Sowter transformers why hi prices ?

[SIXTYNINER]

done a run after sometime on the Sowter transformers  website
and found very very very  hi prices  , compared to some year ago ,

somebody know why ?

or there is some other source with better prices ?

cheers

 

[okgb]

they're not selling enough to offset production cost ?  low numbers small quantities
I think it's a tough business to be in [ especially if it's the only business your in ! ]

 

[emrr]

£ is down, and all materials are imported? 

 

[iampoor1]

It would help to specify what transformer you want to pay less for.  All of sisters transformers are on the higher side, of course, many of them are simply unavaliable from anyone else!

 

[Brian Roth]

You get what you pay for.  Sowter is a high quality source, like Jensen.  Not chinese crap.

 

[SIXTYNINER]

£ is down, and all materials are imported?

near to double of the price only in 3-4 years ? 

 

[s2udio]

You get what you pay for.  Sowter is a high quality source, like Jensen.  Not chinese crap.

Absolutely +1

Sowter are a very small custom company who manufacture quality  custom audio transformers, and operate on a order then build basis, so stock overheads are keep't low , no point in producing a stockroom full of stuff that dribbles out the door while a small Skilled workforce have nothing to do !
The market for custom components is very small compared to larger consumer audio product producers.
I recently purchase a set for a dual LA2A, order to delivery 5 weeks, no problem you want top quality you wait ,
And pay a premium price,
Its good they do, as in the current economic climate sowter would have been bought up by coorperate monsters, and would have
Sadly disapeared.
Just my two peneth 

 

[L´Andratté]

Hey it´s only ten (german) packs of cigarettes per 3195. That´s not expensive? People gladly pay that price for some shitty mass produced zebra painted flower pot at Ikea (or something).

Btw. they are in business a long time and I have found a good lot of their older models, which are also quite hi-q, for good prices 2nd hand over the years.

 

[[silent:arts]]

I promise even higher prices post brexit.

 

[SIXTYNINER]

I promise even higher prices post brexit.

very much probably , for sure ….  :'(

but who really gain  after the brexit ? …always and  only the same 1% ?

(considered that as the outcome of the referendum was "yes" ,
the amount of the London stock exchange is increased of 200 billion … , and not from the " 99% " ... )

 

[pvision]

£ is down, and all materials are imported?

I promise even higher prices post brexit.

Come on guys, don't rub it in!

Nick Froome

 

[L´Andratté]

Come on guys, don't rub it in!

Nick Froome

That´s nothing, wait until you read this ;D
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/01/13/overweight-horses-new-normal-vets-warn/

 

[SIXTYNINER]

Hey it´s only ten (german) packs of cigarettes per 3195. That´s not expensive? People gladly pay that price for some sh*tty mass produced zebra painted flower pot at Ikea (or something).

Btw. they are in business a long time and I have found a good lot of their older models, which are also quite hi-q, for good prices 2nd hand over the years.

…. I remember well an Hi Fi  24 bit - 44.1 khz  DA converter
for sale as very "special limited edition "  , with very special components …. ,

at about 4000 euro  , by an Hi-Fi  devices store  ,

with inside a pcb with  about  100 euro of parts , psu included ….. (normal burr brown da chips)
apart the  front panel  , some switch and pot …… total value 150-250 euro… 

:

 

[[silent:arts]]

Just don't buy it if it is too expensive for you, or if you think it isn't worth your money.

 

[SIXTYNINER]

Just don't buy it if it is too expensive for you, or if you think it isn't worth your money.

never said that they are trash sold for gold…

only asked why they near double the price in only 3-4 years….

is this because those transformer models are necessary to diy  some  clone device like tube compressors, or eq ,
of which the originals price is various thousand bucks ?

how to say :
as the diy clone finished require about  800-1200/1300 bucks
compared to 3500 - 4500 bucks or more  of the original …

(of which, however, a large part of amount go to the distributors pockets …..that only move pallets …..)

what does it matter if certain parts have an incoherent cost ?

cheers

 

[rob_gould]

Any answer to a question like this is speculation unless it comes from Sowter themselves. But I suspect that some of the suggestions given already have plenty of truth to them.

If the answer that you're hoping for is that Mr Sowter is sitting on a gold throne, cackling maniacally while smoking cigars rolled from £50 notes, I don't think you'll find it on this forum 

 

[pvision]

If the answer that you're hoping for is that Mr Sowter is sitting on a gold throne, cackling maniacally while smoking cigars rolled from £50 notes, I don't think you'll find it on this forum 

More likely he's sitting in a back room hunched over a tabulating mechanical calculator, his Chinese one having stopped adding up correctly, working out how much money the company will lose this month when he buys the new equipment that complies with new EU rules that only the British and the Germans abide by, whilst contemplating the 300% rent increase the landlord has proposed, the 150% business rate rise and the cost of heating his 1960s asbestos-roofed factory while his suppliers invoices rise 5% a month due to Brexit

Nick Froome

 

[SIXTYNINER]

More likely he's sitting in a back room hunched over a tabulating mechanical calculator, his Chinese one having stopped adding up correctly, working out how much money the company will lose this month when he buys the new equipment that complies with new EU rules that only the British and the Germans abide by, whilst contemplating the 300% rent increase the landlord has proposed, the 150% business rate rise and the cost of heating his 1960s asbestos-roofed factory while his suppliers invoices rise 5% a month due to Brexit

Nick Froome

…… only some of the reasons why we all have to investigate so deep,  before give a vote to the moneys cake "climbers"  ?
: