[dBe]

DBe has it completely right, its a complex business decision made more complex by the fact that making speakers is not my primary business.  If I were to charge my consulting rates to make the speakers the prices would sky-rocket.  So it all becomes a tradeoff.

Just go hire someone!?  Its not quite that simple. 

Dr. Geddes, you and I both know that having your own small audio business is one of lifes' really over rated little pleasures.  I'm in it because I love what I do and the people that I serve - many have become friends.  I'm certainly not in it for the $$$.  I just finished my taxes and I'm wondering why I keep at this addiction.

If only it were easy to find someone with the same desire to put out the best product possible for slave wages I would hire them in an instant and be a happy man.

I know a lot of people that are in this wacky business individually building the best product possible and there aren't any of them getting rich that I know of.  If only.

Dave

[gedlee]

Yea, this was all kind of a fluke.  There was a business start in Thailand that went bust (a whole other story), but based on that I knew that speakers could be vastly improved with new approaches.  So I gave it a try.  Well, it worked  -- now what!?  I think that someone could make a good business from my designs, but I don't think that is me.  I'm not a young man and starting a business is a young mans game.

[jtwrace]

Yea, this was all kind of a fluke.  There was a business start in Thailand that went bust (a whole other story), but based on that I knew that speakers could be vastly improved with new approaches.  So I gave it a try.  Well, it worked  -- now what!?  I think that someone could make a good business from my designs, but I don't think that is me.  I'm not a young man and starting a business is a young mans game.

   Abbey, Nathan, Harper have no interest huh?

[dynaflo]

Well, I'm in love with them.  I really couldn't be happier. 

What are you getting?  Abbeys?  Subs?

I'm getting the  Abbeys.  I considered what ordering from a one man operation might entail before I placed the order so I'm not "ranting" about the waiting period.  Just saying I might have considered other options.  I also thought of the posibility the business could go south due to any number of reasons or that Earl might get hit by a bus (not yours Dave).  I have not ask for or even about a refund so I'm in this for the long haul.

[gedlee]

The danger of the one man operation has been anticipated and all of the procedures, technique, materials, etc. have been documented.  Builds for every speaker have been video taped and "Abbey" is preparing a manual on assembly etc. just in case the "bus" does come along, "someone" can follow up.

But Nathan is only 12 and making speakers is a little out of his league.  What is funny is that he is passionate about music, quite a good piano player, but takes excellent sound quality as a given.  He doesn't yet understand that what he takes for granted is not all that common.  Will he be an engineer, hard to say.  he is two grades ahead in math so thats not going to limit him, but he does not seem to have that thirst for "tinkering" that I had at his age.  I built a pair of speakers at about his age.

Sometimes the skill of the parent can kill this in the child.  My mother-in-law was a great cook, so my wife never bothered to learn.  The guy who discocered the prevailing Unified Field Theory had a father who was a well known physicist.  He stayed away from physics and got his BS in business.  Then in his late 20's he went back to schhool in physics and is now one of the leading theorists in the world.  Its funny how we sometimes shun what our parents do.

[JohnR]

Yawn.

Perhaps this thread should be moved to Industry Ads.

[Letitroll98]

Yawn.

Perhaps this thread should be moved to Industry Ads.

Or perhaps simply locked, or maybe split and locked.  I've given wide latitude to this thread because it initially had great value illustrating the shopping, selection, purchase, delivery, and set up of a particular speaker.  As it has now descended into an industry ad, unless someone has something new to contribute to the discussion, in the next day a decision will be made.   

[cujobob]

One page of de-railment out of 46 isn't really that big of a deal IMHO so I hope it will stay where it is... I check this thread regularly hoping for more feedback and to see what others think of these speakers relative to their former choices.

Has anyone done the upgrade from the original crossovers to the new ones and can comment on the change in SQ?

[gedlee]

Or perhaps simply locked, or maybe split and locked.  I've given wide latitude to this thread because it initially had great value illustrating the shopping, selection, purchase, delivery, and set up of a particular speaker.  As it has now descended into an industry ad, unless someone has something new to contribute to the discussion, in the next day a decision will be made.   

I appologize if I was out of line.  I thought that I was just answerering some questions that only I could answer.

[jtwrace]

I'm getting the  Abbeys.  I considered what ordering from a one man operation might entail before I placed the order so I'm not "ranting" about the waiting period.  Just saying I might have considered other options.  I also thought of the posibility the business could go south due to any number of reasons or that Earl might get hit by a bus (not yours Dave).  I have not ask for or even about a refund so I'm in this for the long haul.

Well, if you take the time and effort for proper setup, you'll be VERY happy.  I'm still blown away every time I listen to them.

[jtwrace]

One page of de-railment out of 46 isn't really that big of a deal IMHO so I hope it will stay where it is... I check this thread regularly hoping for more feedback and to see what others think of these speakers relative to their former choices.

me too.  If it wasn't for this thread and the kind people on A.C. I probably wouldn't of knew about them and listened to them.   

Has anyone done the upgrade from the original crossovers to the new ones and can comment on the change in SQ?

There are about four guys that have changed components.  Maybe some of them will chime in with their experience. 

[Letitroll98]

I appologize if I was out of line.  I thought that I was just answerering some questions that only I could answer.

You've nothing to apologize for, it's just the nature of the beast.  If a manufacturer is posting about their product and they are not either a) posting in their own circle, b) posting in Industry Ads, or c) answering a specific question in a general circle they entertain the risk of running afoul of the regulations on this site.  You and other manufacturers can of course post to your hearts content about other subjects on other threads, but on a Gedlee Abbey thread you are held to a much higher standard.  This is somewhat unfair when you are speaking generally about business models, but it's the context of where it's posted that becomes the problem.  So it is rather I who should apologize for having to clamp down on you so harshly, but it's for the protection of all of the members here.

Unless vetoed by John, I am inclined to let the thread continue unaltered because it has been so interesting and educational for so many members.  However that is under probationary forbearance and unless it resumes it's former values changes may be necessary.  So here's hoping for continued enjoyment for everybody. 

[gchuva]

If not Abbey's then what?  I may have a WAF issue on the Abbey's.  Should I just go down the GedLee product line for something smaller or is there another alternative someone would suggest.  Primarily interested in HT in a living room environment.

[Letitroll98]

If not Abbey's then what?  I may have a WAF issue on the Abbey's.  Should I just go down the GedLee product line for something smaller or is there another alternative someone would suggest.  Primarily interested in HT in a living room environment.

I'm probably going to get flamed for this, and for this one reply permission granted, I'll don a suit, but there are other CD speakers on the market, and there are other speakers that sound wonderful.  I have a suspicion that a great deal of the Gedlee sound is not derived solely from CD, but from a combination of high quality drivers in a well designed cabinet, and unique speaker placement.  You can get a hint of this from toeing in your conventional speakers at 45 degrees and having their axis cross in front of your listening position.  This is a placement technique long used in HT applications.  Flame away gentlemen, no repercussions if you'll just avoid foul language.        

[sts9fan]

How dare you!!

[rave959]

If not Abbey's then what?  I may have a WAF issue on the Abbey's.  Should I just go down the GedLee product line for something smaller or is there another alternative someone would suggest.  Primarily interested in HT in a living room environment.

Buy a pair of Nathan; you won't regret it.


Cheers,
Ian

[cujobob]

If not Abbey's then what?  I may have a WAF issue on the Abbey's.  Should I just go down the GedLee product line for something smaller or is there another alternative someone would suggest.  Primarily interested in HT in a living room environment.

Duke's Audiokinesis stuff has a lot of similarities to Earl's work (intentionally)... and is more WAF-friendly.  The smaller cabinets of the Nathans in a non-black color could look good in a living room, as well.

[cujobob]

I'm probably going to get flamed for this, and for this one reply permission granted, I'll don a suit, but there are other CD speakers on the market, and there are other speakers that sound wonderful.  I have a suspicion that a great deal of the Gedlee sound is not derived solely from CD, but from a combination of high quality drivers in a well designed cabinet, and unique speaker placement.  You can get a hint of this from toeing in your conventional speakers at 45 degrees and having their axis cross in front of your listening position.  This is a placement technique long used in HT applications.  Flame away gentlemen, no repercussions if you'll just avoid foul language.      

Actually, the toe-in for Gedlee speakers is uniquely effective because it eliminates the only issue in response (on-axis dip) and also changes the first reflection point.

[gedlee]

... there are other CD speakers on the market ...

  The problem that I see with this statement is that I hear this claimed all the time, but I have not seen much evidence that it is actually true.  Anything that I have measured certainly does not show very stable CD operation (A Behringer that I tested being a notable exception).

  I have a suspicion that a great deal of the Gedlee sound is not derived solely from CD, but from a combination of high quality drivers in a well designed cabinet, and unique speaker placement.   

I would certainly have to agree to this - there is more to it than just "CD", although CD is a minimum requirement.  And, as I often point out, its not just CD that is important it is "narrow CD" that is required and this is actually extremely rare (i.e. the Behringer is rather wide, although well controlled). 

"Toe-in" is not succesful unless the speaker is truely CD and as I said above, most of the evidence that I know of says that this is not very common at all.  Its usually a serious failing of most designs.  Toe-in for these speakers creates more problems than it solves.

[PDR]

If only there was a "Venue"......say in the fall.....say October.....
That all the designers could get together and show their wares to the public.....
That people on forums.....like this one could...could offer their humble opinions on what they hear...
and let us know what they think....not being fan boys.....an objective review....
One room being equal to another......with the designers setting up what ever way they want......


Wow....if only there was a "Venue" like that......