i decided recently to buy a new home audio solution for my home theatre. it has been a long time coming and now all of the components are finally at the house. they’ve actually been at the house for a while now. of course, no one has ever heard of anything that i got, i guess that’s the price you pay for going with non-big brand name gear.
the speakers i got are made by a company called definitive technology or “def tech” for those in-the-know. *wink, wink*
and the receiver that i got to drive it all is made by a company called outlaw audio. i know, i know, you’ve probably never heard of them. when i received my receiver, i was giddy as ever. but when i hooked it all up, i noticed some problems with the digital coax inputs. i kept getting pops frequently through DVD playback. what’s worse was that even with analog sources, i still heard the occasional pop. i dealt with customer support both online and via phone. online response time is about once a day and it was hard to troubleshoot a problem in this fashion as you would do one thing, wait a day, do one thing, and wait again. finally, i called their tech support while i was at home during a lunch break and was able to go through the troubleshooting process.
it was determined that i needed to get a new receiver, so they shipped me a replacement and it finally came. the replacement receiver sounds great with no more popping of audio. and now, finally, i can blissfully enjoy my new home audio solution. i do admit that i was watching the usual suspects just a little too loudly while i was demoing the unit because i just couldn’t help myself.
the one drawback to buying non-mainstream stuff is that when people hear that i’ve been doing all of this research and have spent a non-trivial amount of money on the new setup, if they ask me what i ended up getting and i tell them def tech speakers being driven by an outlaw audio receiver, i almost always get a blank stare, followed by the question “why didn’t you get a
[followed by the question “why didn’t you get a instead?â€] there’s an affectionate name for these types. J6Ps.
why do you consider this a drawback that you get a blank stare? I see it as an opportunity to share with people compelling alternatives to the mass marketed brands that can really change their perception on the home theater experience.
[most of the time people don’t really want to know why i bought what i did] -> it may just mean that sound quality is not as important to them as it is to you and I. quality and price point for every consumer type.
the problem with JP6s (joe six packs, for those not in the know), is that most of them aren’t really going to want to learn the ins and outs of home audio gear. most of them are completely content with their built-in tv speakers (with SRS surround!).
hey, i shouldn’t make fun, i was one of those people only a few weeks ago, so i understand that it might just seem excessive to spend so much money on a home audio solution. and i get that. but for those who do want to spend some money and make some educated guesses, i’d be happy to talk to them about everything i’ve learned.
but i think the strength of mass marketed brands is that there is brand recognition and with that there is a sense of trust with the brand (sometimes, the trust is misplaced with overly aggressive and effective marketing on behalf of the manufacturers).
and when there is some brand that you’ve never heard of, it’s human nature to distrust something unfamiliar with you. so i do think it’s a drawback because sometimes i just don’t have the energy or the people don’t have the desire to learn about great companies like definitive technology or outlaw audio that really do make great products.
i also get that some people are more strict budgets and don’t want to spend all the money that i may have. shoot, baconandeggs, i didn’t want to spend as much money as you did for your setup. =P so i totally get the price point/quality balance.
but it’s so frustrating when you talk to all those lemmings..I mean people who just don’t “get it.” 😉 ok, seriously I agree on all your points. for me, even if I am not an “enthusiast” when it comes to another person’s hobby I am always interested & curious to understand what led to that person’s purchase decision. i say better to have an open mind for the chance to learn something new and shatter any preconceived notions.