KVR Audio

thenumber23 · Post by **thenumber23** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 6:47 am

I just listened to the MP3 demos for the Bigtone Ambient sound set for Albino 2. While the demos were appealing, I chose not to buy it, and then I thought about it some more and I believe this sound set is probably a miserable seller for LinPlug, despite the quality being high.

1. First, the problem is the potential market is incredibly small. They can only sell it to Albino 2 owners.

2. They will only appeal to Albino 2 owners who have actually used the product enough to go through the original sounds and need more. Or, people who buy accessories on impulse even if they haven't much used the product the accessory is for.

3. Only then will they have a potential customer, but then the customer is faced with an $80 purchase, which is compared against other things (music and otherwise) which cost $80.

Let's do some estimate math: Point one limits the customer base to, say, 1500 users. Point 2 will limit it to, say, 750 users. Point 3 is the killer, and probably lowers the number of sales to 80 users. 80 * $80 = $6,400 (compared to a guesstimate of $200k+ in sales for Albino 2). Pretty bad.

There's a solution. First, lower the price to $39.95. That's the high end price point for a patch set (regardless of the number of patches in the set). Second, create an Albino 2 LE that can only play these patches and nothing else (kind of like Native Instruments Xpress keyboards). Include this Albino 2 LE with the patch set.

This would be a killer win for LinPlug for three reasons. First, their target market rises from 1500 to 100,000. Second, the impulse buy crowd would have a much easier time of justifying it. Third, there would be a new possibility to upgrade users from Albino 2 LE to Albino 2 Full for $150, which would be extra appealing to LinPlug because that would be the direct price customers pay to LinPlug as opposed to the reduced amount that distributors pay per copy.

Brian

envoy · Post by **envoy** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 7:20 am

That's an interesting post. I especially like the fact that it is based completely on numbers and percentages you made up. That is unless you happen to know exactly how many sets have been sold, etc, etc.

You also failed to mention the fact that at least a few people apparently bought the synth based on the strength of an add-on set of patches - I don't think that happens too often.

Maybe you ought to just ask Peter and Brok if they are pleased or bummed with the effort. At least then you'd know whether or not to cast aspersions on their business intelligence...

Envoy

Spe3D · Post by **Spe3D** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 7:26 am

This is a Pro Synth - the sound set is toooo cheap - actually the synth is too cheap.

how does the math work now No.23

and what makes you think it does not sell? I purchased a copy n enjoy the set big time - I know I am not the only one

snippits by me

http://audioshots.com/auditorium/viewtopic.php?t=46

and grilla's work on this link - as well as at the auditorium and the music café

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=74372

I hear Albino2 in use a lot - it does well imo, I think it could go up in price - in fact it probably should.

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

M'Snah · Post by **M'Snah** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 7:53 am

suburban grilla · Post by **suburban grilla** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 8:16 am

an interesting post #23
you are obviously a more fiscally minded person than I.

I use Albino extensively and also purchased the BT set.

If I am making music that I am satisfied with I don't actually give a damn who else buys it and how much money linplug make.

From my point of view I'd be interested to know why you feel this is important.

Are you a synth/ sound designer?
An economist?

I'm not havin' a go I'm just interested in why you approach this subject from this angle

cheers
grilla

Spe3D · Post by **Spe3D** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 8:34 am

thenumber23 wrote:
1. First, the problem is the potential market is incredibly small. They can only sell it to Albino 2 owners.

Brian

I vote this as Quote of the Month

– due to the massive insight

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

BrianEnglish · Post by **BrianEnglish** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 8:34 am

Lowering your margins significantly is hardly ever a way to save a failing product...not that I know anything about the quality of this particular instrument/set, but as an economics major I can tell you it doesn't work.

Spe3D · Post by **Spe3D** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 8:39 am

BrianEnglish wrote:Lowering your margins significantly is hardly ever a way to save a failing product...

No.23 having started a slurr hence this quote shows - maybe you would like to comment in the thread some more.

I think your thread is both - not fact based and infact can be seen as malicious gossip

hence my part in reply.

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

CypherOne · Post by **CypherOne** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 8:47 am

ah I see, make some assumptions and calculations in the hope that Linplug will drop the price...

M'Snah · Post by **M'Snah** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:14 am

Spe3D · Post by **Spe3D** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:17 am

HansM wrote:
Spe3D wrote:
BrianEnglish wrote:Lowering your margins significantly is hardly ever a way to save a failing product...
No.23 having started a slurr hence this quote shows - maybe you would like to comment in the thread some more.
... take note of the word failing. Low prices to get good market penetration for a new product is an entire different thing (e.g. MS or Wusik). But in that case we're not talking a failing product.

Why do you call this gossip?

--HansM

I don't I call the first post the gossip. the quote is an example of impression left to a viewer of the thread - at that point in time - he made a statement based on the first post - something that should not even be considered for a synth such as Albino2, particularly as its based on assumption of someone trying to sway a price to albino’s sound set - as the first post above shows.

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

Peter from LinPlug · Post by **Peter from LinPlug** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:25 am

Funny thread. But interesting too. Oh, I knwo you love to hear some official words on this, but I never reveal any sales numbers

But we're very pleased with sales. In fact many many people tell us this 80 bucks are the BEST they ever spent (despite Albino itself).

I think the thoughts are all not completely wrong, I just think one main fact is not taken into account enough: for 80 bucks you get more than 500 really excellent presets. Of course everybody claims his product has the ultimate sound/presets, but then they sell it for 29 bucks, huh, why that ? I mean, a price is right when enough people buy it.
We try to make fair prices, not low prices. So I rather spend a lot more time, effort and money to make a better product because I believe a musician is better served with a higher quality soundset for 80 bucks (which btw IS not expensive, look at many 29/39$ sets with not more than mayby 250 presets , eh

Pete

CypherOne · Post by **CypherOne** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:26 am

well my next track features Albino almost exclusively (apart from drums), and this bank plays a key role too...

pHz · Post by **pHz** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:28 am

(moved from samples etc to instruments)

Peter from LinPlug · Post by **Peter from LinPlug** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:32 am

pHz wrote:(moved from samples etc to instruments)

Shit ! I though we sell a sample library , dont we ?

Pete

Bigtone Ambient patch set - a miserable seller (opinion)