Which components get in?

As designers, we want nothing but the best in our creations—the finest capacitors, connectors, power supplies, and wiring. Yet there's an obvious problem with that. Not every product can be cost-no-object. Otherwise, few among us could afford to buy equipment for our music systems. And thus the art of intelligent compromise comes into play. Take cars as an example. Elon Musk has started to change the world with his all-electric Tesla automobiles, yet they remain too expensive for the average person. Which is why the company is introducing their Model 3 which begins to bring it into the realm of pricing many more can afford. So, where do Tesla designers compromise to lower costs? If they are smart, they do not violate the core reasons people want that car—electric, long-range, fast, low operating costs, zero maintenance—which is exactly what they did. The same can be said for high-end audio equipment. Our customers expect performance above all, so when we build to a price point that's the one thing we do not compromise. Sure, the chassis, connectors, and even the features may not match those of their high priced elders, but core principals of performance and sonic expectations are central to the design. I think smart designers get to the core of a product's raison d'être and do what it takes to keep that intact while making intelligent decisions of what can be jettisoned without harm. That's the key to deciding which components and features get in, without sacrificing the very reason someone wants to own that product. If you'd like to see more of my thoughts on the subject CLICK HERE to watch a short video on the subject.