What Can an Audio Manufacturer Do to Blow Listeners Away?

[caesar]

Seems like there is a huge oversaturation of brands in the audio market. Many companies like to take their products to shows, but the sound there is so mediocre, that no one really stands out.

And most dealer set up are not that great either.

What can manufacturers do to demo their products - so people are blown away with their sound and get people to crave it?

 

[Al M.]

Seems like there is a huge oversaturation of brands in the audio market. Many companies like to take their products to shows, but the sound there is so mediocre, that no one really stands out.

And most dealer set up are not that great either.

What can manufacturers do to demo their products - so people are blown away with their sound and get people to crave it?

It's true that show sound is mostly mediocre, and I agree that there is no point for a manufacturer to demo if they can't get great sound.

Yet there were some standouts at T.H.E. Show in SoCal 2023. One of them was the PranaFidelity room where Steven Norber achieved excellent sound (as is routine for him). I test-drove the Dhyana speakers with all the recordings I wanted to listen to, and at. the end I bought a pair. I am super happy with my purchase.

Home demo is another option. For example, I demoed both my Octave preamp and amp at home courtesy of Goodwin's High End and they are keepers.

 

[Lee]

Seems like there is a huge oversaturation of brands in the audio market. Many companies like to take their products to shows, but the sound there is so mediocre, that no one really stands out.

And most dealer set up are not that great either.

What can manufacturers do to demo their products - so people are blown away with their sound and get people to crave it?

I have to politely differ on the framing here. There are almost always a dozen or so great sounding rooms at hifi shows in the U.S.

 

[Audio_Karma]

All speaker brands should use only Alnico Magnets for the very best sound quality...

 

[Al M.]

I have to politely differ on the framing here. There are almost always a dozen or so great sounding rooms at hifi shows in the U.S.

Out of how many? It seems to me that you are implicitly agreeing that most show sound is mediocre.

 

[Hyperion]

Seems like there is a huge oversaturation of brands in the audio market. Many companies like to take their products to shows, but the sound there is so mediocre, that no one really stands out.

And most dealer set up are not that great either.

What can manufacturers do to demo their products - so people are blown away with their sound and get people to crave it?

Find the right partners with the ambition, professionalism and a proper environment for serious evaluations combined with home loans.

/ Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

 

[Holmz]

All speaker brands should use only Alnico Magnets for the very best sound quality...

There might be more to the motor than just the magnet.

 

[gestalt]

Find the right partners with the ambition, professionalism and a proper environment for serious evaluations combined with home loans.

/ Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

Well said.

 

[caesar]

Gentlemen,
Appreciate the replies. But ultimately, don't manufacturers and serious brand partners need to have a well designed room to really showcase what the system can really do? Magico seems to have done it at their factory.

 

[Audiohertz2]

90% of show demo’s are poorly done , making it very difficult to have any idea of quality or trying to compare rooms ..

Volume too ( most grossly under powered for the high noise floor ) high , too low , bad program material , too much talking even by those operating the rooms ..

Very little professionalism left in the industry ..

A waste of time really …!.

 

[Audiohertz2]

All speaker brands should use only Alnico Magnets for the very best sound quality...

Really , surely you’re not being serious

 

[msimanyi]

A waste of time really …!.

I’ll respectfully disagree. There is a lot *not* to like about audio shows, but I very much enjoyed the couple I’ve attended, despite the shortcomings.

I’ve met some wonderful retailers, importers and manufacturers. I’ve discovered a *lot* of new music. I’ve expanded my awareness of products available to us. And surprisingly, I’ve had my only exposure to reel to reel tape in a couple good rooms… which led to the realization that the best tape, vinyl and digital performers are surprisingly close. (I’ll admit my 60 year old ears may have something to do with that, though my hearing is much better than many of my friends and associates.)

 

[Gregadd]

: Lower prices. Smile.

 

[arthurs]

Before the demo question gets answered get the basics right. Quality design and build. Testing before shipping. Safe and professional packing and shipping. Strong communication before and after sale. Don’t blame shift or bullshit with a knowledgeable client if there’s an issue. Fix fast and first while over communicating if there’s a recovery scenario. Don’t ghost clients or talk shit about them to other people, you never know who they know.

All of these and more caused me to wholesale abandon a manufacturer I owned multiple pieces from, and the presence of the good and lack of the negative, in addition to sound, are key factors in who I work with now.

Get the main things right and customers will be blown away.

 

[Audiohertz2]

I’ll respectfully disagree. There is a lot *not* to like about audio shows, but I very much enjoyed the couple I’ve attended, despite the shortcomings.

I’ve met some wonderful retailers, importers and manufacturers. I’ve discovered a *lot* of new music. I’ve expanded my awareness of products available to us. And surprisingly, I’ve had my only exposure to reel to reel tape in a couple good rooms… which led to the realization that the best tape, vinyl and digital performers are surprisingly close. (I’ll admit my 60 year old ears may have something to do with that, though my hearing is much better than many of my friends and associates.)

I was Specifically talking about the sound at shows , as a GTG to see , touch new products and music , thats a win win …!

 

[sbnx]

Whether at a show or at a dealer, you are listening more to the person's skill with speaker placement and system optimization than you are the set of products on display.

 

[microstrip]

IMO shows are mainly social and seeing events. Although sometimes we have some very good sound at shows - many times due to well chosen recordings and loud levels. Excellent sound quality IMO it is not their main objective.

Shows are intrinsically noisy events carried in poor acoustic conditions, not concerts! But experienced listeners can manage to ignore the poor part of the sound and focus on some good aspects they are particularly sensitive to.

 

[Robh3606]

All speaker brands should use only Alnico Magnets for the very best sound quality...

Why? There is nothing wrong with ferrite or neo. There are differences but you can make outstanding drivers using all 3.

Rob

 

[Geardaddy]

Gentlemen,
Appreciate the replies. But ultimately, don't manufacturers and serious brand partners need to have a well designed room to really showcase what the system can really do? Magico seems to have done it at their factory.

But most don't. How many times have we seen a reviewer reviewing equipment in a junk room? It is the norm.