1 thing: in 1977-78, at their peak, the average EE salary was $15,500/yr.
Both of these
companies had only 3-4 employees, the the tech/assemblers were making about
$8,000/yr.
I know of 4 "big" Polyfusion modulars. I don't think they sold that many
small ones/individual
modules. I heard that Aries sold most of theirs in the first 10 months, but
the circuitry was pretty
lame (my friend and I bought their kits in about 1977). Lots of DC offsets
(pops/clicks), the filter
was so-so (basically a ARP clone). Little repeat business. The "buzz" on the
street was so-so.
Like I said, I wonder if there is ever a way to ever know. I ∗do∗ know
(straight from the horse's mouth)
the Moog sold "just over" 10,000 modules in a 11 year span.
Paul S.
will try like hell to squeeze the mixer in
-----Original Message-----
From:
Elhardt@... <
Elhardt@...>
To:
motm@onelist.com <
motm@onelist.com>
Date: Friday, October 29, 1999 1:41 AM
Subject: Re: [motm] Quick update (Numbers Shipped)
>From: Elhardt@...
>
>
>(Paul Schreiber) writes:
>>>Currently around customer #77, and after next week module #600. I am
>betting (with zero data to back me, just gut feel) that this is about what
>Polyfusion or Aries shipped in their lifetime.<<
>
>I myself have always wondered how much Polyfusion or Aries (and others)
>modular equipment sold. But looking at the Polyfusion and Aries pricelists
I
>have, and doing a little math, they had to have shipped more that 600
modules
>each.
>
>Average Polyfusion module price ~$300 x 600 = $180,000
>Average Aries module price ~$150 x 600 = $90,000
>The actual profit would be lower than the above figures of course. But you
>could add to that some additional income from cases and keyboards, say
>another 30%. All in all, gross sales of between $117,000 and $234,000 for
>several years in business, doesn't sound like enough sales to generate
enough
>profit/income to pay a couple of employees for a year. That would also
mean
>that the picture of this Polyfusion (http://www.synthfool.com/jbpoly6.jpg)
>has about 1/5 of the world's Polyfusion modules. Not too likely. I wonder
>if the current incarnation of Polyfusion would even reveal how many they
sold
>back then.
>
>>>Other non-MOTM commitments will delay the mixer....to early 1st quarter
>next year<<
>
>argh.. The much needed Mixer delayed !
>
>>>The next milestone is customer #100/module #1000
>(curious to see which one gets there first).<<
>
>Expect another instant order for at least 10 more modules as soon as the
>Mixer gets here. Eventual long term goal is an MOTM system close to the
size
>of the above pictured Polyfusion (Maybe some Modcan thrown in too).
>
>>