It's also a great marketing tool for those people most interested in your products.
Yes, that was exactly its purpose. So perhaps it is working. Taking it to the next level, I made that silly videomercial. Read about how effective "viral" marketing is in Business2.0. Thought I would give it a try. Thinking I can reach far more potential customers via a silly video for free than with a $700 print ad.
test out your designs against other
Funny you should mention that. Every other month our local audiophile group gets together at Uncle Stu's. We do a lot of tweaking and listening tests, and not just on my stuff. Everyone brings in their DIY. We also have invited guests now and then. The FAL designer from Japan (language translation is not an issue here), Jack Bybee, George Wright, Ray Kimber, etc. We might be one of the smallest groups around, but our location makes it easy to bring in some big names. And Stu always has some gadget to blow minds (this time the GSIC).
It's a good place for testing. Stu has THE BEST listening room acoustics I've ever come across. And plenty of retail gear for comparison, not to mention a huge assortment of NOS tubes. It's a candy store full of new and used gear. Any of you on vacation to Hawaii, you gotta stop in.
Anyway, Saturday we did the CHIME. Five minutes into it, the tubes had to go. In went some good old American cold war specials. Have to admit, the improvement was quite noticeable. That's the great thing about the CONSTRUCTOR series, roll the tubes for sonic taste. To me, we hit some magic. There was not one weak point. Everything was there, clarity, detail, sounstage, pinpoint focus, depth, transparency, bass, air, rhythm. Not one hint of harshness or edge, no fatigue. I don't know what CD we had (I think a compilation), but it sounded fantastic. Not sure how a shiddy CD will sound.
I gotta say, this took a huge amount of stress off my shoulders. It confirmed I was indeed on the right track and that the CHIME will be a homerun. At least in sonics. This will be one DAC you will be proud to show off.
jh
