A couple of days ago I got my regular Music Direct e-mail and I was surprised to see they had the P10 on sale for $2999. Wow, maybe it’s time to replace my P500. Was saving for the new DST coming soon (right?), but this is good deal. I checked the PS Audio website and no mention of the “deal”. This morning while perusing Audiogon I noticed several dealers offering the same deal, so I checked PS Audio again and now it has the same offer. So question is, why the special price? My first thought is a replacement is coming, the other thought is there is just too much stock (though, the PS Audio website says “hand built and shipped within 10 days of order”). Hopefully Paul will chime in and set the record straight. The other question is how long will this go on? Do I need to decide quick?
For reference, my intent in getting a P10 is to power my whole system (see below). Currently the P500 powers DS, CD player, speaker subwoofers and (through the “Ultimate Outlet”) my cable box and Plasma TV. The analog part (turntable and NPC) is run through a Duet and the BHK 250 is run direct. My main hesitation in getting the P10 is I prefer to have all the signal level components on the side of the room and the amp, powered subwoofers (obviously), cable box, and TV (again, obviously) in the front. Kind of hard to power everything when there is 4 meters of distance between them. I’m currently not set up this way (liked the sound of short interconnect), but I have been contemplating going back to that configuration. I do have an issue with supporting my turntable on top of the SolidSteel rack though, hence my hesitation in returning to this configuration. My thought had been to get a P5 for the front end components and just run the amp and speakers off the wall, but now the P10 is $500 cheaper!
I have it on good authority that Paul is having Bascom design the next-generation BHK P10 that non only uses a NOS vacuum tube front end, but the ‘secret sauce’ will be a magnetically levitated chassis using Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide high temperature superconductors running at 90 Kelvin (that’s -183C or -298 F to you and me) to completely damp out microphonic-induced jitter. The superconductor is chilled with dual inexpensive $100K Thales LPT 9310 cryocoolers for complete operational redundancy operating on their own rubber-damped isolation system and connected via flex-link thermal straps to the superconductors to decouple cooler vibrations from the BHKP10MkII.
When asked by the Audiophile press who could afford a $300k MSRP power conditioner, Paul replied, "Hey, all I need is one . . . "
Undoubtedly. But the rest of us will be able to gt the BHKP10MkII Junior for a mere $8k. That version won't have the superconductors or the cryocoolers . . .
The email that came this morning from PSA’s sales dept. says: “Many international distributors are also partaking in this promotion, with prices varying by location.”
The PWT player promotion cost (buy DirectStream, get PWT free) was described by local distributor (very nice guy) as “cannot be done” in Australia.
It had to be $2.5k in Australia.
I have thought long and hard about how the box can be shipped free of charge in the USA and in Australia for $2500, and I have not once been able to think up a single, defensible answer. No matter how reasonable I’ve tried to be.
So, Pichi, let’s see. Don’t turn blue while you wait, however.
Looks like for overseas distributers it is optional. The cost certainly won’t be USD 3K converted to local currency. The potentially small sales size in Oz/NZ makes it makes it impossible to expect a direct conversion.
frank7036 said
Looks like for overseas distributers it is optional. The cost certainly won't be USD 3K converted to local currency. The potentially small sales size in Oz/NZ makes it makes it impossible to expect a direct conversion.
Could also be the price is so high here in Aus, that the market will always remain small too. :-)
Current buy price is $8000 AU if we want a new one.
frank7036 said
Looks like for overseas distributers it is optional. The cost certainly won't be USD 3K converted to local currency. The potentially small sales size in Oz/NZ makes it makes it impossible to expect a direct conversion.
We differ in outlook.
Please go back and consider the PWT at no extra charge, and explain how the price has to be 2.5k instead of covering additional cost. Additional shipping and handling charges, sure.
Then, after that is explained, please extend the argument to the P10’s.
Good theories need to account for available data points.
Also, in addition to the above.
IF RRP is $8000 (which it is), then 40% off would be $3200 off, a price of AU$4800. Which at USD/AUD of (say) 0.75 comes out at US$3600. Which is above the US$3000 figure (which probably excludes some taxes) US P10’s are currently advertised online.
Darn it, I wish I weren’t insanely audiophiliac sometimes. I have a P5 (and a Power Plant Premier in storage) and have always wanted a P10. I really shouldn’t spend one more dime on audio. . .but this sale caused me to get on the phone and call Music Direct. Black P10 should be here Friday.
frank7036 said
Looks like for overseas distributers it is optional. The cost certainly won't be USD 3K converted to local currency. The potentially small sales size in Oz/NZ makes it makes it impossible to expect a direct conversion.
We differ in outlook.
Please go back and consider the PWT at no extra charge, and explain how the price has to be 2.5k instead of covering additional cost. Additional shipping and handling charges, sure.
Then, after that is explained, please extend the argument to the P10’s.
Good theories need to account for available data points.
Also, in addition to the above.
IF RRP is $8000 (which it is), then 40% off would be $3200 off, a price of AU$4800. Which at USD/AUD of (say) 0.75 comes out at US$3600. Which is above the US$3000 figure (which probably excludes some taxes) US P10’s are currently advertised online.
So, we’re not discussing USD parity, anyway.
Hi GM,
I agree & wish Australia had “parity” pricing on product but as I said given the small market here it is unlikely to happen. This happens in almost all markets I’ve seen and I’m happy that pricing of HiFi gear isn’t similar to the escalation costs on some overseas vehicles here.
If you use the BHK250 as an example USD 7500, AUD 11395, convert USD - AUD = 10,026.50. So OZ RRP is “parity + 13.65%”. I don’t defend the upscaling but if you wanted to ship in a US BHK250, purchase a quality step-down transformer the costs start to mount up. Then if anything goes wrong you have to ship it back to the USA.
I don’t expect parity. There has to be something in it for the distributor.
However, not putting the PWT up for shipping charges when it was free in the USA, and not equally discounting the AU$8k / US$6k is difficult to defend.
i.e. I haven’t worked out a reasonable defence of it.
If I’m shown one, I always advocate my error. That’s what reasonable people do, right?
Anyway, we’re yet to see what happens.
Just because the wrong thing is done once, doesn’t mean it will be done twice.
The Australian distributor special offer pricing is good to see. Maybe cutting their own throats on P5 sales when P10 (July special price, participating dealers only) is only $300 more than a P5. The Australian price is about $1000 more than the US price (figuring exchange rate, shipping etc) but I think there is good value in the price difference by staying local, particularly if a local dealer can actually demo one for you. I know Magenta will bend over backwards to make a demo unit available, they are good like that. PS Audio interests are well served in this market by their chosen distributor (as they are in other markets).
Well, my impulse buy of the P10 arrived today, and coincidentally right when my wife left to spend the weekend with four of her sisters.
I had it out of the excellent packaging and powering the system in less than a half an hour, record time for me and power plants. Right out of the box it wowed me. All the things I love about the P5, in spades, and more of it, more ease and breath in the sound. And such a strong tight sonic foundation! Extra quietness which means more dynamic detail and a throb of drama at times. And a solid heavy confidence inspiring machine in fine fit and finish. So far very happy!
