# WHY MIDI CONTROLLERS WITH 2 OR 3 FADERS ARE SO EXPENSIVE !!!



## Christian64 (Jun 4, 2022)

HI,
COULD ANYONE HERE EXPLAIN WHY MIDI CONTROLLERS WITH 2 OR 3 FADERS ARE SO EXPENSIVE !!!
(monogran console, AMC3 MIDI CONTROLLER, NUANCES CONTROLLLERS, FVDE BY AUDIO IMPERIA etc...)


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## Markrs (Jun 4, 2022)

There are some cheaper ones you can get. If in the UK there is a 3 fader for £49. I haven't bought one, so I don't now what the quality is like.









USB and DIN MIDI Controller 3 Faders programmable CC#/Channel/Range DAW/SYNTH | eBay


When a fader is moved the display shows the output CC value. The CCnumber, MIDI Channel and RANGE of the faders can be changed by using the display andsmall button located on the top of the box. Korg Volca Keys and Midi setup.



www.ebay.co.uk


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## Markrs (Jun 4, 2022)

Intech faders also look nice. I bit more money, but they are more slim line and professional in look.






Intech Studio Grid - Modular MIDI Controllers


Hey Guys, I'm shocked that a search turned up nothing about this line of really slick modular MIDI controllers. Same idea as the Palette/Monogram stuff, but looks much nicer IMO (black metal panels), great features, and the prices are decent. Anyone use these? This might be the closest I've...




vi-control.net







https://intech.studio/grid-controllers/overview


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## Fidelity (Jun 4, 2022)

Or a used korg nanokontrol if you just need faders and don't need them to be "nice".


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## kgdrum (Jun 4, 2022)

The cost of manufacturing a niche product additionally the time involved in software implementation as well as good old fashioned supply and demand.


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## Land of Missing Parts (Jun 4, 2022)

IT'S A SHONDA‼️


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## Thundercat (Jun 4, 2022)

Christian64 said:


> HI,
> COULD ANYONE HERE EXPLAIN WHY MIDI CONTROLLERS WITH 2 OR 3 FADERS ARE SO EXPENSIVE !!!
> (monogran console, AMC3 MIDI CONTROLLER, NUANCES CONTROLLLERS, FVDE BY AUDIO IMPERIA etc...)


You might be surprised at how much the parts alone cost...and the time to design the unit...and write the software...and then to build the units one at a time...I've got a fader probably way out of your price range but because I'm not mass producing it, my cost is most of the price I am charging. I make very little on them, until I can figure out how to mass produce them. And they take me 3+ hours each to make.

Fader Pro


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## CatComposer (Jun 4, 2022)

Markrs said:


> There are some cheaper ones you can get. If in the UK there is a 3 fader for £49. I haven't bought one, so I don't now what the quality is like.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I went through your dilemma last year.
My solution was to buy a 2 fader controller from Annstweed.com

I bought this from their website directly:








Custom MIDI Controller for hardware or software, 2 or 3 Faders with DIN and USB, Versatile and Programmable.


check out our Synth Dust Covers here With programmable CC, Channel, Range (hi/low), 5 Presets. USB and Din MIDI Controller with 2 or 3 Faders, detachable 2m USB cable / Angled Stand (on the 3 fader version). The 2 fader version has rubber feet instead of angled stand and a fixed USB cable. Box...




annstweed.com





Because postage is much cheaper that way.
Ebay International Postage is daylight robbery! 😧

I paid 40 pounds for a 2 fader and 16 pounds postage.

And the quality of the unit is excellent.
I would highly recommend them. 😁

I am astonished that there is only one person in the world making these devices at an affordable price.


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## Christian64 (Jun 4, 2022)

CatComposer said:


> I went through your dilemma last year.
> My solution was to buy a 2 fader controller from Annstweed.com
> 
> I bought this from their website directly:
> ...


Thanks!!
can you tell me the travel of the faders please?


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## CatComposer (Jun 4, 2022)

I don't have a ruler, but I'd say about 10cm long.
The box is longer than this.


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## Loerpert (Jun 4, 2022)

CatComposer said:


> I went through your dilemma last year.
> My solution was to buy a 2 fader controller from Annstweed.com
> 
> I bought this from their website directly:
> ...


Thanks, just ordered one!


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## method1 (Jun 4, 2022)

Christian64 said:


> Thanks!!
> can you tell me the travel of the faders please?



65mm according to the website.


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## CatComposer (Jun 5, 2022)

method1 said:


> 65mm according to the website.


Sounds right. It's plenty long enough for subtle variations.
Any longer and I think it would be unwieldly.
The sliders are smooth and stable.

The digital display shows you the CC values that are being sent to the DAW.

Windows 10 installed it automatically (plug and play) and Studio One picks it up straight away.

I have found it to work flawlessly, and am glad I bought this hand-crafted device, rather than a mass-produced one. 😊


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## SupremeFist (Jun 5, 2022)

Yep I have one of these and it's great! Huge improvement on my old nanokontrol.


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## PhilA (Jun 5, 2022)

Markrs said:


> There are some cheaper ones you can get. If in the UK there is a 3 fader for £49. I haven't bought one, so I don't now what the quality is like.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have both the 3 fader and 6 knob version. Yes they are light, but the faders and knobs feel smooth and for the money they just work and work well. I can’t fault them for the price tbh.


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## Emmanuel Rousseau (Jun 5, 2022)




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## Thundercat (Jun 5, 2022)

Of course you can always make your own: DIY MIDI Faders

That's how I started my own journey. Spend as much or as little as you like, and customize everything to your liking.


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## psy dive (Jun 5, 2022)

CatComposer said:


> I bought this from their website directly:


Can you set the faders to individual midi channels? Thanks


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## CatComposer (Jun 5, 2022)

psy dive said:


> Can you set the faders to individual midi channels? Thanks


Yes


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## Thundercat (Jun 5, 2022)

CatComposer said:


> Yes


Can you confirm this with your unit? From their website:

*************************************************************************
*"CHANGE ALL FADER CHANNEL NUMBERS (1-16)*
Press the button *THREE* times and keeping the button held in on the 3rd press and the display will show “CHA” (channel all) now move any knob/fader to the number of the channel you want all the faders to be set to. Let go of the button and the display will show “c” and the new channel number"
*************************************************************************

It appears "all" faders will be set to a MIDI channel - but maybe I'm misunderstanding this?

Thanks,
Mike


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## SupremeFist (Jun 5, 2022)

Thundercat said:


> Can you confirm this with your unit? From their website:
> 
> *************************************************************************
> *"CHANGE ALL FADER CHANNEL NUMBERS (1-16)*
> ...


See two paragraphs before that. You can set each one individually _or _all to the same cc.


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## Thundercat (Jun 5, 2022)

SupremeFist said:


> See two paragraphs before that. You can set each one individually _or _all to the same cc.


Thanks, found it. Here it is:

*******************************************************************************
CHANGE ONE FADER CHANNEL (channel numbers 1-16)
changing just one fader channel is done the same way as all the channels but you press the small button seven times and keep the button held in on the 7th time and the display will show “CHI” (channel Independent) now move the fader to the number of the channel you want the fader to be set to 

Then let go of the small button and the display will show “c” and the new channel
******************************************************************************

I'm not so sure I want to be pressing a button 7x every time, but maybe it's OK to set things up once?


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## CatComposer (Jun 5, 2022)

Thundercat said:


> Thanks, found it. Here it is:
> 
> *******************************************************************************
> CHANGE ONE FADER CHANNEL (channel numbers 1-16)
> ...


I have found all of this to be irrelevant to get the controller working.

In Studio One, I set up using Midi Learn.
Then when you move the sliders it automatically assigns a MIDI channel for them.
For me it's Ch 14 and 15.

Each library (Kontakt or Spitfire) then requires setup before use, but it's easy in Studio One.


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## Thundercat (Jun 5, 2022)

CatComposer said:


> I have found all of this to be irrelevant to get the controller working.
> 
> In Studio One, I set up using Midi Learn.
> Then when you move the sliders it automatically assigns a MIDI channel for them.
> ...


Nice!


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## Gary Williamson (Jun 8, 2022)

Sparrow 3x100mm MIDI controller


This versatile and compact MIDI controller comes with 3, 100mm travel fader and is the perfect studio addition for audio creators, sound producers, music composers, and more! MIDI compliant and compatible with many major DAWs (Logic Pro X, Kontakt, Albion, Cakewalk, and more. For a more...




themidimaker.com





another fairly cheap option.


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## greggybud (Jun 12, 2022)

Why are Midi controllers 2 or 3 so "expensive?"
It's usually about supply and demand. 🥱

In my case I purchased the sparrow 5 channel with 5 knobs for $150. I don't consider that expensive. The faders are 100mm which is relatively long and they have good feel. Not as good as a FaderMaster Pro, but not bad either.









Sparrow 5x100mm MIDI controller


This versatile and compact MIDI controller comes with 5, 100mm travel fader and is the perfect studio addition for audio creators, sound producers, music composers, and more! MIDI compliant and compatible with many major DAWs (Logic Pro X, Kontakt, Ableton, Cakewalk, and more. For a more...




themidimaker.com





I posted an actual photo here on page 2. Its the red and black 3D printed.





Intech Studio Grid - Modular MIDI Controllers


oh i just saw it. very very cool. Coming in august. Well that's an insta buy. I missed this but my August pay is for sure getting shipped to intech.




vi-control.net


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## MarcMahler89 (Jun 12, 2022)

greggybud said:


> Why are Midi controllers 2 or 3 so "expensive?"
> It's usually about supply and demand. 🥱
> 
> In my case I purchased the sparrow 5 channel with 5 knobs for $150. I don't consider that expensive. The faders are 100mm which is relatively long and they have good feel. Not as good as a FaderMaster Pro, but not bad either.
> ...


I was looking for something like this for years! As soon as i decided to checkout my purchase, the reality of taxes & shipping costs hit me like a truck. 100$ for a 4-fader controller turned into 200, composed of taxes & shipping costs to europe. Might as well get one from the mainstream-brands with added, personally useless functionality then :( 

Ill probably just cleanse this issue from my mind and get an Icon Platform X, with more faders than i need, and about 300$ in cost, but it looks decent and its build quality is quite good as ive heard


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## Loerpert (Jun 14, 2022)

CatComposer said:


> I went through your dilemma last year.
> My solution was to buy a 2 fader controller from Annstweed.com
> 
> I bought this from their website directly:
> ...


Mine arrived yesterday. It works great! Little on the light side so if I use 3 faders at once it has a chance of tipping over, bjt other than that it's awesome.


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## Drjay (Jun 14, 2022)

I also think these units are often ridiculously priced. But as already mentioned this is related to the low demand and probably hidden costs.
One quality fader 100mm costs about 4-5 € per piece if bought in quantities of 100 pieces. Maybe add 1€ for each cap. Depending on the used controller add another 10-20 €, including various bits and pieces for the surrounding circuit (if needed). PCB would be 5€ max if produced in quantities, probably less. Don‘t know about the cost for the case, maybe another 10€? Software development cost is neglectable, since everyone with half decent knowledge can program this task in half an hour (I am aware, I‘m overexaggerating a little bit). So in total 40-50€ for a three fader controller. This rough assumption is based on end user prices, so it will probably be less. The price difference to the market price, imo largely depends on the value of work, compliance tests, overhead costs, tax etc. Of course costs will also rise with the use of wooden cases, alloy faceplates, luxury faders etc.
Long story short, I think 50€ Is fairly priced for a small scale business and a no thrills controller. 100-150€ is too steep imo.
Just my 2 cents


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## shropshirelad (Jun 15, 2022)

Drjay said:


> I also think these units are often ridiculously priced. But as already mentioned this is related to the low demand and probably hidden costs.
> One quality fader 100mm costs about 4-5 € per piece if bought in quantities of 100 pieces. Maybe add 1€ for each cap. Depending on the used controller add another 10-20 €, including various bits and pieces for the surrounding circuit (if needed). PCB would be 5€ max if produced in quantities, probably less. Don‘t know about the cost for the case, maybe another 10€? Software development cost is neglectable, since everyone with half decent knowledge can program this task in half an hour (I am aware, I‘m overexaggerating a little bit). So in total 40-50€ for a three fader controller. This rough assumption is based on end user prices, so it will probably be less. The price difference to the market price, imo largely depends on the value of work, compliance tests, overhead costs, tax etc. Of course costs will also rise with the use of wooden cases, alloy faceplates, luxury faders etc.
> Long story short, I think 50€ Is fairly priced for a small scale business and a no thrills controller. 100-150€ is too steep imo.
> Just my 2 cents


Don't forget to add the variable costs such a labour - someone above stated it took about 3 hours to produce one unit. And then there's the small matter of profit to consider!


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## Loerpert (Jun 15, 2022)

Drjay said:


> I also think these units are often ridiculously priced. But as already mentioned this is related to the low demand and probably hidden costs.
> One quality fader 100mm costs about 4-5 € per piece if bought in quantities of 100 pieces. Maybe add 1€ for each cap. Depending on the used controller add another 10-20 €, including various bits and pieces for the surrounding circuit (if needed). PCB would be 5€ max if produced in quantities, probably less. Don‘t know about the cost for the case, maybe another 10€? Software development cost is neglectable, since everyone with half decent knowledge can program this task in half an hour (I am aware, I‘m overexaggerating a little bit). So in total 40-50€ for a three fader controller. This rough assumption is based on end user prices, so it will probably be less. The price difference to the market price, imo largely depends on the value of work, compliance tests, overhead costs, tax etc. Of course costs will also rise with the use of wooden cases, alloy faceplates, luxury faders etc.
> Long story short, I think 50€ Is fairly priced for a small scale business and a no thrills controller. 100-150€ is too steep imo.
> Just my 2 cents


A 3d printer can be quite expensive. And if you want to scale you business a bit, you probably need several.


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## Drjay (Jun 15, 2022)

shropshirelad said:


> Don't forget to add the variable costs such a labour - someone above stated it took about 3 hours to produce one unit. And then there's the small matter of profit to consider!


Thats what I ment with value/cost of work and overhead (e.g. 3d printer in the next post).
Don‘t get me wrong, no one will work for free and I regard 50€ as very fair price. But 100€+ appears to be a bit too pricey to me.


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## Thundercat (Jun 15, 2022)

Drjay said:


> I also think these units are often ridiculously priced. But as already mentioned this is related to the low demand and probably hidden costs.
> One quality fader 100mm costs about 4-5 € per piece if bought in quantities of 100 pieces. Maybe add 1€ for each cap. Depending on the used controller add another 10-20 €, including various bits and pieces for the surrounding circuit (if needed). PCB would be 5€ max if produced in quantities, probably less. Don‘t know about the cost for the case, maybe another 10€? Software development cost is neglectable, since everyone with half decent knowledge can program this task in half an hour (I am aware, I‘m overexaggerating a little bit). So in total 40-50€ for a three fader controller. This rough assumption is based on end user prices, so it will probably be less. The price difference to the market price, imo largely depends on the value of work, compliance tests, overhead costs, tax etc. Of course costs will also rise with the use of wooden cases, alloy faceplates, luxury faders etc.
> Long story short, I think 50€ Is fairly priced for a small scale business and a no thrills controller. 100-150€ is too steep imo.
> Just my 2 cents


Edit - removing my post; it was a little too ranty.

Thanks for sharing your perspective.

Mike


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## Drjay (Jun 15, 2022)

Thundercat said:


> Edit - removing my post; it was a little too ranty.
> 
> Thanks for sharing your perspective.
> 
> Mike


Thanks, no need to apologise. 
I expected my post to cause some controversy and have to apologize as well. 
I have to admit, I partly underestimated the amount of work it takes to assemble the whole thing. Also I did not expect someone to produce the cases on his/her own, but rather have them mass produced in China or elsewhere.


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## Thundercat (Jun 15, 2022)

Drjay said:


> Thanks, no need to apologise.
> I expected my post to cause some controversy and have to apologize as well.
> I have to admit, I partly underestimated the amount of work it takes to assemble the whole thing. Also I did not expect someone to produce the cases on his/her own, but rather have them mass produced in China or elsewhere.


I totally get it.

I was shocked how much having things produced in China actually costs!

Peace


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## AdamKmusic (Jul 4, 2022)

Just come across this one on eBay, looks pretty decent & a great price! I think a few others on here have bought the sellers smaller versions. Is the build quality good for anyone who has bought the sellers other faders? Or maybe even these ones?










USB MIDI Controller 4 Faders 100mm programmable CC#/Channel/Range/DAW gray | eBay


When a fader is moved the display shows the output CC value. The CC number, MIDI Channel and RANGE of the faders can be changed by using the display and small button located on the top of the box. Korg Volca Keys and Midi setup.



www.ebay.co.uk


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## Chris Schmidt (Jul 4, 2022)

I got one for 150 that's the oxygen pro mini

I assume it's expensive because the box says it will give you cancer.


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## synthetic (Jul 4, 2022)

The cost between making a 1-fader controller and a 16-fader controller, assuming they aren’t motorized, is pretty small compared to everything else that goes into manufacturing and selling a product.


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## robcs (Jul 5, 2022)

Drjay said:


> I also think these units are often ridiculously priced. But as already mentioned this is related to the low demand and probably hidden costs.
> One quality fader 100mm costs about 4-5 € per piece if bought in quantities of 100 pieces. Maybe add 1€ for each cap. Depending on the used controller add another 10-20 €, including various bits and pieces for the surrounding circuit (if needed). PCB would be 5€ max if produced in quantities, probably less. Don‘t know about the cost for the case, maybe another 10€? Software development cost is neglectable, since everyone with half decent knowledge can program this task in half an hour (I am aware, I‘m overexaggerating a little bit). So in total 40-50€ for a three fader controller. This rough assumption is based on end user prices, so it will probably be less. The price difference to the market price, imo largely depends on the value of work, compliance tests, overhead costs, tax etc. Of course costs will also rise with the use of wooden cases, alloy faceplates, luxury faders etc.
> Long story short, I think 50€ Is fairly priced for a small scale business and a no thrills controller. 100-150€ is too steep imo.
> Just my 2 cents


Is the maker allowed to make a profit? Or are they supposed to sell it to you at cost?


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## Drjay (Jul 5, 2022)

robcs said:


> Is the maker allowed to make a profit? Or are they supposed to sell it to you at cost?


Of course he/she is. I also mentioned 50€ is a very fair price imo. 
I just can‘t stand reasoning a high price with R&D costs.


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## ExC3 (Jul 8, 2022)

Hello I've just updated the software in my Expression Controller so that it is now programmable with a neat menu. I've kept the price the same at £129 for a quality unit with 100mm Bourns faders and a heavy stainless steel top panel so it will not slide around on your desktop.
It's made in the UK. See my blog for more details. https://expressioncontroller.blogspot.com/2021/06/plug-and-play-usb-controller.html
Thanks for looking. Nick


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## audioimperia (Jul 9, 2022)

Christian64 said:


> HI,
> COULD ANYONE HERE EXPLAIN WHY MIDI CONTROLLERS WITH 2 OR 3 FADERS ARE SO EXPENSIVE !!!
> (monogran console, AMC3 MIDI CONTROLLER, NUANCES CONTROLLLERS, FVDE BY AUDIO IMPERIA etc...)


I can just tell you from our experience crating FVDE.

Our goal was to make something really high quality (we had a set of minimum requirements: premium components, built to last, screen to display MIDI input and CC assignments, functional yet aesthetically pleasing since these units live front and center on our desks). So we knew going in that the cost per unit would be incredibly high and probably be a luxury item so to speak.

You have to factor in the cost to develop the controller (which took well over a year and a half), everything is custom made for it (so you have to factor in the cost for molds, designing and creating the custom PCB boards, steel enclosures, walnut side panels), the preproduction/R&D expenses, the cost to develop the custom software application, labor to assemble the units, etc.

Simple fact is that it is not cheap to make hardware and that’s especially the case when you only make small batches or basically only do things “made to order”. If you make a hardware unit in the tens of thousands of units it has the potential to be a little bit cheaper because you’re just ordering a ton of parts. On top of that even with a small batch like this we were affected by the chip shortage, sudden increases in cost for parts (we didn’t change the announced price however, just ate the additional cost) because of how much shipping cost went up during the last 12 months, etc.

 hope that helps! Happy to answer questions

PS: Just cause I saw the comment about mass producing parts in China. That can be an option, however, unless you have long standing relationship with the manufacturer, there are always MOQ/MOR (minimum order quantities/requirements) which most times are in the thousands of units. Then shipping from China, import fees, etc. … It makes sense when you order just a ton of units but with these small batches it didn’t quite make sense. Plus doing things locally gave us more control over the level of quality.


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## synthetic (Jul 9, 2022)

Drjay said:


> One quality fader 100mm costs about 4-5 € per piece if bought in quantities of 100 pieces. Maybe add 1€ for each cap. Depending on the used controller add another 10-20 €, including various bits and pieces for the surrounding circuit (if needed). PCB would be 5€ max if produced in quantities, probably less. Don‘t know about the cost for the case, maybe another 10€? Software development cost is neglectable, since everyone with half decent knowledge can program this task in half an hour (I am aware, I‘m overexaggerating a little bit). So in total 40-50€ for a three fader controller. This rough assumption is based on end user prices, so it will probably be less. The price difference to the market price, imo largely depends on the value of work, compliance tests, overhead costs, tax etc. Of course costs will also rise with the use of wooden cases, alloy faceplates, luxury faders etc.
> Long story short, I think 50€ Is fairly priced for a small scale business and a no thrills controller. 100-150€ is too steep imo.
> Just my 2 cents


Cool business plan. You forgot:

Market research
Licensing fees (Bluetooth, patents, etc.) 
Industrial design
Tooling
Manufacturing
Compliance testing: UL, CE, FCC and all the engineering changes to comply
Package design
Product testing: drop test, humidity test, heat/cool, etc
Software beta testing (even if free testers they’ll expect a free unit)
USB cable, polybag, styrofoam, whatever else is in the box
Manual writing and printing
Driver writing and testing, including every DAW including three you’ve never heard of, and all the computers required to run those
Website
Customer Support
Legal 
Freight costs, whether air/ocean/truck/etc.
Duty/tariffs
MOQs — you might plan on selling 20 a month, but part MOQs might be 500 or more
Dreyage
Warehousing
HR: health benefits, payroll, etc
Sales order system
Graphic design: package, manual, website, ads
Product photos
Advertising
Review units

There’s way more but hopefully I made my point. The second one you make might actually cost 40 Euro, but the first one costs 200k.


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## mybadmemory (Jul 9, 2022)

I guess another question could be why all these units are made to be in the premium segment? I have a sense that people would be perfectly happy with something like the nanokontrol in terms of quality, but with 3-5 long throw faders instead of 8-10 really short ones. Is it a matter of the crowd wanting a unit like this is just too small to produce something like that?


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## synthetic (Jul 9, 2022)

So you’re a small company, you’re selling these almost at cost apparently, and you can sell 10 a month? If you’re lucky? But you’re gonna sell them for $50 so you can gross $10 a unit, or $100 a month? Wow you guys are generous.

If the market is as small as “3-fader control surfaces,” you have to sell them for big bucks to have any chance of making a profit.


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## Drjay (Jul 10, 2022)

synthetic said:


> Cool business plan. You forgot:
> 
> Market research
> Licensing fees (Bluetooth, patents, etc.)
> ...


I never intended to write a business plan and summarized these points in the paragraph:
"The price difference to the market price, imo largely depends on the value of work, compliance tests, overhead costs, tax etc. Of course costs will also rise with the use of wooden cases, alloy faceplates, luxury faders etc."
It seems you completely missed my point.
All your saying is generally valid but largely depends on the scale of your business, your setup and various other factors. But most importantly: the product itself!
Are we talking about RME Audio Interfaces or a simple three fader midi controller?
E.g. driver writing: almost every MCU works with class compliant midi drivers (see the post above from ExC3, using the Teensy LC). 
Honestly: do you really believe an Ebay or Etsy seller does compliance checks?
Cables? Even the big companies omit these in order to save a few cents, so do most of the ebay sellers.
And the list goes on.

As mentioned earlier: I don't mind a fader unit costing hundreds of €/$/£ as long as I see a valid reason for it. Take ExC3 and AudioImperia for example. Locally produced, quality materials. Of course you have to pay for it.
But don' try to tell me such a unit has the complexity of the lunar lander with the respective R&D costs.


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## synthetic (Jul 10, 2022)

Like legal fees, compliance testing seems expensive, until you get busted by US Customs. 

Look, the market universe for a 3-fader controller is basically the dozen people reading this. Of course it’s going to be expensive.


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## Thundercat (Jul 10, 2022)

I suggest the folks who think these faders should be so cheap, should make their own.

Here's a link to do it for about $85: DIY Faders

That's $85 for the parts alone, plus your time. This is about as cheap as you're going to be able to do it.


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## Piano Pete (Jul 10, 2022)

Thundercat said:


> I suggest the folks who think these faders should be so cheap, should make their own.
> 
> Here's a link to do it for about $85: DIY Faders
> 
> That's $85 for the parts alone, plus your time. This is about as cheap as you're going to be able to do it.


You're forgetting a decent soldering setup, ~$100-200. Trying to do something like this with a standalone soldering iron from Harbor Freight is doable, but a royal pain in the rear.

As previously pointed out earlier in the thread, the tldr: hardware is a royal PITA.


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## dunamisstudio (Jul 10, 2022)

Piano Pete said:


> You're forgetting a decent soldering setup, ~$100-200. Trying to do something like this with a standalone soldering iron from Harbor Freight is doable, but a royal pain in the rear.
> 
> As previously pointed out earlier in the thread, the tldr: hardware is a royal PITA.


you can get a decent Weller off Amazon for 40 to 100 dollars. Heck you can get a cheap one for 20. I could do it with either one.


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## dunamisstudio (Jul 10, 2022)

Thundercat said:


> I suggest the folks who think these faders should be so cheap, should make their own.
> 
> Here's a link to do it for about $85: DIY Faders
> 
> That's $85 for the parts alone, plus your time. This is about as cheap as you're going to be able to do it.


about as cheap I've seen. or scan ebay/reverb for used controllers


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## Drjay (Jul 11, 2022)

Thundercat said:


> I suggest the folks who think these faders should be so cheap, should make their own.
> 
> Here's a link to do it for about $85: DIY Faders
> 
> That's $85 for the parts alone, plus your time. This is about as cheap as you're going to be able to do it.


That‘s what I did. Whithout sacrificing quality and functionality you can do it for less. Teensy 3.1 is overkill. Teensy LC will do. Raspi Pi pico and ATmega32U4 as well.
Depends on convenience and programming skills. In any case one should use quality faders.


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## Christian64 (Jul 13, 2022)

Hi,
I ordered this model with 3 faders + an input for expression pedal !!
The cheapest is to order it directly on their website.
He’s on his way to the south of France...


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## Loerpert (Jul 14, 2022)

Christian64 said:


> Hi,
> I ordered this model with 3 faders + an input for expression pedal !!
> The cheapest is to order it directly on their website.
> He’s on his way to the south of France...


I've been using that one for a month now. Really great thing. My only complaint is that it's a little light weight. So if you use all 3 faders at the same time, it has the tendency to tip over. But it's a significant improvement over my nanokontrol 2


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## Christian64 (Jul 14, 2022)

Loerpert said:


> I've been using that one for a month now. Really great thing. My only complaint is that it's a little light weight. So if you use all 3 faders at the same time, it has the tendency to tip over. But it's a significant improvement over my nanokontrol 2


Hi,
thanks for your reply.
I’m thinking of installing suction cups or making myself a small wooden box to weigh it down


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