The original OP-1 was kind of expensive, but it was a unique product that a middle-class person might buy if they're really into creative music making. Sort of like how a middle-class person might buy a high-quality guitar -- because they feel it's worth it and there isn't n less expensive option that they'd be satisfied with.
I feel like at a $1999 price point, though, they've crossed into territory where their products are going to increasingly be seen as being only for rich people, and I think it's starting to hurt their credibility. The coverage of their new mixer on /r/synthesizers was overwhelmingly negative. It's like if Apple suddenly decided that going forward all their products would be gold plated and cost twice as much. If you make it too obvious that the point of the product is to flaunt wealth, then that detracts from it being just a product that's interesting, pleasant to use, and useful in some context.
I feel like at a $1999 price point, though, they've crossed into territory where their products are going to increasingly be seen as being only for rich people, and I think it's starting to hurt their credibility. The coverage of their new mixer on /r/synthesizers was overwhelmingly negative. It's like if Apple suddenly decided that going forward all their products would be gold plated and cost twice as much. If you make it too obvious that the point of the product is to flaunt wealth, then that detracts from it being just a product that's interesting, pleasant to use, and useful in some context.