DCS threatening Goldensound..What an industry this is

skids929 · Jul 16, 2024

Ed.P said:
GoldenSound, headphones.com & dCS: an update

On July 15th I published a statement responding to videos posted by GoldenSound (Cameron Oatley) and headphones.com, which detailed recent communications between dCS and GoldenSound regarding a review of the dCS Bartók Headphone DAC. After reading headphones.com’s official response to this...

dcs.community

Thanks for the update...Well good on them for fessing up and doing the right thing with an apology..I still think after the mass exodus (or whatever it was) of employees a couple of years ago and now this makes it a company I personally wouldn't patronize at their prices. I do however applaud them for doing the right thing though, and that makes me more inclined to think they are honorable. Most of us on this thread with common sense knew this wasn't handled correctly (with the exception of @gleeds who didn't want is discussed here ) and had a healthy and responsible discussion about it. Hopefully all this open dialogue is what prompted them to look deeper at the issue and come to this conclusion.

Goldensound is a great reviewer, he does get technical which is likely what all this is predicated on. I highly recommend listening to his reviews though as I am sure it takes alot of hard work to assemble them, he does a great job.

adyc · Jul 16, 2024

It is obvious that dCA America mess it up and there is completely lack of communications between dCS America and dCS UK. Shouldn’t be always company HQ handle all these legal stuff? Why did dCS America send a threatening letter to a UK based reviewer? It is completely beyond me.

rangda · Jul 16, 2024

Synaxis said:
I'm going to say it - high level people need to be fired over both the initial handling of this and the current handling of this.

If you read that link in detail it mentioned a change of employment status for a now ex dCS employee.

dcathro · Jul 16, 2024

I am really pleased that this has been cleared up and that DCS is doing the right thing.

I found it hard to believe that a reputable company would act in the described manner. Also hard to believe that a senior employee would act in such a way on his own volition.

Tuckers · Jul 17, 2024

This is the right way to apologize and move forward.

Synaxis · Jul 17, 2024

rangda said:
If you read that link in detail it mentioned a change of employment status for a now ex dCS employee.

I did. That's why I said it needs to be a higher level.

grumpyoldman · Jul 17, 2024

Congratulations Cameron on the capitulation by dCS as well as acquiring a dCS Lina, increasing your like/follows and successfully leveraging your situation to have your nemesis John G fired. The community is very proud of your victory. I look forward to the collaboration with dCS and the eventual “Goldensound” version of the Bartók.

matsurus · Jul 17, 2024

Great that there was a resolution, this is the reason we publicly and openly discuss about censorship.
Companies will do it right, if they know that they can't bully without consequences..

buzzlulu · Jul 17, 2024

grumpyoldman said:
I look forward to the collaboration with dCS and the eventual “Goldensound” version of the Bartók.

If Cameron is affiliated with/co designing/officially endorsing in a commercial manner, another manufacturers product (Ferum) (which also happens to be the same category as dCS) then he no longer belongs doing “independent” reviews.

That is a blatant conflict of interest.

Darko posted on his website that reviewers on his site are not allowed to be working/consulting for other manufacturers

thedudeabides · Jul 17, 2024

Looks like WBF had a very positive impact in resolving this issue in a good faith manner. Pats on the back to everyone that helped.

facten · Jul 17, 2024

thedudeabides said:
Looks like WBF had a very positive impact in resolving this issue in a good faith manner. Pats on the back to everyone that helped

This affair has been spun about on a number of websites

Tuckers · Jul 18, 2024

buzzlulu said:
If Cameron is affiliated with/co designing/officially endorsing in a commercial manner, another manufacturers product (Ferum) (which also happens to be the same category as dCS) then he no longer belongs doing “independent” reviews.

The Bartok review was two years before he did this collaboration, he was indeed an independent reviewer at the time.

PYP · Jul 19, 2024

dcathro said:
I found it hard to believe that a reputable company would act in the described manner. Also hard to believe that a senior employee would act in such a way on his own volition.

can anyone imagine a general counsel saying to the CEO something like: "We are going to threaten this internet reviewer. This is the most prudent path to resolution." Neither can I.

joeling · Sunday at 8:18 PM

DJJEZ said:
Yes exactly. I owned a vivaldi apex last year and sold it very quick. Absolute rip off in sound quality and yes agree you can get better for alot less.

Sorry a bit off topic. Can recommend some options ? Thanks

JiminGa · Monday at 6:21 AM

The CEO was obviously unaware of what was going on as he was forced to walk back his comments and fire a key employee. The Vivaldi Apex is actually a very good DAC. It is less than 1/3 the price of the Wadax. I do think it’s fair to question its cost however as the differences between well made DACs in my experience are actually quite small. Better to put big money elsewhere.

mtemur · Monday at 7:58 AM

JiminGa said:
The CEO was obviously unaware of what was going on as he was forced to walk back his comments and fire a key employee.

Sorry, but I don’t believe the CEO is unaware of the situation. I think he walked back when their attempt fired back.

JiminGa · Monday at 10:07 AM

Ok well neither one of us will ever know. My guess is that if you are correct we will quickly hear from the fired employee (John) clearing his name.

Synaxis · Monday at 11:25 AM

mtemur said:
Sorry, but I don’t believe the CEO is unaware of the situation. I think he walked back when their attempt fired back.

I think I remember in one of the emails the CEO admitted he KNEW they were getting a lawyer involved and playing hard ball?

He's not sorry it was handled this way - he's sorry it went public and there is such an outcry.

Lee · Wednesday at 5:02 PM

Synaxis said:
I think I remember in one of the emails the CEO admitted he KNEW they were getting a lawyer involved and playing hard ball?

He's not sorry it was handled this way - he's sorry it went public and there is such an outcry.

There is no way to know that for sure. That's simply speculation.

Synaxis · Wednesday at 5:09 PM

Lee said:
There is no way to know that for sure. That's simply speculation.

Hi Lee - not sure what the point of your post is.

I've based my comment on 30+ years in the corporate world - much of it dealing with C-level execs. In my personal experience no capable C-level exec would allow this to spiral the way it has into the train wreck it has become by mere accident (incompetence - maybe).

Hence IMO - having let it get to this point he's only sorry it went public. Or, he's a completely out of touch CEO who has no clue what his business - on a major issue and decision to go nuclear - is doing around him.

I stand by my opinion of the situation that could equally be right or wrong in my read of it.

DCS threatening Goldensound..What an industry this is

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