Regarding price, bought a 7 when they first came out. $11.5K then. I was prepared to pay the price for the brand new technology having missed out badly by many years with the first SD2000 which I then regarded as grossly overpriced compared to prices for VLF machines.
Whilst I don’t think the 7 represented the same quantum leap that the 2000 did over VLFs it was certainly the best machine I had used and the only reason I do not now is the weight factor on my dodgy arm.
Most innovative products follow a similar life profile, with relatively expensive initial costs (to recover research and development costs) then reducing in real terms over time approaching manufacturing costs in the face of market saturation and falling demand and competition.
The marketplace is as true a law of the universe as just about any other law .
PS whilst weight considerations forced me to move to a lighter detector, I was impressed enough with the performance of the 7, to buy shares in Minelab. Did well enough out of them to pay for the detector, but should have held on to them. When any company develops world leading products why shouldn’t it be allowed to make a good profit for the shareholders who take the risk of the product being a dud.