[skeeter99]

First of all THANKS to all of you for all the support and good wishes.
Now, let me apologize for what follows. It is long, kind of personal and perhaps boring. But I guess that I need to "vent" a little. Not in FULL, just a little.
These are, no doubt about it, very difficult times but with the help of good friends like Danny, we hope that we can get back part of the investment we made on these electronic parts.
What hurts the most is that now there are 80 Colombians without a job.
This is the end of a dream. The end of a learning process for me and my 2 brothers. We've never made cabinets before. We made big mistakes during the process, of course. A lot of B stocks, for sure!!!.
In some threads there are people making jokes about us and about our quality. It doesn't surprise me because for some reason we, human beings, enjoy others failures and mistakes. On the other hand they are not 100% wrong. As I stated above, we made a lot of mistakes while learning the secrets of the loudspeaker-making business. (and yes, we even use irons to try to get that F$#@ing veneer to stop cracking  ).
Some beautiful cabinets were shipped at the same time. And training those 80 people was really a difficult process, one that gave us pride but one that just when it started to get good results ended abruptly.
Our idea was to learn, we were ready to let some years to pass before we could become a "world-class" cabinet factory and then, and only then,make money. We didn't have the time to fulfill that dream but this is life and this is business. No compassion and sometimes no second chances.
Our family have been in the industry (steel and iron industrial parts) since 1934, we still have our parent company up and running (although the financial impact has been hard to digest and we are far from recovered) so we are "alive and kicking". Working hard, watching our children to grow, enjoying living in a beautiful country that is recovering on a daily basis from years of war and, personally, listening to music every day on my LS9's, made here in Colombia of course!!.(Thanks for your magic Danny).
http://cgim.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/vs.pl?vopin&1276121208&viewitem&o7
If only you knew how much those LS9's ended up costing me!!! (Good humor is also the key during these periods, let me tell you and making fun of yourself is always an excellent exercise).
 I'm using this experience to teach my two daughters (16 and 14) almost everything about life. Specially one learning:
They were there when my friends here in Colombia laughed at me and about my idea of exporting cabinets to the USA and they were there when we started sending container-loads of loudspeakers. So they know by now that the only limitations that we have in life are the ones that we impose to ourselves. What a lesson!!.
Thanks for reading and again sorry for the long post.
Santiago

Thanks for taking the time to share Santi! I had wondered what had happened to you guys down there but just didn't open up my email and ask REALLY sorry things turned out that way. I know you have much more to share but I think I speak for all in saying that your professionalism through this is EXTREMELY commendable!

Wish you the best success and learning through all of this.

We're here for you.

Scott

[sch]

Thanks Scott, appreciate your words as well.
I know that people like you understand what we have been dealing with during the last months, having to close an operation that we loved so much.
Santiago

[sch]

Santiago,

Hugh here.

Glad to see you here and still keep your spirits.

Just keep pushing ahead then God will take care of everything else.

He who committed bad deeds will have to answer to the guy upstairs sooner or later.

Hang in there Santiago.

Hello Hugh,
Thanks for the "pushing" advice, is mostly what we've been doing during all this period.
Hanging in here,
Santiago

[sch]

Santiago,
Thanks for your hard work.  I'm just one of many, who was able to benefit from the work you did in Cali.  This is the unveiling of my beautiful B-Stock Pali MFW. 

The "Handcrafted with Pride and Passion in Cali, Colombia" is cut off in this picture, but you can almost see it on the box.



It was only B-stock, because the Pali veneer wasn't cooperating.  It's still beautiful though, and has been powered on for 2 years straight now, without a hitch, playing loads of deep, rolling, wonderful bass.

I even bought a pair of LS6 cabinets in Palisander (even though that veneer cracks a little too), because I liked the sub so much. (not sure if it's from you or China though.)

It is sad to hear about the personal strife the issues with AV123 have caused you.  Wish there was more I could do to help.

What a great photo!!! Maybe I'm wrong but I remember this pic from the AV123 forum,
Glad to know that you keep having fun with your sub. And yes, that Pali was one of the biggest problems we faced at the factory.
Take care,
Santiago

[sch]

Santiago,  thank you for sharing your experience and feelings with us, and God bless you and your family for your work, perseverance and mostly for your great attitude!  I laugh at myself daily, so I know what therapy that is.  If you ever consider building cabinets again, I hope you can work out a deal with Danny and then others.  One of my electronic projector ODM's is part of a Taiwan headquarterd company that is the largest supplier of cabinets to the middle to high end speaker brands.  I've observed one of their plants and it does take a lot of equipment and personnel to make good, beautiful cabinets in high volume.  Best wishes to you going forward!

Hello Hank and thanks for your post.
The factory was indeed a great effort but we had so much fun in the middle of all the situations. Sadly ended up in not the best of ways.
Thanks again,
Santaigo

[laserman]

Santiago,

Ditto X3 on the warm wishes and blessings the other folks have passed your way.  When you first showed up on the scene it was abundantly clear how much passion you had.  I even had in the back of my mind to fly down there for a company tour and some of that great hospitality, music and food.

As others have stated, I wish you only the best in your future business efforts and family life.

Lou

[laserman]

Hey Rubin,

You owe me a telephone call or two....

I will make myself available at a time convient for you.

Regards,
Lou

[dBe]

Hello Hank and thanks for your post.
The factory was indeed a great effort but we had so much fun in the middle of all the situations. Sadly ended up in not the best of ways.
Thanks again,
Santaigo

Santiago, when I saw the beautiful cabinetry that your company was doing I was stunned.  I could not believe the beauty of the woods and the exquisite finish work.  It is sad that the demise of AV123 put an end to the production you had set up.  I'm sure that you were proud of the employment that you provided in this difficult worldwide economy.

I have nothing but great admiration for you and your workers' passion and abilities.

My best wishes.

Dave

[saisunil]

Wish Cabinets for your design coule be made in Cali and to reduce risk - we could do as group buy / pre-order ...
 

[sch]

Santiago,

Ditto X3 on the warm wishes and blessings the other folks have passed your way.  When you first showed up on the scene it was abundantly clear how much passion you had.  I even had in the back of my mind to fly down there for a company tour and some of that great hospitality, music and food.

As others have stated, I wish you only the best in your future business efforts and family life.

Lou

Thanks Lou and yes I remember those days when we had the idea of having a group here for some days of fun.
Thanks again for the good wishes,
Santiago

[sch]

Santiago, when I saw the beautiful cabinetry that your company was doing I was stunned.  I could not believe the beauty of the woods and the exquisite finish work.  It is sad that the demise of AV123 put an end to the production you had set up.  I'm sure that you were proud of the employment that you provided in this difficult worldwide economy.

I have nothing but great admiration for you and your workers' passion and abilities.

My best wishes.

Dave

Hello Dave and thanks to you as well for your post and for the comments about our work. . We were really close to be able to have a sustainable operation.
Santiago

[Hugh]

Morning Santiago,

Whenever you feel like taking a trip to California, I'll be your guide.

[Outofthewoods]

Hey Rubin,

You owe me a telephone call or two....

I will make myself available at a time convient for you.

Regards,
Lou

 

PM Sent

[spl_nut]

This is very cool! So cool, I built the boxes for my future XL-S Encores today!

If anyone in the Portland (OR) area plans to build their own boxes, I have veneer for the asking.

Mahogany, American Black Walnut, Sapele, Pommel Sapele, Quartered Honduras Mahogany, Makore, 1/4 figured Makore... Most sheets are smaller and would be better suited for an XL-S size box.

Jason

[Plund]

Danny,  How well might either the X-cs or X-cs Encore blend with my N3 pair when watching movies?  Would the N3S clearly be a better choice?

Plund

[se-riously]

Danny,  How well might either the X-cs or X-cs Encore blend with my N3 pair when watching movies?  Would the N3S clearly be a better choice?

I think a N3S would be the superior choice.

[Danny Richie]

Danny,  How well might either the X-cs or X-cs Encore blend with my N3 pair when watching movies?  Would the N3S clearly be a better choice?

Plund

Not as well as an N3S, but pretty well.

[sch]

Morning Santiago,

Whenever you feel like taking a trip to California, I'll be your guide.

Deal!!!
I have a very good friend in California that lives pretty near from San Francisco (Folsom I think). But the $$$ is a BIG problem these days. But I won't forget the offer. Thanks a lot Hugh, 
Santiago

[Savage]

Santiago, glad to see your still keeping in touch. The first av123 speakers I got were b-stocks from my brother. You made the cabinets and even as b-stocks they were the best looking speakers I had ever seen.

I too would like to see you start up again, if that's at all possible. The economy won't be horrible forever. If GR Research sold turn-key kits, I'd bet their business would boom. There might be a reshuffling of av123 equipment right now, but in a few years we're going to be aching for more of your products.

Thanks for the beautiful speakers, I'm going to pick up a pair of natural Palisander LS6's tomorrow, and I guarantee friends that I bring over will be in awe of your handiwork, not nitpick a few patches of hairline cracks. I live near denver and without a humidifier, which I don't really care for, woodwork will crack without regular maintenance.

[Savage]

And you got a place to stay in the high country of Colorado, if your ever in this neck of the woods.

Money problems come and go. Hopefully you'll be able to take some of us up on our offers soon.