I’m a bit concern that the price creeping up is due to Paul seeing cost of development skyrocketed due to too many variations and attempts, but does not reflect the true market competitive value of the speakers. I am at the moment leaning away from all PS Audio speakers due to this concern, basically it’s priced to recover the IR&D cost and not to be bang for the buck at its price point.
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Paul says, the VSRP of all PSA products reflects the parts value (multiplied by a factor), not R&D. Both has advantages/disadvantages.
Finally it’s all about making the right decision for the best possible product at the time. The rest will be covered in history. Better the late right decision than keeping the wrong early one.
In terms of Paul marketing his products the way he does, it gives us the freedom to join the ups and downs or ignore them and wait for the final thing.
In terms of Paul as an audio consulter, one might get nuts about the “happy-go-lucky” or rather “by good reason” changing opinions, which gives advices a kind of very temporary relevance…but all this also has its pro and con. The pro is, as a consulted customer, you always get the latest state of knowledge 
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I totally agree.
Although, I hope to hear the orange Arnie Nudell speakers too. Maybe when we go back to the USA for a visit. And the new… FR30 or whatever they end up as.
This reminds me of my favourite coffee, in my grinder about 50% of the time, with a pretty stupid name as well:
It is described thus:
The experimental nature of Sweetshop means its components will change often; some blends may be around for a week, some for a couple of months. We also don’t tie ourselves down to a specific brew ratio or recipe with this blend, meaning it’s up to you to explore the coffee and find the sweet spot ratio.
Sounds a bit like the AN3 / FR30 design philosophy.
I’m with @badbeef - don’t care how they got there, just care what it tastes/sounds like when it arrives.
p.s. That said, this speaker has been going on longer than Games of Thrones. Hope the ending’s better.
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Jazznut is correct. The price of PS Audio products never reflects R and D costs or developmental costs in any way, That’s just not what we do. The cost of our products are always a reflection of the parts and labor that goes into their manufacture. As we make
changes, use different materials, the price reflects them until the day we settle on the final design.
As for the name change yes, sorry, I know it’s hard to keep up with changes. As it has been previously mentioned, what started out as the design work of Arnie Nudell wound its way through the long iterative process we sometimes go through—one
I often share with our community (for better or for worse)—the project has morphed to the point where it no longer represents Arnie’s work, though we continue to maintain his sonic values. Something we will always do.
The good news for some through all this is that the price has not continued to creep upwards. I am hesitant to say what it will be since everyone freaks out when it goes up and down. Let’s wait until it launches.
The speaker is now definitely called the FR-30. It remains the center pivot point in our line of speakers, with 4 models below it and two more above it still planned.
I do struggle with sharing too much information and opinion with our community. That’s a genuine fact. If I had to do it over I would not make the mistake of announcing (twice now) that this is “the final version”. For that I apologize. That’s
just me. In each case I truly believed it was the final version. Once shown a better way, I cannot refuse to change my mind simply because I flapped my big lips at the wrong time. I want only to build the very best product in looks, function, and performance.
I do apologize for my exuberance and over the top proclamations that something’s “final” and “done” and “ready to go” when clearly it is not. I am working on myself to keep my mouth shut and not use those terms when not correct and signed off
on by the team.
I hope to continue sharing the development process with our community as much as they want to hear about it.
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@paul “don’t changing to try to please me I love you just the way you are” 
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I don’t understand what everybody is up in arms about. Is what PSA does somehow effecting your life? Your financial situation? Your ability to feed yourself? Your health? Get a life people.
If any you have seen at least a few of Paul’s videos you should know by now that he gets excited and will talk in absolutes from time to time. So what? That’s just how he is as a person. I prefer that over some corporate automaton. You should know when to take him with a grain of salt - as with ALL people. And even more so, if he changes his mind due to new knowledge, he should be applauded - people who don’t learn and change are called “idiots”.
The speakers changed names!!! Oh god the world is coming to an end!!! Seriously…
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@Chris_Brunhaver, @Paul, guys I realize this is probably a WAY too early question to ask but…is there any thought on Piega style planar drivers (mid and tweet in a point source config) for the top tier speakers? Not that I can afford them but I think it would be mega (just because I’m a driver whore 
).
NO need to apologize. Having designed many speakers my self and measuring and re measuring along with ear tuning for MONTHS on end .My last design took 19 months to voice against two well respected designs ! Those who have never changed a .010uf cap and heard a major difference in the pitch and timing will never get it. It was told to me by a WELL respected firm that sells $750k speakers. Its easy to make a great sounding speaker in a great room, its not so easy to make a great speaker sound great in every room ! The issue with speakers is EVERY box has been made. Every facet cut and done. Its so hard to make any design today without looking like many others. Some are just not for looks but function. I wish you luck Paul, keep a shield in your right arm and a spear in the other as its a battle of measurement engineers and reviewers as well as subjective listeners who believe that all that can be measured can not be heard, and all that can be heard can not be measured !
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@Jedi. Well said. Detachment is a good thing. More people need to have your attitude. God Bless.
Thanks, boss, I am trying. It’s always a challenge to openly share what many view as a chaotic process but for me, is simply an iterative one.
Again, my failing has been sharing too early and saying “this is it”.
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Awwww. Garsh. Problem is, I don’t love me just the way I am so I need to keep working on change. I want to always remain open, approachable, and straight talking. I do understand that leads to unforeseen consequences, so I need to be a bit more careful with
my use of adjectives.
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Fair enough “to thine own self be true”
“When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?” (John Maynard Keynes)
You are in good company, Paul 
I don’t think anyone would take umbrage for refences to a final design. I do final things, then a final final one, and so forth. The final one is the one that is manufactured, put in a box and sent to the customer. That’s the only one that counts.
Even Alan Shaw of Harbeth, who is obsessively methodical and fully documents everything he ever does, demonstrated his finished SHL5+ at Munich 2015 and made a final tweak afterwards, before sending to customers.
Better get it right than get it out.
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Imagine you founded one of worlds more successful audio companies within dozens of years as a pro in audio business, have a good run since many years and have to take good advice from some engineers, lawyers, medics, pilots and other coevals like us.
I guess serious patience or a joint in the evening is necessary at least
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Repeat this phrase: ‘I reserve the right to get smarter’. 
I reserve the right to get smarter
I reserve the right to get smarterer.
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