There is only one question that is important when it comes to buying electronic equipment: how much have you got to spend?

Walk into any electronics store, wake up one of the salesmen, tell him you want to buy, let’s say, an amplifier. His first question, if he feels like helping you at all, will be centered around just how much money you’ve either got in your pocket or are prepared to write a check for or charge. Once you’ve answered that question, he’ll show you the equipment available in your price range, starting with the units he gets the biggest mark-up on.

The retail pricing structure of electronics breaks everything down into three categories: low, moderate and high. When buying an amplifier this means $200 or less, $250 to $350 and ver $400. Most manufacturers subscribe to this type of entertainment electronics economics and, with the exception of a few companies who still believe in the theory that you produce the best at whatever the price of the craftsmanship involved, you’re pretty much locked into accepting these lines of demarcation.