MC Phono Stage Bake-off

[Lurcher300b]

1. I didn't tell you Richard when Alan PM'd me on Friday evening, as it was obvious from your response to the presence of a advertising banner that any hope on my part of seeing rational behaviour from you on this subject was doomed to failure. A view that is only confirmed by the obsession you seem to have with MCRU. A obsession I can assure you is not mutual.

2. We realised that the speakers were too small for the room on Saturday, as this was the first time the room has been used, and no, he didn’t have any larger speakers, will do in future, and will also improve the damping in the room. Those speakers normally work fine in small hotel room shows, but this room showed their limitations.

3. Neither I or Dom sell exclusively through David. The Ref Phono is a MFA product, so its not my call where its sold anyway. David has one, and they are on his site, but so what? The linear supplies, I mostly sell through MCRU as he gets most enquiries and spends money on adversing, but if people come direct I can and do sell direct. Not that its any of you concern what I chose to do.

[CN211276]

I would have thought a dealer would have had suitable speakers. No shortage of large floor Stander's in the window of the Audio T in my neck of the woods.

[Lurcher300b]

Most of Davids sales are cables and electronics and mostly by post. His move to having a retail premise only happened a couple of weeks ago.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Nick - Why should it be mutual. We we we ! are you now a partner with the man, if you are you will certainly be a good influence and actually provide some hi-fi knowledge, his at the moment is nearly as bad as Pet Food Pete. How could you have let this situation arise with the man, you should look at your prices and be ashamed. I feel angry and sad that you haven't got the confidence to do it all yourself and not rip off your customers. You say you sell direct, no you don't, you just take all the slurp for yourself on the occasional sale, you still have a retail margin built in and a trade price. Why can't your customers buy at that price from you - well it is obvious isn't it, no slurp for MCRU. The poster is a symbol that in his mind it is a trade event to promote him, I obviously don't object to posters, just why they are being used and made sure they are in every photo. If you did sell to the occasional customers at trade as you should do, do you really think MCRU would still buy from you.

You know the man, you know what he is up to, yet you support him. It is a rip-off industry Nick, why don't you become part of the solution.

If have no obsession with MCRU as you perfectly well know, I have an obsession in exposing the crooks, slurpers, and knowledgeless twats who think they deserve to make a living from this industry. It is just MCRU is the one who keep sticking himself in front of my face, so I say what I think.

Everyone says he is a nice guy in person, most say so am I, but I don't slime people just to get a sale, my products sell (or not) on quality and price and that is the way *IT SHOULD BE* I am not a salesman, and nor are you. I am certain your products are good enough to sell on their own from word of mouth. Again everyone says Firey is a nice guy, yet he manipulates his market to make sure he is not exposed for the fraud he is in terms of product and expertise. In knowledge and product you walk all over him. He should sell his product honestly and not in set up shill situations at AoS and insult other product, not just me he does the same with Arkless. It is gratifying that there was nothing exceptional about his product. I am sure you could build a better valve phono stage whilst asleep with one hand tied up your back.

You also know perfectly well I would have held my tongue (and nose) and ignored posters and the whole set up nature of the event and would have been there last Saturday, if Firey was there, for me it was the point. I have been thinking about it, I would not have driven, I couldn't have, but snoozing on a train would have been fine, trailing a big trolly suitcase (like going on holiday) with phono stages in it. BUT you also know if I did then Firey wouldn't be there, and if you had told me I probably would have done that. Sadly I think Firey would have immediately shoved it all back in his car and buggered off.

[savvypaul]

I'd like to see more bake-offs happen...but not involving dealers. A network of enthusiasts who are willing to open up their home listening rooms to other enthusiasts could be a community / social project worth getting involved in.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

I absolutely agree, they should not be involved. Sadly that is what happens behind the scenes at Wigwam, in the past much more so and most of that has now passed to Audio Abattoir, sadly it seems in both case nva and myself are not welcome.

[Lurcher300b]

I should just point out that meeting at MCRU for the phono shoot out was Richards suggestion in the first place.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

You know perfectly well what happened, as soon as I suggested it MCRU hijacked it. It turned basically into a non event, and as soon as certain people found I wasn't coming it became an almost event again.

[savvypaul]

I absolutely agree, they should not be involved. Sadly that is what happens behind the scenes at Wigwam, in the past much more so and most of that has now passed to Audio Abattoir, sadly it seems in both case nva and myself are not welcome.

You are exposing the truth that most folks are now paying around 50% more for 'specialist' hifi than they really need to. That is a difficult reality to accept. The internet has changed what is possible. Indeed, many enthusiasts now buy online from dealers, without even a demo, so the 50% extra is for little more than the dealer posting the item to them and handling some returns. As an enthusiast / consumer, I WANT to buy direct from manufacturer, without dealer margin and with money-back home trial.

Maybe a bake-off 'society', independent of any one forum and excluding dealers, could happen at some time in the future...

[Lurcher300b]

as soon as I suggested it MCRU hijacked it

Like Greg you seem to be certain of your view of the truth.