DCS threatening Goldensound..What an industry this is

[RnRmf]

dCS replies:

https://dcs.community/t/a-response-to-recent-claims-regarding-dcs/6722

 

[wil]

Based on the information at hand, it looks like DCS is in BullyBoy Attorney mode.

It seems that to DCS , a reviewers exclusive purpose is to be a one of a chorus of praise. And, someone there got bent out of shape and decided to get their attack lawyer on it.

 

[Synaxis]

dCS replies:

https://dcs.community/t/a-response-to-recent-claims-regarding-dcs/6722

Seems like they are splitting hairs.

He claims there was no overt threat of legal action.

Let's be honest - when you have an attorney send a demand letter demanding an action and attach a deadline to when that must occur by - it is implied / precursor to legal action.

They CLEARLY have been using the direct or implied threat of legal action. Just be honest dCS. You don't use lawyers to have a "constructive conversation".

 

[ricjor1]

I just watched the Bartok review. Cameron says many times variously the DAC sounds smooth and soft and overly smooth.

Cameron is giving his subjective sonic impression of the DAC. I don't know what dCS is exercised about.

(I am surprised anybody would accuse a dCS product of being overly smooth.)

After my home audition of the Bartok, I came to the same conclusion. In my system the Bartok sounds too smooth, closed-in, and lacks detail.

 

[Ron Resnick]

I just got off the telephone with Cameron. He's completely delightful, as everybody suggested.

dCS just posted a message on its manufacturer forum, and Cameron is no longer concerned about being sued.

A response to recent claims regarding dCS

dCS has been made aware of two videos regarding recent communications between dCS and GoldenSound, which relate to a review of the dCS Bartók Headphone DAC. Having watched both videos we feel it is important to clarify a number of details and provide a response to some of the questions raised...

dcs.community

 

[Ron Resnick]

Cameron appears to be a very respected, and even beloved, guy. I casually counted eight audio and social media websites largely expressing support for his position against dCS.

 

[Ron Resnick]

After my home audition of the Bartok, I came to the same conclusion. In my system the Bartok sounds too smooth, closed-in, and lacks detail.

Is the Bartok considered to be a departure from the "house sound" of dCS, which I perceive subjectively to be extremely resolving and detail-oriented?

 

[steve williams]

Is this the same John Giolas who worked at Wilson Audio? Hard to imagine there’s two guys by that name working in marketing in high end audio.

it is. He left Wilson (when Daryl Wilson became CEO) and assumed the same position at dCS as he had at Wilson

 

[ssfas]

I've no axe to grind, dCS Vivaldi showed me what digital can do when I heard it in 2013 and I bought my DAC based on GoldenSound's (Cameron) review. I also donated to his site.

I've been doing dispute resolution in the UK for over 30 years. I've worked with thousands of lawyers in the UK, and have done some IP work in the USA (against Apple). I even acted in a dispute against my own hifi dealer (the business failed and was sold). No UK lawyer would ever write an email or letter like that. More to the point, here we don't instantly jump to lawyers and make disputes contentious. I would have expected someone at dCS to have called Cameron on the phone or emailed him and invited him to have a chat about his review.

It turns out that John H Rees is an American IP lawyer who has hardly set foot outside of Utah. He seems to have jumped around a lot and is recently (the last few months) operating his own firm. Maybe he's trying to make a name for himself. He certainly has, but not as he might have planned.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhrees

More to the point, he's not a member of the Law Society, so doesn't practise law in the UK and is clearly completely ignorant of the Pre-Action Protocol. Demanding a reply in 5 days - the law allows a minimum of 14 days and up to 3 months to reply.

If I was Cameron, I'd ignore the email from John H Rees, call David Steven at dCS, arrange to have a technical meeting to resolve any issues and politely ask that he speak to whoever runs dCS Americas and tell them to put their lawyer back in his cage for the time being.

 

[Believe High Fidelity]

Audiophile: "Why are there no negative hifi reviews of products in the industry?"

This is why. Glad he is standing up to it though and others are rallying behind him.

Such a shame as this world is so small that one shot is definitely heard round the world instantly. Music Direct should have been a clear example of allowing for full transparency in this industry.

 

[ricjor1]

Is the Bartok considered to be a departure from the "house sound" of dCS, which I perceive subjectively to be extremely resolving and detail-oriented?

Yes, in my experience. After listening to the Bartok, I had a home audition of the DCS Rossini APEX. The Rossini APEX was definitely on the extremely resolving and detail-oriented side of the audio spectrum.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Yes, in my experience. After listening to the Bartok, I had a home audition of the DCS Rossini APEX. The Rossini APEX was definitely on the extremely resolving and detail-oriented side of the audio spectrum.

Thank you.

 

[DJJEZ]

Goldensound has responded to DCS

dCS Response and Story

For this who did not see, this was posted on The HEADPHONE Show yesterday. This video was made in relation to an ongoing situation regarding @GoldenSound by dCS in regards to a video review he did of the dCS Bartok in 2021 before he had joined The HEADPHONE Show and Headphones.com which outlines...

forum.headphones.com

 

[thedudeabides]

The brand is worth so much more than a fight with a small independent reviewer about one very old video.

To quote Forrest Gump. Stupid is as stupid does.

 

[Synaxis]

dCS Response and Story

For this who did not see, this was posted on The HEADPHONE Show yesterday. This video was made in relation to an ongoing situation regarding @GoldenSound by dCS in regards to a video review he did of the dCS Bartok in 2021 before he had joined The HEADPHONE Show and Headphones.com which outlines...

forum.headphones.com

Well if this is all accurate (had to put in the disclaimer), dCS just found a way to make it WORSE for themselves.

Gotta wonder if Ronald McDonald is running this show because you have to try REALLY HARD to be this bad at PR.

 

[Al M.]

dCS Response and Story

For this who did not see, this was posted on The HEADPHONE Show yesterday. This video was made in relation to an ongoing situation regarding @GoldenSound by dCS in regards to a video review he did of the dCS Bartok in 2021 before he had joined The HEADPHONE Show and Headphones.com which outlines...

forum.headphones.com

Thanks for posting this.

I'm glad that I never went the dCS route even though at one time I was seriously considering it.

In 2016 I heard things from their DACs that I had not heard digital being capable of before. Yet more experience later on suggested that you can get equal or better performance at a much lower price.

 

[DJJEZ]

Thanks for posting this.

I'm glad that I never went the dCS route even though at one time I was seriously considering it. In 2016 I heard things from their DACs that I had not heard digital being capable of before. Yet more experience later on suggested that you can get equal or better performance at a much lower price.

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.

 

[Juiced]

Ess

Goldensound has responded to DCS

dCS Response and Story

For this who did not see, this was posted on The HEADPHONE Show yesterday. This video was made in relation to an ongoing situation regarding @GoldenSound by dCS in regards to a video review he did of the dCS Bartok in 2021 before he had joined The HEADPHONE Show and Headphones.com which outlines...

forum.headphones.com

Reading this,

Essentially dCS now chose the gaslight route and made it much worse.

 

[JiminGa]

As is always the case there are two sides here. Having watched the videos and read the DCS response several factors present themselves. 1) Goldensound made verbal and written statements about the Bartok which DCS claims are factually incorrect. These statements implied that DCS intended to deceive their customers which, of course, if your DCS would be highly triggering. 2) DCS says they provided Goldensound with a specific list of inaccuracies for him to retract. 3)DCS formally asked for the statements to be retracted and offered a meeting to discuss the situation. 4)Despite the offer no meeting took place at that time. 4)Representatives of DCS sent inappropriate threatening communications to Goldensound after they were unable to meet and iron things out with them. 5) In November of 2023 DCS apologized for the inappropriate communications. 6) An aggressive lawyer got involved which made everything much worse. 7) DCS is still willing to meet. This is not about censorship. This case is a microcosm of what we all go through now. Instead of talking with each other right up front and discussing the details of the disagreement they end up years later threatening a holy war and demonizing each other. How easy it would been to take the list of 'inaccuracies" to a meeting with DCS and go over it with them? No one here (me included) knows all the facts and yet we have people wanting to cancel DCS. My guess is that the responsibility for this mess lies on the shoulders of everyone involved in it and that there is no good/bad guy. There are just a bunch of people ,apparently with very average communication skills and little training in conflict resolution, banging into each other and causing chaos. Sound familiar?

 

[Jackl3y]

I just got off the telephone with Cameron. He's completely delightful, as everybody suggested.

dCS just posted a message on its manufacturer forum, and Cameron is no longer concerned about being sued.

A response to recent claims regarding dCS

dCS has been made aware of two videos regarding recent communications between dCS and GoldenSound, which relate to a review of the dCS Bartók Headphone DAC. Having watched both videos we feel it is important to clarify a number of details and provide a response to some of the questions raised...

dcs.community

And I thought I was having a bad day.