CES 2015

Critical Mass Goes Sotto Voce

Jason Victor Serinus  |  Jan 11, 2015

Critical Mass has just released its new entry-level Sotto Voce equipment rack ($4500 for four tiers). Far more affordable than the company's other racks, it is made of Sapele, a wood that I understand is in the Mahogany family. The rack is upgradeable to include Critical Mass's filter systems that enhance component performance. The upgrade path starts at $225, and can include filter systems that cost up to $2895.

COMMENTS
Allen Fant's picture
Submitted by Allen Fant on January 11, 2015 - 2:35pm

Beautiful!

la musique's picture
Submitted by la musique on January 11, 2015 - 9:19pm

For $400.00 I made one 100 times better with Jarrah and Oak with all decoupling/coupling you could imagine (ball bearing/spikes/my special brew...) And it is outstanding. Made my components come out of their shel!. Can show you pictures of it.

John Atkinson's picture
Submitted by John Atkinson on January 12, 2015 - 10:31am
la musique wrote:
For $400.00 I made one 100 times better with Jarrah and Oak ...

As a rule of thumb in audio manufacturing, there is a 5:1 ratio between a product's parts cost and its retail price. Thus your stand would retail for $2000, which is also expensive.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

la musique's picture
Submitted by la musique on January 12, 2015 - 9:35pm

I think it is time for the industry to get real!
Do you think it is serious to justify 5.1 mark up for an audio rack?
I am a builder and if I applied this rule, I would be out of business in no time.

John Atkinson's picture
Submitted by John Atkinson on January 15, 2015 - 10:45am
la musique wrote:
Do you think it is serious to justify 5.1 mark up for an audio rack?

That retail price:parts costs ratio appears to be appropriate when you take all a company's overhead and the product's retail margin into account.

la musique wrote:
I am a builder and if I applied this rule, I would be out of business in no time.

There have been companies that operated with a lower ratio. They are out of business because if you lose money on every sale, you can't make it up in sales volume. :-)

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

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