[jslevin]

Originally Posted by ricknroll

Not necessarily - I bought 4 512c preamps and the Lunchbox came free, which is a commonly offered deal. The 512cs cost $650 each, so four channels cost me $2600, plus I have the option off adding two more channels for another $1300 or so (depending on which modules are purchased).

Right ... and this is still more expensive than buying rackmount API gear.

If you were to purchase a new Great River MP-2NV, you'd pay over $2K for 2 channels, compared with $2600 for 4 channels of API plus the option of adding additional preamps for about $650 a pop.

Geez, try actually comparing apples to apples sometime. Is this how the lunchbox folks rationalize these prices? By not even attempting to make sense?

Apples to apples: it's cheaper per-channel to buy API rackmount than API lunchbox modules. The Great River is more expensive per-channel than either one, but that's a completely different product.

As Mr. Mixwell points out, the Great River 500 series product is a little better deal. But even given that, you put together a couple of those with a couple of 512c modules, add in the six-space lunchbox (which now has no empty slots), you're still looking at, bare minimum, $3200, which is still no better of a deal than you can get with rackmount gear.

It is merely just as good of a deal -- and that is as good as it gets for 500 series. If you fill up your lunchbox and get a good deal on some of it, then it might turn out to be about the same price per-channel as rackmount gear. It is very, very tough to put together a configuration that is actually cheaper, and your options are much more limited.

Obviously you can stick whatever 500-series modules you want in an API Lunchbox

Right. And you can stick about ten times as many diffferent types of "modules" in a standard 19-inch rack. But again, I get that you really, really like this format, and that's wonderful for you. Let's just not confuse your liking it with it being a superior value.

JSL