by Michael

Funny about forums…

Spintricity is two weeks old.

I posted about the new magazine on several forums.

Asylum deleted it in about 5 minutes [why would anybody there be interested in a magazine on audio I do not know – and it is not like 6moons, American Wired and Positive Feedback built their magazine circulations up by posting there].

It is now, for $20, in their News forum. Not a bad price – but a TOTALLY different audience compared to the general forum.

Posted it on AudioReview’s News forum. Deleted in two days after 9 people read the post. Oooookay.

Posted it on EchoLoft’s main forum [Singapore] and Audio Circle’s News forum. Both were still there last I looked with no responses but a 100s of people have looked at the post.

Posted it on Canuck Audio Market [Canada] and I get a couple of nice and a couple of obnoxious posts before it devolves into a lots of people complimenting some guy on his soft porn avatar.

I haven’t even tried posting something like this on Audiogon for several years. In the past it has not gone very well.

———————–

So, one thing we would like to avoid at Spintricity is deleting posts about audio so that people can get on with the business of doing serious chatting. At a higher level this means that people promoting their products – when they are AUDIO products – makes a lot of sense on a audio forum. How else are they going to let people know about their product? These forums are the people who are supposed to be interested in products like this.

Sure, we could charge for the ability to post promotions … does Audio Circle charge the manufacture’s for their manufacturer forum? You know, the ModWright, etc forums. But that seems… not right.

We would rather charge for people running ads that encourage ever more people to buy their equipment, not for the ability/net real-estate to talk to [possibly prospective] owners of their equipment and fans.

Does this make sense?

[I certainly don’t know. That’s why I am asking :-)]

in High-end Audio HiFi and Stereo / Humor / Spintricity 0 comments
 by Michael

The kind of email corporations get

[The show report is coming along – we are at about halfway through the 3rd day. Check it out and let us know what you think so far, if you get a chance: CES 2008 Show Report ]

We get emails like this all the time.

“Hello,

I searching through search engine and found your website that sell some
products that i need. So I decide to purchase that product from you.
Before i place some order, i have several question below:
1. Your company able sent the goods to outside your country?
2. Shipment by UPS or FedEx?
3. Are you accepting Visa and Mastercard as payment?
4. How can i get some discount for this purchase?

Please let me know your further information for my inquiry soon.

Best Regards,
Joseph”

Translated this means:

“Hello,”

Hi,

“I searching through search engine and found your website that sell some
products that i need. So I decide to purchase that product from you.”

The software I downloaded that searches for small businesses on the web found your site and then sent this badly written email I copied and modified a little in case you already are wary of the amazingly similar original.

“Before i place some order, i have several question below:”

Before I actually spend any time trying to steal from you, I need you to indicate just how stupid you are.

“1. Your company able sent the goods to outside your country?”

Do you send products to places where you can be easily ripped off because of lack of enforcement of certain credit card laws?

“2. Shipment by UPS or FedEx?”

I will mention a few reputable companies to make me look reputable.

“3. Are you accepting Visa and Mastercard as payment?”

Are you extraordinarily ignorant of credit card scams?

“4. How can i get some discount for this purchase?”

A real customer would ask for a discount, so I am asking for a discount so I look like a real customer [this is actually more advanced than 90% of all of these emails]

“Please let me know your further information for my inquiry soon.”

Please respond if you are an easy mark. I want more money now.

“Best Regards,
Joseph”

Please send me your free products,
Automated Ripoffs Incorporated

in High-end Audio HiFi and Stereo / Humor 0 comments
 by Michael

Lamborghini or Marten Coltrane Supreme, Marten Coltrane Supreme or Lamborghini

Christmas season is almost upon us, and as we make out our Christmas lists, there is one question that many people must face.

That question is whether to ask for a popular Lamborghini automobile or the much more exclusive, much more useful loudspeakers from Marten, the Coltrane Supreme.

Of course, many of you might ask, why not both? Good question. But not everybody can afford both and we are trying, in the spirit of the several recent issues of Stereophile and TAS, to address the needs of the readers with more modest incomes.

On the one hand we have last year’s Murcielago…

2006 Lamborghini Murcielago at $288,000 – $319,100

or Gallardo


2006 Lamborghini Gallardo at $175,000 – $195,000

versus the Marten Coltrane Supremes:


Marten Coltrane Supreme Loudspeakers at $250,000

In the interests of choosing the right choice the first time, we offer the following comparisons:

Problems with the Lamborghini:

1) Paying for gas at $3 a gallon [subtract 10]
2) Expensive periodic repair costs [subtract 5]
3) It pollutes [subtract 1]
4) Can’t use it during Winter in many places [subtract 15]
5) Stupid laws prevent driving it faster than prevailing traffic conditions allow [subtract 50]
6) Attracts cute people with dubious morals and motivations [subtract 5. If married, add 10.^H^H subtract 10].
7) Lots of people have them [subtract 20]
8) Conspicuous consumption is often frowned upon outside L.A. [subtract 5 if outside L.A., add 20 if in L.A.]
9) Traffic tickets [subtract 5]
10) You have to get it washed a lot [subtract 10]

Problems with the Coltrane Supreme speakers:

None.

So, the choice is really easy this year. Cool.

Next: The Lamm ML3 versus a Porsche 911 Turbo [hint: the analysis goes much the same way as that for the Lamborghini]

in High-end Audio HiFi and Stereo / Humor / Marten Design 0 comments