Do you think the industries are watching

[Bodyblue]

Creek Audio was established in 1982, their first offering was 99 GBP. B&K in 1981, their first amp being $299. PSE established in late 1970's in Minnesota.

Realistic didn't sell gear in the 1980's?

Regards
Mister Pig

"PSE-audio is a German audio brand with a history of over 30 years founded in 1984 in Schweinfurt."

Yes, they did but nobody said that "good" gear was only high end stuff. And So I guess you think Kenwood and Pioneer and Sansui and Technics and Marantz etc was not "good"? Those are the brands that Realistic competed against...... and did it pretty well. Its like saying a Ford or a Chevy is not a "good" car compared to a Bently. A straw man argument all the way.

 

[Mister Pig]

"PSE-audio is a German audio brand with a history of over 30 years founded in 1984 in Schweinfurt."

Yes, they did but nobody said that "good" gear was only high end stuff. And So I guess you think Kenwood and Pioneer and Sansui and Technics and Marantz etc was not "good"? Those are the brands that Realistic competed against...... and did it pretty well. Its like saying a Ford or a Chevy is not a "good" car compared to a Bently. A straw man argument all the way.

You have the wrong PSE there hoss. Its Professional Engineering Systems located in Minnesota. Designer was Dean Klinefelter, who I believe is retired now.

Here is one of their early amps for sale, think they were about $399 new.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/192230470974?chn=ps&dispItem=1


Regards
Mister Pig

 

[BilboBaggins]

Where's that ikon with an umbrella over his head when you want him!

 

[Natasha Bell]

Do you think people from the audio industries or that have financial interests are watching and participating on audio forums like AK??

**Sorry I wanted to do a poll, but I got a bug*"

It would not surprise me at all if things are monitored by them. Why not? After all, it is audio enthusiasts, for the most part, that these companies build their products for.

 

[soundmotor]

Do you think people from the audio industries or that have financial interests are watching and participating on audio forums like AK??

My gut feeling is that most participation here by industry types is personal and driven by their own interests rather than their employer's. (Parochial view, that was my experience. I came here to share in something I enjoyed.) To utilize the site otherwise you'd need to get concrete data from it. Most of the threads here are conversations and therefore anecdotal. Although you can glean insights into narrow or emerging trends, at best those would be a footnote in a larger data gathering operation.

The main reason is that most companies will have an executive challenge before committing resources to product development. That could be sitting down with your boss or presenting to a wide range of company stakeholders in the boardroom. Either way, you'd need to defend your data and its sources as well as your conclusions. Smaller companies may have more freedom to run but larger ones tend to be process bound. Estimates on market size, distribution channel, and competitor relevance are the bare minimum. Some of this can be extrapolated through their dealer network but many companies pay for data compilation from NPD. That ain't cheap and it gets used.

So yes, there is interesting stuff here if one is willing to dig for it and some industry people may. But to get any potential market insight from that I'd speculate you'd need to be a regular forum participant and enthusiast working for a company with products in that market category. Further, you'd also need to be watchful for the confirmation bias trap. I've know a few product guys over the years that fell in love with their audio ideas and only looked for info that affirmed them. I can still hear the thuds when they landed on the market too. The usual reaction to that is "What were they thinking?".

/one man's opinion

 

[sheltie dave]

Realistic 210 tube amp. the MacDaddy.

 

[4-2-7]

Realistic 210 tube amp. the MacDaddy.

Dave do you know who actually made it for them?

 

[elcoholic]

In America, it is cool in some circles to build an amp on a recycled trashcan lid out of $9 of flea market parts, but the average European hobby craftsman would never do that. An Italian would build in a super class chassis with Ferrari paint and everything will be just so. The amp might suck but it will be NICE. There are considerations besides "bang for the buck" and lowest possible THD. A DIY amp is a form of self expression and identity. A French lawyer in an apartment in Paris doesn't want an ugly garage amp, because he doesn't have a garage and probably values elegant form along with function. I generalize but I think the trend holds.

I'd have to agree on the Italians (of which I'm half). We have Bertazzoni kitchen appliances. Had we settled on a range it would be in licensed Ferrari red or yellow.

 

[mhardy6647]

Realistic 210 tube amp. the MacDaddy.

I did indeed forget that one. Pretty similar to the Lafayette (which was designed by Stewart Hegeman, according to the Internet, at least).

 

[radioactive]

Dave do you know who actually made it for them?

Acrosound made them. Google acrosound stereo 120

 

[radioactive]

 

[elcoholic]

Do you think people from the audio industries or that have financial interests are watching and participating on audio forums like AK??

As long as retro 'everything' is cool and sells yes to some degree they'll pay attention to us old farts. For us the old gear is nostalgic and our reactions to it can help the industry gauge whether they at least stylistically got it somewhat right. Not that we are the target market, we're far from it, but we have or had the real deal so who better to provide feedback on the look and feel. Just look at the track record of the retro car trend. Despite it's clumsy beginnings with the PT Cruiser (Neon platform) or the 4-door Charger (WTF?) we have new vintage looking 600-700hp 'stangs, Cameros, Challengers, etc that outperform their archetypes in every respect. I'm driving a 200 hp 2014 R-Line Beetle. My first car was a '58 Bug with a transplanted 40 horse. If the trend continues maybe todays Crosley's will give way to tomorrow's high-performing mid-fi, Pioneer PL-xxx or Dual 1019.

 

[sheltie dave]

Soundmotor, the problem with using AK as a trend finder is it isn't market research. There are not enough people buying new shit to justify spending money to do any analysis.

 

[soundmotor]

Soundmotor, the problem with using AK as a trend finder is it isn't market research. There are not enough people buying new shit to justify spending money to do any analysis.

No disagreement there. From post #109 -

Most of the threads here are conversations and therefore anecdotal. Although you can glean insights into narrow or emerging trends, at best those would be a footnote in a larger data gathering operation.

As an aside, the actual model number for the Realistic amp is HK-210. The HK stood for Herbert Keroes, the main engineer for Acrosound.

 

[4-2-7]

Well Audioquest is now and they just signed up as user name AQCS
Must be Audio Quest Customer Service

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....e-from-audioquest.790466/page-4#post-10919082

 

[sheltie dave]

427, I would say Audioquest came on board to stifle the (un)deserved beatdown they were receiving, due to the fault of their contracted watchdog.

 

[4-2-7]

427, I would say Audioquest came on board to stifle the (un)deserved beatdown they were receiving, due to the fault of their contracted watchdog.

No doubt, they didn't sign up and post for any other reason. But the fact remains they search the web for information, good and bad about their products.

About 3-4 years ago I did a lot of bitching online that Mac needs to make stand alone DACs and Phono stages. I didn't like the fact that they where putting DACs in the 2ch tube and SS preamps. I felt they would be better served to have thin matching add-ons that can be change as the tech does so fast. When a good mac 2ch preamp last many many years and even can go up in value. Then all digital components take a huge hit and then nobody wants them after a few years. Why wreck a beautiful 2ch preamp and make it like a dated AVR

Not that it was my doing but Mac now has stand alone DACs and Phono Stages

 

[JP]

No doubt, they didn't sign up and post for any other reason. But the fact remains they search the web for information, good and bad about their products.

Maybe. Maybe not:

Guess I'll fess up. I sent AQ a link to this thread Monday, just to see if they'd pay attention and respond. Hope the OP doesn't mind. Anyone else contact them? Thought I may not be the only one.

 

[musichal]

Maybe. Maybe not:

4-2-7 posted prior to my confession, so his surmise was not unreasonable. At least AQ responded.

 

[lini]

(...) There are not enough people buying new shit to justify spending money to do any analysis.

I read that claim pretty often, but I have some doubts that this is actually true, 'cause I rather have the impression that there's no lack of AK members, who do buy new.

And then there also seems no lack of cases, in which members would rather buy new, but simply can't due to a lack of suitable offerings - for example if they'd like to buy an above entry-level class fully-automatic turntable or an affordable pre-amp/integrated amp/receiver, that would still sport one, let alone two full-featured tape-loops with monitor and copy function.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini