People get bent about the prices on higher end audio, and it can be expensive. But if you look at what some of the vintage stuff is going for now and look at what it went for when new and adjust for inflation the prices aren't really different. I have a Yamaha A-S301 integrated amp and an A-S3200 integrated amp. They both pretty much do the same thing, but one cost $350 and the other $8,000. If you compare the components and build quality it's easy to see where the money went. Using an inflation calculator that $8,000 in 1975 dollars would have been $1,378.02 with an inflation rate of 82.8%. Now $1,378 is a lot for many now, so imagine what it was like back then. I know there was no way in hell I could have afforded that back then, lol. Anyway look at some of the coverage of the recent Axpona if you want to see some really outrageously expensive and downright idiotic equipment that makes the Accuphase look like a real bargain.
The E-280 has always been a low margin amp and one that Accuphase offers at their lowest price possible. The current price is ($6995) and it was not reduced when the rest of the line was lowered . Almost every Accuphase product in the USA had its price reduced a while back but the E-280 remained the same. It is one awesome integrated amp and we feel worth the coin!
Very nice integrated. But still way too expensive in the U.S. market. $7,000 has some extremely competent brands in that range. That being said. I definitely want one for the right price.
Here's one you didn't know: In Japan Specialty Shops like Fuji Accoustic in Shizuoka always made fun of Accuphase. They'd call it Akirita-phase. Akirita meaning cut. My Accuphase power amp burned up one day. It WAS a great sounding amp when paired with a conrad-johnson PV3 tube pre. The matching Accuphase Pre amp was not much better than the Pioneer amp I had at the time.
