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In the Forum: Audio Discussions
In the Thread: Truth stretched out via Feastrex prism.
Post Subject: Re: Truth, pricing, bs ...Posted by guy sergeant on: 1/25/2006
Hi Romy,
I've seen and heard many products in which an aspect of the design is interesting, even thought provoking but where that idea's implementation is poorly achieved. It doesn't mean that one can't learn anything from the product even if it's only "don't do it that way." Feastrex obviously think that what they are doing makes sense and sounds good. Fortunately, you, I and anyone else can make up our own minds on whether that is the case.
I'm not sure what point you intend to make by printing their pricelist. They give a 50% margin to distributors which is about the industry standard. The field coil units are quite expensive. Big deal. I've been involved in purchasing and trying to machine Permendur in the distant past and know that it's very expensive to buy and work with. Small scale production in Japan is also a costly business. So what? You don't have to buy this drivers. I know I won't be.
I don't know to what extent they've tried to apply the Naturflux thinking to the Field Coil circuit. It would not surprise me if that was much more difficult to do. It may have made the costs far too high. I don't know.
It looks as though the basic field coil model uses a one piece magnetic circuit which may have involved high initial tooling costs or excessive machining time. Again, I don't know (and neither do you) and I don't care. They don't have to justify their prices to me. The other 'Permendur' models will be extremely expensive to make. If you doubt this you should try making something with Permendur (and remember you'll also have to recover the cost of the material wasted as you learn how to machine it!)
The speakers I was playing at CES in 2005 were something like $1000 dollars per pair. We were using borrowed (not my choice) electronics. It sounded as good as I expected it to in that room and we achieved at that show what we set out to achieve. (ie we met certain key customers) I did not 'bulb' that we had outstanding sound to anyone. If Mr Akiyama did that after the show then unfortunately he's doing nothing different to the majority of exhibitors at those shows who all claim they had the best sound there (often just because some visitor told them they did.)
It seems that the crux of your criticism of this company is that their president dared to say he had a good sound at CES and that they are daring to make field coil drivers. From your show reports, no-one had a good sounding room there. Why pick on them? Why not pick on the manufacturers of electrostatic loudspeakers (a truly flawed technology, badly implemented everywhere and sold in much greater quanties than field coil drivers ever will be) It's the same with all commerce. Vote with your wallet and don't buy what you have no regard for.
For my benefit, would you give some examples of commercial amplifier or speaker manufacturers who have achieved DEMONSTRABLE SUCCESSES and who therefore can claim to have experience and expertise in their respective fields. There don't seem to be any with products good enough for you to use them.
best regards,
GuyRerurn to Romy the Cat's Site