New Collaboration with Ascilab!

[amirm]

Well, and there I see the problem. I believe you’re missing the core of the concern.

I am not missing anything. But maybe you are.

When I was at Microsoft, Bill Gates had a passion about digital media so we would have roughly yearly reviews in front of him. Invariably, Bill would ask for a feature. Being a nonhierarchical company, as soon as we left the meeting, the team would ignore his suggestion and continue on our planned development path. We would then go in front of him the next year with him now quite angry that the feature he asked for still wasn't there. Other groups would do the same by the way. Eventually I pulled the team aside told them to implement what he was asking. They pushed back saying nobody else had asked for it. My answer? As the founder of the company, and who he was, he gets the privilege of asking for a feature of two. He certainly had earned it. So the feature(s) were added and life was much better in follow up reviews.

Likewise, as the founder and creator of this site, I have given you all so much of my life. For heaven's sake, don't keep badgering me with what I already know and certainly not with silly ideas of allowing every company to add more commercial content to the site. I have written the book on how to run a site with absolute integrity, putting your desires ahead of everything else. Asking for more is just so insulting. You want me to put a dealer in my title??? Really?

So let me be clear: this is a new venture for me (really for my brother but let's go with it) and as an evolution of ASR. Some of you won't like this in which case, you can leave without it hurting my feelings. Others hopefully will benefit from products that they can buy in US with local support -- something many of you have bitterly complained about. And in the process, we make it easier for people to identify and buy superbly engineered products.

 

[amirm]

I think with proper tagging, everyone will make clear from which "role" you are speaking from, as either audio science reviewer or dealer.

It will make no difference at all. People who want to complain, will complain. As I have explained, I get all of these complaints already with people falsely accusing me of being on the take with Chinese companies. No amount of disclaimer, etc. is going to make a difference for people who just want to be negative. Indeed, in the past I was forced to put disclaimers in the reviews for this and that suggested reason, only to take them out as they are so silly.

I am here, ready for you all to think of the worst. It is what I live with it. I firmly believe the new venture is good for the community with some impact on ASR.

 

[amirm]

I expect Amir to review AsciLab-branded loudspeakers as they become available to purchase and wonder if this will leave him with less time to measure other loudspeakers ?

In countless situations, companies have pulled me into their announcement cycles, forcing me to put their reviews ahead of others as to have them ready by the due date. So what you are worried about, is something I am already doing for other companies. My throughput is variable and depends far more on what else is going in my life than these factors. To wit, summer is here and I will be spending more time outside the house.

 

[Matias]

It will make no difference at all. People who want to complain, will complain. As I have explained, I get all of these complaints already with people falsely accusing me of being on the take with Chinese companies. No amount of disclaimer, etc. is going to make a difference for people who just want to be negative. Indeed, in the past I was forced to put disclaimers in the reviews for this and that suggested reason, only to take them out as they are so silly.

I am here, ready for you all to think of the worst. It is what I live with it. I firmly believe the new venture is good for the community with some impact on ASR.

Haters gonna hate. All celebrities, athletes, artists, everyone exposed to the large public need to be able to live with that, focussing on the right people, ignoring the haters and doing their best. It is what it is.

 

[PristineSound]

My answer? As the founder of the company, and who he was, he gets the privilege of asking for a feature of two. He certainly had earned it.

Ehhh, yeah, you're right; eff those badges, sorry that I even suggested it few pages back. Just continue to be conscientious of conflict of interest (not saying you won't) and carry the heck on doing what you what you do.

At the end of the day, we all as consumers need to hold ourselves accountable for our own purchasing decisions, don't blame it on marketing and influencers, in this case reviewers.

 

[amarsicola]

So let me be clear: this is a new venture for me (really for my brother but let's go with it) and as an evolution of ASR.

I tend to disagree this time. ASR is a community where you are the leader, still a community. Your company is yours, it should be just another very welcome dealer on our Desperate Dealers forum.

 

[voodooless]

As the founder of the company, and who he was, he gets the privilege of asking for a feature of two. He certainly had earned it.

Except that we are not your co-workers, and instead of ignoring you, we actually tell you to your virtual face what we think about your choices. Whatever you choose to do, it's still your choice to make, but running a community isn’t the same as leading a company, as you very well know. In a review and science platform, credibility doesn’t scale with tenure, it scales with consistency and transparency.

certainly not with silly ideas of allowing every company to add more commercial content to the site.

I don't have such ideas... Not sure where you got that from...

I have written the book on how to run a site with absolute integrity, putting your desires ahead of everything else. Asking for more is just so insulting.

I'm not asking for more, just ask to continue as you already did. Just stop the rhetorical guilt-tripping.

You want me to put a dealer in my title??? Really?

I don't care much about the badges, I haven't even asked for badges.

So let me be clear: this is a new venture for me (really for my brother but let's go with it) and as an evolution of ASR. Some of you won't like this in which case, you can leave without it hurting my feelings. Others hopefully will benefit from products that they can buy in US with local support -- something many of you have bitterly complained about. And in the process, we make it easier for people to identify and buy superbly engineered products.

You’re presenting this as if tying ASR’s evolution is the only (or inevitable) way to solve a user problem. That’s a false dilemma.

People who want to complain, will complain. As I have explained, I get all of these complaints already with people falsely accusing me of being on the take with Chinese companies.

Except that these are, in general, not your own forum members. Stop playing the victim here. The fact that some complaints are invalid doesn't mean they all are. Are some of us now falsely accusing you of conflicts of interest? If so, please explain how that is the case.

If this is an evolution of ASR, please just be clear and transparent about it. From your OP, this is not clear:

Please note: the ASR mission remains unchanged

Yet now you say:

So let me be clear: this is a new venture for me (really for my brother but let's go with it) and as an evolution of ASR

To me, these things are not congruent and should warrant further explanation. And yes, you say:

I will continue to judge every product impartially, regardless of whether it’s sold by our new company.

I have no doubt this will be true, but from my point of view, this isn't all of ASR's mission.

 

[Thighsofsteel]

And in the process, we make it easier for people to identify and buy superbly engineered products.

Which as I have said up thread is one of the functions of this great site isn’t it? We come here to get away from the Shunyata and Peter Belt cultists and when it’s being offered with someone putting their money where their mouth is, there is just a torrent of complaining.
I am in the UK so this doesn’t effect me, but FFS see this for what it is.!

 

[AudioJester]

Except that we are not your co-workers, and instead of ignoring you, we actually tell you to your virtual face what we think about your choices. Whatever you choose to do, it's still your choice to make, but running a community isn’t the same as leading a company, as you very well know. In a review and science platform, credibility doesn’t scale with tenure, it scales with consistency and transparency.

I don't have such ideas... Not sure where you got that from...

I'm not asking for more, just ask to continue as you already did. Just stop the rhetorical guilt-tripping.

I don't care much about the badges, I haven't even asked for badges.

You’re presenting this as if tying ASR’s evolution is the only (or inevitable) way to solve a user problem. That’s a false dilemma.

Except that these are, in general, not your own forum members. Stop playing the victim here. The fact that some complaints are invalid doesn't mean they all are. Are some of us now falsely accusing you of conflicts of interest? If so, please explain how that is the case.

If this is an evolution of ASR, please just be clear and transparent about it. From your OP, this is not clear:

Yet now you say:

To me, these things are not congruent and should warrant further explanation. And yes, you say:

I have no doubt this will be true, but from my point of view, this isn't all of ASR's mission.

The problem is you have annointed yourself an expert on the situation, and think you are right. But you are just one opinion among many. Then you keep repeating the same thing again and again. You made your point as others have, no one owes you anything, least of all Amir. Time to move on?

 

[Sokel]

Evolution of ASR is only by more people with the right credentials and knowledge.
Something like the early days but boosted x1000.

Evolution through products is a whole other game and should be totally separated. It's like the joke we did years ago about "ASR approved" tags on gear which is funny and absurd.
Yes, Asci's look nice, others look nice too, it's only gear, it won't change the world. I would stick to the fun side of it as I always do about audio (while I'm VERY serious about music) .

 

[prestigetone]

I think at the very least there should be a badge for "Industry Insider," and the same rules apply to anyone selling anything. It seems a bit disenguous to start a discussion about this new partnership and then only listen to the opinions that are in support of what your opinion is. People who think they can do no wrong, generally are the ones doing more harm when they least suspect. Taking people's suggestions as criticism or a personal judgement seems misguided. I think the best bosses, CEOs and leaders thank people for their input and take it under actual consideration.

 

[amirm]

It seems a bit disenguous to start a discussion about this new partnership and then only listen to the opinions that are in support of what your opinion is.

This is not a discussion. It was an announcement. Nothing is changed as a result of posts here.

I think the best bosses, CEOs and leaders thank people for their input and take it under actual consideration.

Best bosses are able to have a good read on people's true intentions and capabilities. They also know who to listen to, and who not. I recall when I asked membership for feedback on getting into speaker testing, many thought it was a bad idea. That they were too big and subject to high risk of damage in shipping to say nothing of high cost of instrumentation. Yet, here we are.

 

[amirm]

If this is an evolution of ASR, please just be clear and transparent about it.

I have been. Here it is again:

1. Members, companies and retailers will continue to send me products to test. I will also purchase some as I always have. Reviews use the same standardized protocols, leading with objective measurement. Members can disagree with the review in posts and in polls as they have always been able to do so.

2. If there is any chance of conflict of interest in my subjective remarks, a clear disclaimer will be in the review as there has been since inception.

3. There will now be a clear and easy way for members to find select few products that are subjected to vigorous testing and recommendation by me. These will products will get no more or less coverage as far as reviews in ASR.

4. A few in the industry may take offense to this and reduce their involvement in ASR. Likewise a few members may become unhappy. This is understood and is part of the calculous of this new effort.

5. There will be no change in my title, where I post, etc. Please don't continue to make these suggestions and certainly not demand that they be put in place. You have been heard and are saying nothing I don't know per #4 above.

 

[Madlop26]

ugh; like if Amir owns anything to any of the guys here, I will remain thankful for countless hours he spent educating people myself included, I will never ride this ungrateful transparency nonsenses crusade. don't you get it, he does not even own you that.

 

[Pearljam5000]

Who cares what collaborations and businesses Amir has
This forum is great
He can do whatever he wants and it doesn't bother me at all

 

[Esprit]

He can do whatever he wants and it doesn't bother me at all

As long as he continues to test Genelec

 

[amarsicola]

As long as he continues to test Genelec

That'll be a good test, as well as more directly competing brands such as kef, ascend, march, kali and dutch...
Also I'm waiting for black friday vouchers and Erin admitted back to the forum. We'll see.

 

[CJPopovich]

Fantastic, love it. Congrats! This is def cause for me to make some questionable decisions soon....

 

[prestigetone]

That'll be a good test, as well as more directly competing brands such as kef, ascend, march, kali and dutch...
Also I'm waiting for black friday vouchers and Erin admitted back to the forum. We'll see.

Erin is allowed I don’t think he wants back in.

 

[RickS]

Erin is allowed I don’t think he wants back in.

Cannot speak for Erin but his account is still open. He has not posted for 3 years.