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Post by cowboycoalminer on May 5, 2014 9:05:25 GMT -6
Yeah but being too leery of gear just because of hype can sometimes keep some from not finding a good thing. Take Warm Audio for an example. Getting huge hype right now. Why? Because these are some of the first affordable pieces of really good gear that low end guys are able to buy and use. And they are the masses so there is more talk just because of sheer numbers.
They buy these things and plug them up and it's like a first time audio orgasm. So naturally they get on forums and start talking about how these things are changing their lives, healing the sick and causing the blind to see.
Here's the kicker, higher end guys like most who are on RGO see all this hype from low enders and think, yeah yeah, heard it before.
I wouldn't have known it for myself probably if Bryce hadn't asked me to test his stuff for him.
It's some pretty good shit boys. Best value on audio right now hands down IMO. Chinese built? Yep. But with only top qaility parts. I don't give a shot personally what country or who pits something together and does the labor. It's the parts manifest that makes a design.
I do know that Bryce's profit margin is much lower than others of his competition but he's built a great product for it.
Said all that to say this, it's probably not a good idea just to make a blanket statement of not buying into the hype. I'm careful, but usually curious as well.
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Post by svart on May 5, 2014 9:26:46 GMT -6
Yeah but being too leery of gear just because of hype can sometimes keep some from not finding a good thing. Take Warm Audio for an example. Getting huge hype right now. Why? Because these are some of the first affordable pieces of really good gear that low end guys are able to buy and use. And they are the masses so there is more talk just because of sheer numbers. They buy these things and plug them up and it's like a first time audio orgasm. So naturally they get on forums and start talking about how these things are changing their lives, healing the sick and causing the blind to see. Here's the kicker, higher end guys like most who are on RGO see all this hype from low enders and think, yeah yeah, heard it before. I wouldn't have known it for myself probably if Bryce hadn't asked me to test his stuff for him. It's some pretty good shit boys. Best value on audio right now hands down IMO. Chinese built? Yep. But with only top qaility parts. I don't give a shot personally what country or who pits something together and does the labor. It's the parts manifest that makes a design. I do know that Bryce's profit margin is much lower than others of his competition but he's built a great product for it. Said all that to say this, it's probably not a good idea just to make a blanket statement of not buying into the hype. I'm careful, but usually curious as well. Agreed. I don't think anyone is saying to never listen to hype, but not to fall victim to it. There are definitely exceptions to the rules though, but they are the exception, where marketing hype would leave you believe that everything that is old is terrible and that only brand new items that only (insert seller here) can offer you are worth your money and time. In the case of Warm, he's in an interesting situation because he's bringing us a cost reduced version of a known and loved product, not a new and untested product. It's well known through the DIY crowd what can and can't be done to an 1176 for quality and performance vs. price. All he's had to do is realize it in a package. It's quite a different situation than a new company bringing out a product with an unknown product/theory that promises the world for a penny.. |
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Post by Johnkenn on May 5, 2014 13:59:41 GMT -6
I guess I'm just not sure I get what all the gnashing of teeth is about...So a company hypes their product...what's the big deal? You can either buy in or not, right? I know that Slate is going to endlessly hype his product...but you know what - he's got some good ones out there that I use on a daily basis. A couple of years ago the annoying catchphrase was "It's a gamechanger"...Does anyone believe that? I don't really. Who is effected by ad/promo hype, really? I am way more affected by hype from people I know and trust.
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Post by tonycamphd on May 5, 2014 14:43:52 GMT -6
Who is effected by ad/promo hype, really? I am way more affected by hype from people I know and trust. Maybe not on some, but they wouldn't spend gazillions on it if it didn't work is MO. |
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Post by Johnkenn on May 5, 2014 15:00:57 GMT -6
I guess I'm just saying that most in our crowd is not affected. Maybe in the low-end of GS...
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Post by warren on May 5, 2014 16:33:15 GMT -6
Could care less if companies hype their own products, they should or they've gotta get a new marketing director :/ When I brought up the thread, I was mainly ranting about the fanboys really, and the "secret salesman"
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Post by jcoutu1 on May 5, 2014 16:51:48 GMT -6
Could care less if companies hype their own products, they should or they've gotta get a new marketing director :/ When I brought up the thread, I was mainly ranting about the fanboys really, and the "secret salesman" Agreed. |
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Post by nico on May 5, 2014 17:11:13 GMT -6
Take Warm Audio for an example. Getting huge hype right now. Hi cowboycoalminer, although I agree with your post, nice insight, I wouldn't qualify Warm Audio as being hype. Well of course that depends on which definition we have for hype. ( from here not anymore related to your quote cowboycoalminer ) To me hype is mostly related with a certain pricetag that seems suspiciously high for what a product does, with little regard of how it does it, with a bunch of names praising hallelujah in choir and preying on the easily-influenced ( younger often ) people with lack of experience, knowledge and self confidence. I see quite a few young musicians, audiokids falling for hype and it makes me nauseous towards the pushers. With regards to Warm Audio: they have a sound ( pun intended ) business+ethics vision, that is reflected in their apparent build quality ( can't wait to test their gear, and with all their affordable options I am tempted to try the entire line ) and pricing position. Pro audio, high quality for the masses : I say yeah! respect! haven't we all longed for this? Johnkenn : why the teethgrinding is pretty logical following my definition of hype : it feels to me like some products ( especially in the semi-pro area which I think is the hugest market for audio, but the pro audio is affected as well ) are just pushed to sell without any ethics attached. good old fashioned greed, make-believe, psychological marketing pushed to the extremes etc... I can't shake that image of the Far West where the so-called doctors would sell their miracle beverages.... The hype is trying to lead you around the bush, and distract you from what you need : gear that performs well, consistently, durable and at least meeting your expectations, ideally surpassing them a bit. I don't remember who said that by dismissing anything hyped, you might miss an opportunity of discovering great gear : I say yes, probably, but then most of people who are busy daily with audio as a living tend to be less easily fooled. It's just irritating, waste of energy for me to have to see through the hype to understand " ah this is what said gear really does " regards, Nico |
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Post by levon on May 5, 2014 23:57:07 GMT -6
I guess I'm just not sure I get what all the gnashing of teeth is about...So a company hypes their product...what's the big deal? You can either buy in or not, right? I know that Slate is going to endlessly hype his product...but you know what - he's got some good ones out there that I use on a daily basis. A couple of years ago the annoying catchphrase was "It's a gamechanger"...Does anyone believe that? I don't really. Who is effected by ad/promo hype, really? I am way more affected by hype from people I know and trust. Good point and I'm not against hype for a good product. Slate is a good example, the hype is way over the top, but his stuff lives up to expectations, so I can tolerate it. Bryce also seems to have great products that justify some hype (I haven't heard his stuff, so I can't really judge). What drives me away is the seedy, dishonest hype that I can feel everywhere from TV advertising to 'discussions' on fora. I don't mind hype from people I trust, they usually know what they talk about and their input is actually very valuable. Sometimes  . |
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Post by warren on May 6, 2014 9:32:08 GMT -6
I don't know, still skeptical about that virtual mic. We'll see though if the "hype" lives up to the promise  |
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Post by Martin John Butler on May 6, 2014 9:52:51 GMT -6
With all the social media available now, almost anything can seem hyped. To me, what I look for is a company's connection to users. Do they return emails promptly, is a "corporate" response, or one from a rep who cares about you resolving issues. I've had zero issues with any Waves product, zero, and I have the Silver Collection, which is a boatload of plugs, nothing but praise and appreciation for Warm Audio, with Kush, Sound Toys, Flux, Blue Cat, Tokyo Dawn, TDR, Elysia, LVBC Audio, zero problems.
Now with UAD, Slate, I've had both great support and some serious disappointments, so I'm leery of any statement made, as they both border on hype sometimes. UAD's poor and incomplete Thunderbolt implementation and Slates FG-X come to mind. Slate's statements of "soon" have become legendary, you better ask what year when they send you a note that say "Spring" or "Fall". Their products can be so well done sometimes, that I try to give them both the benefit of the doubt, as I want to see both companies win and survive.
Don't get me started with iLok.
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