The math is pretty fuzzy here. First of all, the Paramount comes with the Soft Start. The additional kit is for people who bought Paramounts before the Soft Start circuit was instituted. You should not purchase the Soft Start in addition to the Paramount. It ends up being a wash pretty much though, because the additional $249 this adds is made negligible by the fact that you priced the Mainline at the current promotional cost of $999, not the regular price of $1199. I said that right folks, act now to get in on the sale...
The math gets way fuzzier when you start trying to compare apples to oranges. First of all, if you want to compare integrated amps, Bottlehead wipes the floor on price with either of the integrated amps in the stable, the S.E.X. at $539 or the Stereomour at $849. Furthermore, the all top of the line Bottlehead system you've designed has phono AND headphone capabilities. Only the Luxman has both (the Leben has headphone, and the Bel Canto has phono; the Ayer has neither). To compare the the prices just based on having these features, the Luxman BH equivalent would be $4822, the Leben BH equivilent would be $4073 the Bel Canto BH equivalent would be $3623, and the Ayer BH equivalent would be $2874. And this is assuming that the phono and/or headphone stages were a major focus for the designers of these amps. Fitting everything into one box requires compromises, and manufacturers aren't going to put too many resources into features that everyone won't use. Note that I haven't heard these particular pieces of gear, so this statement is speculative, but based in reality.
(edited to add: these figures are based on the $1199 pricing for the Mainline, making the OP's system cost a total of $4822. With the current sale price, the total system price would be $4622).
« Last Edit: January 08, 2014, 02:53:50 PM by fullheadofnothing »
Joshua Harris
I Write the Manuals That Make The Whole World Sing
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