Buyer Beware: Dennis Foley and Acoustic Fields

[microstrip]

Micro,

I was at Dave's house and we discussed jitter and how that relates to human hearing. We also discussed propagation delay. The papers were on the latter but David was familiar with Julian Dunn's work and others I mentioned. He did his homework!

Julian Dunn's papers are known by everyone in the audio industry - he developed the J-itter test that applies to measuring digital data induced jitter. Most probably Dave Wilson used his techniques to measure his crossover timings - a case where high-end designers learned from professionals.

Jitter IS a common term among academics. I know this to be true.

I can assure you it is not commonly used by academics concerning timing in analog audio signals, they call it "phase noise". Even Wilson Audio become more cautious about using the word in later literature. BTW, you were very lucky that Dave addressed this issue with you. Later in a interview with Edgar Kramer he decided to keep silent when asked about the subject.

As for your DSD comments, this is not true. There are several AES working papers showing underlying theory of why hires is better and there are studies showing the listening improvements from hires in A/B format.

Until a few years ago, I followed the work of the AES High-Resolution committee with some hope, unfortunately none of their papers had any trusty evidence of the listening improvements of High-Rez. In fact, more recent papers seem to have strong flaws - see comments in https://secure.aes.org/forum/pubs/conventions/?ID=938 . Again I am addressing the distribution format, not the recording (capture) format and surely I prefer that my expensive DXD recordings .

I stand by my earlier comments and as a professional I do know of many instances where both pro audio and consumer audio professionals have learned from each other.

Well, learning is not exactly being led ... But we are now more in agreement.

I really appreciate your long-term support of our publication.

 

[HughP3]

For those interested, room measurements posted to my big dig thread.

 

[Carlos269]

For those interested, room measurements posted to my big dig thread.

Thanks the measurements are very telling.

 

[Bobvin]

Thanks the measurements are very telling.

In what way? What are trying to convey by your comments? Having had a room ”acoustic engineered” I am very interested in how these results correlate to perceived sound or anticipated results.

 

[Carlos269]

In what way? What are trying to convey by your comments? Having had a room ”acoustic engineered” I am very interested in how these results correlate to perceived sound or anticipated results.

The measurements appear typical of domestics room. Care to share the measurements of your “acoustic engineered” room for comparison?

 

[Bobvin]

The measurements appear typical of domestics room. Care to share the measurements of your “acoustic engineered” room for comparison?

Nope. Don’t have them. Would be educational to compare, though my room and Hugh's room have nothing in common.

I am very curious what you are using as comparison charts when you say “appear typical of domestic room?” Do you have some library of room measurements you are referring to? What data set are you using to qualify your statement? What are the characteristics of a “domestic” room? Size? Shape? Construction?

 

[Carlos269]

Nope. Don’t have them. Would be educational to compare, though my room and Hugh's room have nothing in common.

I am very curious what you are using as comparison charts when you say “appear typical of domestic room?” Do you have some library of room measurements you are referring to? What data set are you using to qualify your statement? What are the characteristics of a “domestic” room? Size? Shape? Construction?

 

[Bobvin]

Huh?

Forgive me, but what the hell is that? Is that supposed to answer any of the questions I asked?

What are we supposed to learn from your graph? You post a single graph, with no explanation of what it is from, and it is very different from the graph posted from Hugh’s room, which has a lot of explanation over in Hugh’s thread.

 

[Carlos269]

Huh?

Forgive me, but what the hell is that? Is that supposed to answer any of the questions I asked?

What are we supposed to learn from your graph? You post a single graph, with no explanation of what it is from, and it is very different from the graph posted from Hugh’s room, which has a lot of explanation over in Hugh’s thread.

So you ask the question but cannot figure this out? These are waterfall graphs of other treated domestic rooms. Typical as I stated in my previous post. Do I need to interpret these for you? I will send you my hourly rate.

 

[Bobvin]

Um, yeah. Posting a graph without an explanation is nonsense. I could go on with questions in an attempt to learn something, but your terse replies suggest your knowledge of the subject is so vast you could never explain anything to a layman such as myself.

That said, please do share your hourly rate, and your bona fides, so that I might see what education and experience you have which supports the hourly rate you charge?

The woman who engineered my room has a PhD and 40 years experience. What have you?

 

[Carlos269]

Um, yeah. Posting a graph without an explanation is nonsense. I could go on with questions in an attempt to learn something, but your terse replies suggest your knowledge of the subject is so vast you could never explain anything to a layman such as myself.

That said, please do share your hourly rate, and your bona fides, so that I might see what education and experience you have which supports the hourly rate you charge?

The woman who engineered my room has a PhD and 40 years experience. What have you?

I don think that Bob-NYC would be happy with you speaking with this tone to one of his potential customers. By the way, I’m not for hire by you, but you may be doing some work for me. For the records my academic, technical, and professional credentials are difficult to match even by your acoustician.

 

[Rhapsody]

I don think that Bob-NYC would be happy with you speaking with this tone to one of his potential customers. By the way, I’m not for hire by you, but you may be doing some work for me. For the records my academic, technical, and professional credentials are difficult to match even by your acoustician.

Bob-NYC has Bob West's back no matter what he says and am always on his side

 

[Carlos269]

Bob-NYC has Bob West's back no matter what he says and am always on his side

Then I shall find new dealer for my planed purchase. Great timing, I was planing on giving you a call next week. Business is always personal.

 

[Rhapsody]

Then I shall find new dealer for my planed purchase. Great timing, I was planning on giving you a call next week. Business is always personal.

Not a problem. Be well.

 

[treitz3]

Gentlemen, this kind of back and forth is unnecessary, rude and it is a disruption to the cordial nature of this forum. Both of you, just put each other on ignore, for if we see this kind of communication between you two again, I can promise you that you will not like the outcome but it will involve an involuntary vacation from this forum.

Carlos, you are one step closer to permanently not being a member of this forum. You know exactly why. Knock it off. There will be no more warnings.

Tom

 

[Kingrex]

I thought BobV's question legitimate. Instead of Carlos posting waterfall plots, I thought he would post images of blue prints of room floor plans noting the area that cause anomaly in speaker interactions.

I read this thread as I have spoken with Foley myself. I need a room designed. Maybe 2. I have spoken with people who used Foley. I have developed a personal opinion of how a Foley room may voice. But its just my opinion so it has no value.

Tima had an interesting point. Its a bit where I fear going. What does all the data really mean. Having 0 experience with what an engineered this, that or the other actually means to sonic reproduction is daunting. You could toss graphs and numbers at me all day long, but until I stood in 20 different rooms with the data in hand and heard for myself, nothing in the sales literature would have applicable meaning to me. And even after 20 rooms, would the equipment on display be anything similar to mine. Doubt it.

What would be of interest would be a thread where members list verifiable, professional, acoustic room design specialist. Their names and contacts. Of great value would be knowing how vigorous they are in their use of absorption and dampening materials. Do they start out with too much, then scale back. Or too little, measure and add more.

 

[Bobvin]

Here is contact information for the woman who did my acoustical design, and Steve Williams' as well. You are welcome to come and listen here, though like you say every room will be a little different. I haven't heard Steve's room, he hasn't heard mine. I will say I am very happy knowing my Wilsons, and now Alsyvox, Bayz, and Diesis all sound spectacular in-room.

Dr. Bonnie Schnitta, FASA
Founder and CEO

SoundSense, LLC

Physical Hampton Address: 39 Industrial Road, Unit 6
USPO Address: PO Box 1360
Wainscott, NY 11975

NYC Office:
902 Broadway, 6th Fl #8
New York, NY 10010

LA and Seattle

O: 631-537-4220 | M: 646-996-2224 | F: 631-537-4224

www.soundsense.com

Member: ASTM, IEEE, WPO and NYC approved acoustic engineering firm.

Member of Fellow Status: Acoustical Society of America

Recent Awards: Stevie Award Finalist, Infocomm Acoustic Product of the Year, 15+ patents, NY Enterprise Report-Best Technology, WIPP-Innovator of the Year, IWEC-NY, 2014 Tufts Graduate Engineering School Career Achievement Award

 

[Tom E]

Take the SOB to court!

I'm grateful to the OP for speaking up. I don't care what tone a whistleblower has. And I don't think anyone should conclude Dennis Foley doesn't know anything about acoustical design. They should simply conclude that Dennis Foley is willing to take people's money and not deliver as promised. In Hugh's case, all the heavy lifting was done by Hugh--in an unbelievably impressive way.

The Arizona Corporation Commission Order specifically notes that Foley took these folks' money, bought property, flipped it, then used it to develop acoustical products. He also lived on the rest.

BUYER BEWARE DENNIS FOLEY AND ACOUSTIC FIELDS -- ANOTHER EXAMPLE FROM A STUDIO OWNER IN WA STATE
Jan. 16, 2022 Post No. 1
Today, for some reason I received an email from Acoustic Fields, evidently from a holdover listserve. I went to the website link and saw an address for the company posted in Arkansas for the first time: 256 Hillshire Loop, Hot Springs, Arkansas 71913. I offer the attached in hopes it helps warn others and helps someone collect.

It appears that posts of this kind sometimes get misconstrued as innuendo, and people are quick to label them as "sour grapes" or having a hidden agenda. I want to share what actually happened to me, based on the facts, and let you all judge, without generalizing. So, with the permission of the host, the attached pdf provides all the factual detail of my experience, in what would have been a very long post.

Those who are inclined to dismiss this post by saying "there are two sides" (as I've seen in the replies to some of the other posts) would be using a generality to avoid the fact that Dennis and his company kept both the money I sent and the product they said they would send for that money, without ever issuing any refund. You are of course free to ignore this tale. But if you are advancing money and have funds to lose, you may want to read the attached pdf as an example of what can happen. I lost $2,355 sent in good faith. Nothing delivered. No refund. An expensive lesson I hope others can avoid.

Peace, Tom

 

[Levitator]

Thanks for sharing and very sorry to hear about all the hassle you went through alongside the loss of money…

 

[Tom E]

Thanks Levitator. I know there are these types of fraud lessons to be learned associated with buying online, so I look forward to hearing from others if there are other pitfalls to avoid. I was frankly too impressed by the professional look of the Acoustic Fields website, and the references they listed. On the phone, Dennis did have a pressure salesman tone, which should have been a red flag; live and learn. Now, I check online forums like this one to scope out problem companies before buying. The prior posts providing links to Dennis Foley's SEC disbarment in Arizona are exactly what are needed and I wish I'd seen them before my Oct. 2020 purchase.

The experience did put a damper on my acoustic treatment of the room for a time, but I'm back on the horse.