New Collaboration with Ascilab!

[Esprit]

The relationship allows us to be involved in the design cycle of the future models

So now we will not buy anything else while waiting for these news...
Best wishes to you and your brother for this initiative.

 

[EERecordist]

Hello everyone,

I’m excited to announce an important collaboration with Ascilab. As many of you know, Ascilab has delivered an incredible range of speakers that embody the best in engineering and science — all at amazingly affordable prices. Even better, the company actively listens to ASR member input and feedback.

Today, I’m announcing that we will be taking on exclusive distribution and marketing of Ascilab products in North America!

We will be setting up a new company to handle this, which my brother will run. He brings over 40 years of experience in audio retail and service/repair. I will support the venture through funding and marketing, while he will manage day-to-day operations.

That is great news. Once the trade situation settles down, there may be more manufacturers seeking a Northwest US distributor. Microphone manufacturer Line Audio Design in Sweden comes to mind. As a distributor, you will be issuing press releases, and possibly going to trade shows, so some thought might be given to when to mention or not mention ASR.

 

[prestigetone]

How do you know the data isn’t biased? Data can be manipulated (this is not an insinuation, don’t take it that way, just making a point!). I do not understand why folks are pushing back for Amir to not review products where he has financial interest. I would think others would be requesting same given the situation. You must admit for an outsider looking in on ASR, this does not look good. Perception is reality.

The data from Klippel is what it is. If they changed the data in any way and then Erin reviewed it, it would be so obvious and ASR would lose all credibility. Also @MKR you speak of this bias and yet say so many things about Soundfield besting every brand out there without a single measurement of your own to back it up. Pot meet kettle. Your bias knows no bounds.

My only concern with this is if the prices go up because of the need for distribution margins. I would always much rather buy from the source than pay a cut to the distribution channel just for covering shipping. Maybe this is why they are all sold out now on the Ascilab website.

It makes sense given ASR's focus but I am disappointed that AsciLab's intention was to be a disruptor in the audio market and sell to consumers at a great price. So much for that. I see their prices going way up.

 

[kyuu]

Does anyone actually read the opinion bit in ASR reviews? I only notice them when they highlight a negative, anything else I have no interest in, I don't have the same ears, same preferences or the same room, it's next to meaningless.

Yes, I do, as it's important to contextualize the data with listening impressions. Amir is a trained listener with known biases (he likes it to be able to get loud without substantial distortion, prefers wide dispersion), he's not just any subjective reviewer. I don't blame anyone if they largely ignore the subjective portion of the review in favor of the data, but I do think you miss important information by doing that. You don't have to agree with Amir or consider him infallible, of course.

 

[MKR]

The data from Klippel is what it is. If they changed the data in any way and then Erin reviewed it, it would be so obvious and ASR would lose all credibility. Also @MKR you speak of this bias and yet say so many things about Soundfield besting every brand out there without a single measurement of your own to back it up. Pot meet kettle. Your bias knows no bounds.

My only concern with this is if the prices go up because of the need for distribution margins. I would always much rather buy from the source than pay a cut to the distribution channel just for covering shipping. Maybe this is why they are all sold out now on the Ascilab website.

It makes sense given ASR's focus but I am disappointed that AsciLab's intention was to be a disruptor in the audio market and sell to consumers at a great price. So much for that. I see their prices going way up.

You seem to look for opportunities to personally attack me, and some weird vendetta against me and specific speaker companies, even though I have never done anything to you. It’s a bit creepy, don’t you think? Of course I like specific brands, many do, and absolutely I am biased, I am allowed to be, not a product reviewer. Never claimed otherwise. We all are allowed to like what we like, and you don’t have to like what I like.

 

[Timcognito]

I don't blame anyone if they largely ignore the subjective portion of the review in favor of the data, but I do think you miss important information by doing that. You don't have to agree with Amir or consider him infallible, of course.

This is true, and where most electronics now being at level where accuracy is high is and distortion inaudible, Amir tends not to review or care about features or user interface where the value may be on a number of products, instead focusing on I/O testing. He has stated that there are plenty of sources for that kind of subjective information. Measurements are his thing.

 

[RickS]

Let's play nice and stay on topic please!

 

[Dzhaughn]

Amir has been running a business with a relationship to Harman/JBL the entire time. Have you not noticed the disclaimers on every review of those products? I expect we will see similar disclaimers on reviews of Ascilabs products going forward.

Regardless, the data is the data.

The data is, hopefully, reproduced elsewhere, eventually. (But I recall the temperature of the testing room skewing frequency response with a genelec. It's not easy.) But decisions about what equipment to measure, what parameters to emphasize, what to recommend, and what to test is controversial. Will Amir be equally inclined to test a promising but similar speaker from another company? There's a long queue of things to test, after all.

Will ASR distribute, implicitly endorsing, other products going forward? Does that skew things? Does this fit with its goals?

Even if Amir is utterly unbiased person in the world, this is still trading off the *appearance* of neutrality, which is useful.

For me, there is no bright line here. It's not for me to say what Amir should or shouldn't do. I appreciate ASR and expect I will continue to either way.

 

[Esprit]

Will the company only market AsciLab or in the future also other brands that do not currently have a distributor in North America?
In short, will it be an "AsciLab USA" type company or an importer-distributor?

 

[amirm]

The accusation that I am biased exists currently and strongly so from naysayers outside the forum. As soon as I go and say something, this comes up, all the way to claiming I have financial dealings with Chinese companies. I realize this may increase some but as someone said, the people complaining have no intention to be in our camp whether this is a a fact or not.

As to testing gear, you all and companies decide what I test. You and them send me stuff and I test them. It is one in a thousand chance that I go and seek out products to test.

Note that I have made no commitment to sainthood. I have done my best to be above board for nearly a decade, refusing countless offers to turn on advertising, sponsorships, etc. This is the best I can do to keep our impartiality. Asking me to do more when others are not remotely in the same place seems out of line. Which other reviewer you go to that runs a completely non-monetary operation?

So sure, if you are unhappy and want to leave, not read my reviews, etc., that is fine and is something I figured would happen.

 

[prestigetone]

The accusation that I am biased exists currently and strongly so from naysayers outside the forum. As soon as I go and say something, this comes up, all the way to claiming I have financial dealings with Chinese companies. I realize this may increase some but as someone said, the people complaining have no intention to be in our camp whether this is a a fact or not.

As to testing gear, you all and companies decide what I test. You and them send me stuff and I test them. It is one in a thousand chance that I go and seek out products to test.

Note that I have made no commitment to sainthood. I have done my best to be above board for nearly a decade, refusing countless offers to turn on advertising, sponsorships, etc. This is the best I can do to keep our impartiality. Asking me to do more when others are not remotely in the same place seems out of line. Which other reviewer you go to that runs a completely non-monetary operation?

So sure, if you are unhappy and want to leave, not read my reviews, etc., that is fine and is something I figured would happen.

Out of all the products you could have chosen to back and work with, this is probably the best one with the best fit for ASR. It's like saying there can be bias in an air quality measurement. The proof is in the proverbial pudding.

 

[Hipocrates]

So sure, if you are unhappy and want to leave, not read my reviews, etc., that is fine and is something I figured would happen.

Hear! hear!

Congrats on the new endeavor!

 

[TemploAztlan]

The relationship allows us to be involved in the design cycle of the future models. This would be more on the side of evaluation/testing/market feedback than design. They know a lot more about design than I do.

Are there any plans for a tower loudspeaker?

 

[AudioJester]

Let's play nice and stay on topic please!

Well I am angry...... that Amir and brother have not taken on distribution of Ascilabs in Australia!

What an exciting project to be part of - congrats and best wishes Amir!

I remember when @Ascilabs first had measurements posted on here. Like many others, it was how is this possible? Who are these guys?
Iam glad they have taken their time and launched successfully. As well as being brilliant product developers I am admiring their way of doing business.

 

[dtaylo1066]

Good luck. Sure you want to work that much again?

 

[DNA16S]

Many time following amirm and I think he has a great reputation. We all know that he usually disclosures honestly (e.g. Madrona). All of us have bias (because of the brand, the price, the looks...). For instance, if I compare my Yamaha A-S2200 vs my FOSI V3 Mono I'm biased to think that the Yammy will sound better (for Heaven's Sake, it costs 20 times more!) but, at the end, I have both because objectivelly I've found that for the price, the Fosi is an outstanding amp. Thus, what I mean is that if we accept we can be biased we can correct it and I'm sure amirm will do (my doubt is if newbies will understand the same). Congrats, amirm

 

[PristineSound]

It's really freaking crazy with some crowds here. I don't know where everyone is from or lives, but here in America, it's a capitalist economy with free enterprise. If someone wants to start a business venture, a honest business, with his own money and taking on all the risk themselves and it's not something like drug dealing, in which it harms other people. What is wrong with that?

Maybe the only possible complaint is that he is going to be an exclusive distributor, so there may be some monopoly concern, but that is how the entire distribution network works throughout the world, so there is no exception.

Yes, he so happen to be a reviewer, but he is transparent what he is doing and the relationship he now has with a manufacturer and his business interests, so that you can be watchful.

If you feel that his reviews will be bias from now on, then don't read his reviews or take it with a grain of salt. You are all grown adults with a functional brain to think for yourself. And if I were to buy anything based solely on Amir's recommendation than I'm the one accountable.

As I've mentioned before, which I'm going to mention again, I have never ever listen to everything Amir had to say, nor have I ever took any of his recommendations with anything more than a grain of salt. If I were to buy anything based on his review, I make sure I have the ability to return it. The real value I get out of Amir's review is the data and the community that ASR has built.

 

[waldo2]

Hello everyone,

I’m excited to announce an important collaboration with Ascilab. As many of you know, Ascilab has delivered an incredible range of speakers that embody the best in engineering and science — all at amazingly affordable prices. Even better, the company actively listens to ASR member input and feedback.
View attachment 458407
One challenge remains: Ascilab is based in South Korea, which makes shipping to other countries expensive and logistically complicated. To address this, Ascilab recently partnered with Audiophonics in the EU — an excellent choice — and continues to work with Purité Audio in the UK, another great partner.

Today, I’m announcing that we will be taking on exclusive distribution and marketing of Ascilab products in North America!

We will be setting up a new company to handle this, which my brother will run. He brings over 40 years of experience in audio retail and service/repair. I will support the venture through funding and marketing, while he will manage day-to-day operations.

Due to long lead time and shipping, it will be a couple of months before we are up and running.

Please note: the ASR mission remains unchanged. I will continue to judge every product impartially, regardless of whether it’s sold by our new company.

This was not an easy decision, as audio distribution comes with many risks. However, I believe this is a unique opportunity to increase the availability of well-engineered products and make it easier for people in North America to purchase them.

I hope I can count on your support to make this new venture successful — it’s a positive outcome for all of us.

Thank you!

P.S. Here are my reviews of two of their models if you have not seen them yet:

F6Bs sealed bookshelf: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/ascilab-f6bs-speaker-review.63324/
F6B passive radiator bookshelf: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s/ascilab-f6b-bookshelf-speaker-review.63387/

Sorry to be a downer, but this creates a clear conflict of interest. Future speaker reviews can’t help but take the ascilabs’ interests into consideration. It isn’t a matter of integrity. The problem is structural. It can’t be cured by disclosure. Imagine the howl if stereophile became a speaker distributor.

 

[voodooless]

Imagine the howl if stereophile became a speaker distributor.

They already get money from advertisers that skews their reviews…. The only people howling will be the other companies.

Regardless, the only thing of value there is the measurement, and they don’t lie.

 

[xanalog]

I was going to say something, but decided it was superfluous.

My chatBot recommended "May you reach for the stars, and be gracious in accepting a fancy new RV as a comp!"