[Marbles]

Dan, What is the story between you and Marty DW?  

Seems like you guys had a falling out................

[TheChairGuy]

If it's a choice between money or looks - money wins hands down, so long as the performance doesn't suffer.

Fortunately for me, my wife thinks similarly    

Dan B., I think nathanm may be a logo snob - given his background - much as I tend to over critique portable chairs (getta' life chairguy, right ).  

I have a bud who's a very good stand up Bass man, that's what he does for a living and has played with Joe Henderson and other greats.  When he was over a while ago, he started ragging on the Loreena McKennit(sp?) and Sting I had on (his tastes run to Classical and, of course, Jazz).... I find their stuff real enjoyable. Anyhow, he's a music snob.

It's about as relevant as me 100% believing a Librarians or Social Studies teacher's version of world history....they are intellectual/history snobs.

If you like your logo and casework, much to Divan's and _scotty_'s point, it's you baby and that's great.  If you could make your case from balsa wood and save another $200 on the package with no performance altering, I'd be more interested in auditioning it  

[ctviggen]

Personally, I'd rather have performance than a logo or even a nice looking cabinet (although I do have to have some minimum standard of cabinetry).  For instance, I like Jeff Rowland stuff and wish that the'd bring out a line using just sheetmetal and let me save several thousand dollars.  While his products are beautiful (and I own one), I'd rather save the money and get plain looking.  If there's an option for better looking but doesn't add performance, I typically don't buy it.

[DVV]

Personally, I'd rather have performance than a logo or even a nice looking cabinet (although I do have to have some minimum standard of cabinetry).  For instance, I like Jeff Rowland stuff and wish that the'd bring out a line using just sheetmetal and let me save several thousand dollars.  While his products are beautiful (and I own one), I'd rather save the money and get plain looking.  If there's an option for better looking but doesn't add performance, I typically don't buy it.

Way to go, Bob - where do I sign?

I totally agree with you. All I want is decent workmanship - no obvious rough edges, no loose canals, no loose screws. But rather than have a 1" thick fascia, I would much prefer a 0.12" thick (BTW, that's the pro RAL norm standard, 3 mm or about 0.12") thick fascia - BUT with the rest of the case done in aluminium as well, because of its advantages over classic steel pressed cases in terms of reduced susceptability to magnetic eddy currents.

But to balance that saving, I would like to see some decent electronics inside, serious work, not just slapped together, even if using SMD technology, and of course, I want it to sound good, up to its price level. I definitely DON'T want to see a single pair of 150W devices being pushed to deliver 100 watts into 8 ohms, even if accompanied with a sexy story that SEPP outputs sound better.

In short, what I so much like to see, but get prescious little opportunity to see in real life these days, is a BALANCED approach, favoring the essence over the form.

Cheers,
DVV

[Dan Banquer]

The problem with balsa wood is that it makes a lousy safety ground and shield. Aluminum works alot better for that.  Mike McCall keeps threatening to make a wooden face plate for the LNPA 150's, but face it: it would still have to have the logo.
               d.b.

[nathanm]

The problem with balsa wood is that it makes a lousy safety ground and shield. Aluminum works alot better for that.  Mike McCall keeps threatening to make a wooden face plate for the LNPA 150's, but face it: it would still have to have the logo. d.b.

I took a crack at giving your logo a little "makeover" Dan, and upon further reflection I would say that it is not as bad as I originally thought.   I am not sure what that Y-arrow like shape is in the middle - I kind of assumed it was a reference to an electronic schematic symbol or something.  Well anyway, it looks a bit better with a thicker font, but overall the design is okay.  

Dan B., I think nathanm may be a logo snob - given his background - much as I tend to over critique portable chairs (getta' life chairguy, right  ).

Yes I agree, but I wouldn't use the term "snob" - that suggests that one's enthusiasm for the particular item in question to be baseless and unfair.  I'm sure you don't condemn every chair out there as junk if it isn't what you like.  But of course you are going to be more critical than others because you are 'into' chairs just as I am 'into' graphic design.  I mean, you could call everyone on this message board an audio snob, but that wouldn't be fair.  I'd suggest the term "enthusiast" instead.  

Some people might fuss over the slightest alterations brought upon by electronic parts and such, well I am just as fussy about typefaces.  Take Manley for example, they actually used Copperplate Bold on some of their gear, which I have never seen before.  That is pretty cool.  To me you could take any piece of gear and improve the faceplate by altering the typeface used.  More often than not it is quite drab and boring.

Dan - a wood faceplate with a wood burned\branded set of labels instead of the usual silkscreening - now that would be unique!  Just an idea...like a cigar box or something.

[JLM]

My tastes for industrial design run strictly towards form following function and all else being equal, simplier is better.  

So I love the Scott Nixon stuff.  

Better for a piece of equipment to be well designed and assembled than a massive, gawdy box with obviously styling that serves no functional purpose.  

Better to have a small/fast sports car than a flashy car that is all show and no go.

[Dan Banquer]

O.K. Nathan; next  time I get to do a new logo, I promise I will consult you.  I'll even advertise your expertise on my web site. How's that grab you?
                         d.b.
P.S. To tell you the truth I would love to have  that picture of the person giving the middle finger on the face plate, but I don't think too many people share my dark sense of humor.

[nathanm]

O.K. Nathan; next  time I get to do a new logo, I promise I will consult you.  I'll even advertise your expertise on my web site. How's that grab you?
                         d.b.
P.S. To tell you the truth I would love to have  that picture of the person giving the middle finger on the face plate, but I don't think too many people share my dark sense of humor.

I wouldn't want to cheapen your no-B.S. audio site with some inane blather from some goof like me.  Besides, my logo rates are so insanely high - you'd have to sell a few thousand pairs of virgin chicken fat interconnects and many truckloads of amps to afford it.  I already almost put one store out of business with my ludicrous asking prices, I wouldn't want to ruin your company as well.

But if I did, I suppose you could say it was a "redesign redesign".   Ha!