder page

Both are happy!

[postjack]

Why all the trashtalk when we could have a big love-in?

cos roun these parts we dont lahk ray samuels.

[PFKMan23]

I'd say it's because the Pico sounds much better than the Predator and because with medium gain I had to crank the volume knob to maximum to get a decent volume level out of the thing. Also also, with a high gain setting of 11, makes it all but impossible to use.

[kevin gilmore]

Ray is one of those people that likes to count his chickens before they hatch.

And he likes to sell at least 500 of a portable before he moves on to the next one.

So if he could sell 500 @ 425 that would be $212K

justin is eating into that at a rate of more than 50% so ray will be lucky to sell

200 @ 425 and that would be $85k.

So ray is by the way he measures stuff at least $127k in the hole.

[PFKMan23]

Keep in mind that the intro price is $425, and that's limited to 200 units (or whatever number he gave). The regular price is $425.

[n_maher]

I seem to remember reading something in Ray's own thread about him ordering some 400 or more chassis.

Yup, here it is - http://www.head-fi.org/forums/3635709-post686.html

That's a lot on overhead for him at this point if he's really only sold 160 or so...

[grawk]

I seem to remember reading something in Ray's own thread about him ordering some 400 or more chassis.

Yup, here it is - http://www.head-fi.org/forums/3635709-post686.html

That's a lot on overhead for him at this point if he's really only sold 160 or so...

But with his margins, he's made money at 160.

[Fungi]

And don't forget the reputation money can't buy (not directly) that HeadAmp has gained.

Oh yeah, and RSA's losing its fanbase pretty quickly from what I can see.

[jinp6301]

they'll always be noobs for RSA to influence

[Whirlio]

Hmm. I still think RSA will sell 400 of them eventually. Maybe not 500 as he is up against what seems to be a great product. I really like my Tomahawk now that I've figured out it needs to be on the high gain setting when used with ER4S Etys, but I have to admit my next amp will probably have a dac and will probably be a pico. This is an eye wateringly expensive purchase for a guy in europe (shipping) and a wife (hint: it took me 2 years to get broadband) but I'm going to make it based on the opinions I've formed from reading a couple of websites!

I think this is the problem with the industry where the catchment community is relatively tiny for a manufactured product and all opinion is shaped on web forums apart from the occasional meet-up event and people who are happy to buy blindly. The winds change quite quickly. He'll probably sell less than 25 more Tomahawks now as well despite its many plus points, another peril of the industry & community. I'm sure RSA knows that better than most people and has set his margins accordingly.

[Icarium]

I was not aware that the Tomahawk had many plus points.

[n_maher]

I was not aware that the Tomahawk had many plus points.

Long battery life?

[PFKMan23]

That's the one plus point that I can see. Along with perhaps the utility gain that it can be set at.

[Dusty Chalk]

maybe this mod would help the predator measure better:

Hey, do you think you could download that image and rehost it here as an attachment? Anyone who isn't logged in over there can't see it.

[Whirlio]

I was not aware that the Tomahawk had many plus points.

Hehehe you guys! Any poor guest on these forums would think that RSA kit makes your iPod sound like the ass of a rhino that lives off a diet of cabbage and beans.

Battery life is ok allthough I really don't think it's much above 100 hours, nevermind the 400 hours people talk about. Sound quality is a nice, noticable improvement over the stock ipod under the right conditions - I came to work without it today and am actually missing it. Finally its size, it still fits in my jacket pocket which is a big bonus, I don't fancy a hifi backpack on the London underground Enough to make it worth my while, although those around me are constantly bemused at me spending money on portable music.

I can imagine a sound with tighter bass and more interesting mids / highs, and it would be nice to be able to plug it into the PC without the interference sound... you see where I'm going, but it still doesn't make me regret getting the Tomahawk... much.............. errr................ Damn I need to stop thinking about it!

[kevin gilmore]

I was not aware that the Tomahawk had many plus points.

Ray has sold more than 800 of them at $295 each. === $236k

Thats the biggest and only plus point i can think of.

Unity gain and less power than what you hook it up to...

[Dusty Chalk]

It's like this -- if two competing vendors sell the same product, then by all means, love in.

But if two competing vendors, one of which is Sudafed, and the other of which is a placebo, wouldn't you want the people who are buying the placebo to know that they would be just as well off buying Smarties?

[tkam]

Smarties?

Smarties = Yummy

[PFKMan23]

Smarties = Yummy

Yup.

[n_maher]

Yup.

But the important question is do they have synergy with tkam?

[The Monkey]

Yum, placebo!