[skilzygw]

I actually know some one who bought a paor of the white van of acoustic something or others. But i know how everyone says its a scam and this and that. But then why do I read so many posts on other forums saying how great they are. And it was great for the price etc....


Are they smoking something i thought these things where supposed to contain the cheapest of materials sometimes even coming without a cross-over.


Is this just a case where ignorance is bliss?


Thanks!

 

[Bigus]

People think their Bose systems sound great too. I suppose when you spend money on something, you can't help but convince yourself that it was money well spent, and likely will defend that purchase to others who might think otherwise.

 

[JohnR_IN_LA]

Yep ignorance is bliss... on the other hand... my luxury Toyota Avalon came with a single capicitor as the crossover for its front channel tweeters...


THey are horrible speakers, people like em because they look pretty good.

 

[danbry39]

Curious as to which forums you're referring to which laud the white van speakers.

 

[skilzygw]

I believe it was something like

ecoustics.com

 

[Bigus]

There are a few people there who are defending their purchases. The majority of them feel they were scammed, though some still think the speakers are a "decent" value considering what they paid. Most just don't know any better.


I suppose, seeing the prices Bose charges for products of equal worthlessness, that the value might not be that bad after all. What's worse... $200 for some crappy tower speakers, or $1200 for some crappy miniature plastic single driver cubes?

 

[Tom_Bombadil]

I would add that the sales pitch itself can influence people to perceive that the sound is better than it really is. A good pitchman can convince the buyer that the product is of very high quality. Someone who thinks they just got a $900/pr of speakers for $300, will be inclined to perceiving them to sound good.


Witness that placebo medication can cure symptoms. I've read of people who had suffered from frequent migrane headaches for many years ... to the point of debiliating them & losing their jobs ... and signed up to take experimental medication. Then they were assigned into the control group that received placebos. Of course they weren't told this. These people were "cured" by the placebos, their headaches stopped and never came back.


The mind is a powerful thing. If it can convince someone that they are cured of migrane headaches, it can certainly make you believe something sounds better than it does.


Then again, perhaps they were easy to satisfy. The speakers are made of really cheap materials, including the drivers. They are not high (or medium) quality in any way. But if someone likes them, then more power to them.

 

[eulogytool]

Why don't those people get a different vehicle? They have to know everyone is on to them.

 

[Sevenfeet]

Denial is a powerful emotion....it clouds the judgement of otherwise normal people.

 

[Johnla]

Quote:

Originally posted by eulogytool Why don't those people get a different vehicle? They have to know everyone is on to them.

Well, they have been known to use green vans also, and even a few SUV's.


So I think they have tried that.....

 

[wje]

Quote:

Why don't those people get a different vehicle? They have to know everyone is on to them.

I think this is because white vans comprise of a majority of utility vehicles that are sold. Heck, look at the D.C. sniper issues that we had last fall. A white van was spotted near the first few shootings, so white vans were being checked out left and right.

 

[utstimpy]

Quote:

Originally posted by Johnla Well, they have been known to use green vans also, and even a few SUV's. So I think they have tried that.....

Yep they approached me in a Chevy Suburban....





...a white Chevy Suburban

 

[Iguana Man]

Well I actually bought a pair years ago, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Gotta be at least 15 years or more. Anyway, I still have them in my living room and they're used for my TV watching and occasional cd playing. My serious listening is done through B&W DM604S2's in a separate HT/Music room. That said, for $180 bucks (pair) they really aren't that bad. They've got 10" woofers and can get relatively deep, so for TV (no surround) and an occasional cd, they're ok. Do they compare to the B&W's, absolutely, positively NOT.


Bottom line is, for $180 bucks, they still sound decent for non-critical listening, they've lasted 15 years, they look decent, and they're still better than "Blose". So, I'm not raving about them, nor do I think I'm defending them just because I bought them (hell, I could blame my ignorant youthfulness if I wanted!), but they ain't all that bad........


Ok, bring on the flames.....

 

[Tom_Bombadil]

Anyone wanting to get in on some, there are plenty of opportunities on eBay:


One of the "high-end" white van speakers:

Search on "Denmark Speakers"


A three-way:

Search on: "Acoustic Response 707"


Look for brand names like "Denmark", "Acoustic Response", "Dynalab", "Acoustic Image".

 

[zooplancton]

if your one to justify a purchase of a pair of "who knows" speakers from a guy in a van -(down by the river) then by all means these just might be the speaker for you.


we all can't afford what we really want, and this may fit someone's needs.

-b


--(i traded a car for a pair years ago, and take them to burningman hoping they would crap out, but they don't. hahahaha. they stay unused in the garage for holding up a table top).

 

[Mit07]

In some regards most speakers are sold out of a "white van." The internet is the "white van" that sells Rockets and Axioms, the advertising and store demos are the "white vans" that sell Bose, and the esoteric boutique stores are the "white vans" that sell B&O speakers. White vans are everywhere!

 

[pete GTP]

Actually those are not good white van examples. AFAIK all those companies you mention offer some kind of service. The horror stories I read about the true white van speakers is they give you a number to call for warranty issues or to return them but no one has had any luck doing this.

Quote:

Originally posted by Mit07 In some regards most speakers are sold out of a "white van." The internet is the "white van" that sells Rockets and Axioms, the advertising and store demos are the "white vans" that sell Bose, and the esoteric boutique stores are the "white vans" that sell B&O speakers. White vans are everywhere!

 

[Bigus]

Are you equating Axiom and Rockets with the same level of quality as the white van speakers???



Damn... I'm running away as fast as I can and I still feel the heat...

 

[Mit07]

NO!! I'm not comparing the quality of white van speakers to Rockets, Axiom, Bose or B&O.


The point I'm trying to make is that all speakers are sold with some type of marketing - it's the only way we can distinguish and make a decision between the hundreds of speakers available.


The white van folks are marketing to people who THINK they are getting an incredible value, the internet companies are marketing to the people who believe in the supply chain, value and virtual community that the internet offers, the Bose folks are marketing to people with money who like name brands and lifestyle products, the B&O folks are marketing to people who like high end esoteric gear that distinguishes itself from the crowd.


Maybe my examples are not perfect - but let's face the truth that we are all effected by marketing.