"The Best Speakers for the lowest price you will ever See - $2400" (Stow, MA)

[baco99]

I'd like to hear them.

I've now had the chance to compare 3 of my own DIY designs against notable marques: AR, Boston, KEF, Polk, Dahlquist, Infinity, Bose, and KLH, among others. I once thought my designs were "amazing" until the quality of what I pulled in from the street kept getting better and better. I put my 2-way towers up against the KEF C40s and shed a tear. Mine sounded so flat and lifeless in comparison. Now I'm on a mission to make mine better. I'm curious about this guy's approach and what the frickin things actually sound like.

 

[epifanatic]

I just read the whole friggin' post and now my brain hurts. That's ten minutes I'll never get back.

 

[sony6060]

I think I fell asleep 1/2 way thru.

 

[getright99]

that's some first class bloviating right there. as was said before i hope his speakers aren't as tiring as his prose.

 

[gladiator335]

Guys, I don't think we have to mix together his design ideas (good or bad-who knows?) and his "marketing" strategy.
Let's be fair and give him a benefit of the doubt. If he shows up in July and let us listen-then we can argue.
As for his approach to selling his ideas - I don't like it but that's not my problem.

 

[robgmn]

You can't seriously be trying to draw a parallel between Legacy, Apple, Polk, Marantz, CJ ...... and this Craigslist clown.

Actually, I can.

Without self-promotion, none of those companies (or any other successful business for that matter) could have become what they are; they'd be people sitting in their house enjoying the prototype they created.

Creating a great product and hoping word-of-mouth will make you a success is a poor business plan.
Creating a great product and promoting the hell out of it increases the odds of success dramatically (even a crappy product can be a sales success if promoted properly).

 

[Billyk]

Invite him to the get together. Show him our usual kindness and enthusiasm for our hobby. Let him and his speakers "speak" for themselves. We'll enjoy ourselves as usual and maybe meet a new friend. At least we'll have something to talk about!

 

[JohnVF]

Actually, I can.

Without self-promotion, none of those companies (or any other successful business for that matter) could have become what they are; they'd be people sitting in their house enjoying the prototype they created.

Creating a great product and hoping word-of-mouth will make you a success is a poor business plan.
Creating a great product and promoting the hell out of it increases the odds of success dramatically (even a crappy product can be a sales success if promoted properly).

You can advertise and promote something on the strength of its own merits without the condescending strategy of convincing your consumer that everything they've experienced, besides your own product, is delusion that they were too-stupid to see for themselves. Its a terrible sales strategy.

 

[baco99]

You can advertise and promote something on the strength of its own merits without the condescending strategy of convincing your consumer that everything they've experienced, besides your own product, is delusion that they were too-stupid to see for themselves. Its a terrible sales strategy.

Sounds like the energy business. (On both sides.)

 

[robgmn]

You can advertise and promote something on the strength of its own merits without the condescending strategy of convincing your consumer that everything they've experienced, besides your own product, is delusion that they were too-stupid to see for themselves. Its a terrible sales strategy.

Burger King promoted their business for years by bashing McDonald's.
Charter Communications promotes their internet by bashing Centurytel's slow DSL speeds.
Political parties bash the opponent endlessly (which seems particularly effective).
Pizzerias have "You've tried all the rest, now try the best" on their pie boxes.
Microsoft is bashing Google with their "Scroogle" ads.

I don't personally like it but it's obviously NOT a business-killer, and claiming it's a terrible sales strategy is rather ill-informed.

 

[JohnVF]

I don't personally like it but it's obviously NOT a business-killer, and claiming it's a terrible sales strategy is rather ill-informed.

Well, its not like I do this for a living or anything for some of the largest companies in the world and see daily, in endless meetings and discussions, the results of different strategic marketing approaches.

But for the record, "Have it your way" is not "Only a cook like me would understand that you've been having it their way for too long. Now come with me (and my cape) while I save you from ketchup, mustard, and pickles because lord knows you couldn't have decided with your own pea-brain that you could ask the McD's workers to hold that crap on your own".

This guy doesn't just bash every other attempt at speaker design in existence, he tells his consumer that they're an idiot who can't, without his help, navigate the scary world of listening to different speakers and deciding on their own. You will NEVER build a successful business on the back of telling your consumer that they're an idiot.

 

[62caddy]

I reread the gentleman's treatise more thoroughly and although some of his views could've been expressed more tactfully, nothing should prompt an out of hand dismissal of his speaker design. (Granted, he didn't hire a Madison Ave publicist)

His speakers should be given a fair and open minded audition before jumping to any conclusions- especially if based upon his prose style.


One man's opinion.

 

[robgmn]

But for the record, "Have it your way" is not "Only a cook like me would understand that you've been having it their way for too long. Now come with me (and my cape) while I save you from ketchup, mustard, and pickles because lord knows you couldn't have decided with your own pea-brain that you could ask the McD's workers to hold that crap on your own".
.

Yes, but showing a horizontal split-screen video of two burgers being "fried" on a grill with the name "McDonald's" below it in one half and "Wendy's" in the other half while a voiceover says "if McDonald's and Wendy's fry, and Burger King flame broils..." is not quite the same as "have it your way".

No cape that I recall, but to my young mind at the time it said "you're stupid if you eat Wendy's or McDonald's because ours is better", not "ours is better than the rest".
Even then I thought it a poor choice (but it didn't stop me from eating their food).

 

[pauldrewry]

I'm no speaker designer, but I see a 18" woofer and what looks like 2" mids. That might be a caution, but I would still listen to them first before passing judgement.

 

[Ken Boyd]

that was not the intent of the post. I honestly want put all the information he posted aside and just hear what he has developed. There are no shortage of crackpots in Audio. This time, pre-judgement aside. I'm ignoring what he posted and want a demo. No critique. just want to hear and if he's cool we can shoot the **** about audio , non audio, The Bruins loss, diaper changing .. whatever.

My only jab was about marketing. C'mon Ken, the name he chose is "Audio Research" That's like me naming my project SonusFaber and not expecting people to look at me like I have 3 heads. Step one. Make sure no one else is using the name before you adopt it. What's next , start a band and call it TheBeatles? it's hard not to poke fun at that. I've said nothing about his philosphy, commentary, or product. -

On the contrary based on most the post in this thread the coals are already lit. All you need now is a bag of apples to stuff in the guys mouth before you put him over the coals.

Sure one could say he is begging for the roast but as I stated before, I think the better man would be one who just looked the other way and let him live in his little world.

Possibly your intentions are legit, but from the lessons I have learned in life, when a group of people get together, and they have a situation like this, its just a matter of time and it will get out of hand and soon some one after a few beers or drinks starts getting a little out of line and then the whole thing just goes viral.

 

[jsisk]

His van must be in the shop. (the white one)