Anyone have experience with this brand?

[darrinps]

Acoustic Audio.

They LOOK nice for as cheap as they are and I thought they might work fine as garage speakers, but I'd like to know if anyone is familiar with them.

Are they OK?

BTW, here is some information on them:

[jrhymeammo]

DONT DO IT.

Just go to a local thrift store and pick up a pair of $10 floorstander made by Sony or Yamaha. Or go to Craigslist and pick up some vintage Rockers.
If you are looking to spend $50, then grab a pair of $50 speakers from some places I've listed above.

Or you can get these. I think they will satsify what you are looking in your garage.

http://www.overstock.com/Electronics/SDAT-E70-Hi-Fi-Floorstanding-Speaker-System/1467192/product.html?ak=1

I have no experience with a pair listed on the link. But if I was to acquire speakers for a garage, then I would go with those.

[filecat13]

My advice is to avoid them. They may look nice now, but once you pay your money and take them home you'll find:

a) They don't look nearly as pretty in the cold light of morning;
b) The sound of their cheap voices and the smell of their cheap bodies will gnaw at your aching senses;
c) They'll leave you with a host of unexpected problems and complications that you're neither prepared to deal with nor able to explain;
d) Even after you find a way to get rid of them, they'll haunt you for years with memories of your foolish indiscretion.

:blush2:

We're talking about cheap speakers, right?

[darrinps]

Well, I see that you can bid on them and get them for around $30-$40 shipped so I'm going to go ahead and take a gamble. At that price my expectations will be really low so if they sound like crap no big deal.

I'll report my findings back here. Who knows, maybe they will be OK! I mean, the specs look almost too good to be true and the materials looks nice...they surely couldn't lie THAT much could they?

[SlumpBuster]

I reserved judgment for a moment, but my radar was going off when I first saw this post a couple days ago. Shill.

Inwall garage speakers? Two unequivocal "no" answers, and "Well, I'm gonna try them anyway, because they look so good." At least shill is better than spam.

Anyone wanna bet what the verdict is going to be when he "reports back" his findings?

At least this guy's at customer service.
http://www.thedeepdiscount.com/ebay/images/customerservice_pic.jpg

[darrinps]

I reserved judgment for a moment, but my radar was going off when I first saw this post a couple days ago. Shill.

Inwall garage speakers? Two unequivocal "no" answers, and "Well, I'm gonna try them anyway, because they look so good." At least shill is better than spam.

Anyone wanna bet what the verdict is going to be when he "reports back" his findings?

At least this guy's at customer service.
http://www.thedeepdiscount.com/ebay/images/customerservice_pic.jpg

Well, it's a good thing you reserved judement, because I am in no way affiliated with Acoustic Audio or the seller. I've been a member here for many years...I just had to sign back up because I took a year or so off.

For example, here I am back in 2002 reviewing a set of AR 2062s I used in a home theater setup: http://www.audioreview.com/cat/speakers/bookshelf-speakers/acoustic-research/PRD_130390_4290crx.aspx


And here in 2001 talking about my (then) sub $4000 HT setup: http://archive.audioreview.com/07/0EE99D36.php

As far as what the other two "reviewers" said, if you would read closely, you would see that neither one had experience with these speakers. One was thinking that it would be better to look elsewhere at the $50 price range (again, I think I can get these 10-20 less than that) and the other was just kidding.

If they sound like crap then that is what I will report. If they sound fine then I'll report that too, but in either case I'll give an HONEST opinion...just like I did years ago.

Maybe next time you won't be so quick to judge.

[filecat13]

Actually, I'm not kidding. You're going to get a $40 screwing.

[darrinps]

Actually, I'm not kidding. You're going to get a $40 screwing.

Just how do you <b>know</b>?

Have you bought these and not mentioned it?

I imagine the first set of every new speaker (including the good ones) that hits the market are met with skepticism but you never know the good from the bad until someone steps up and reports on the things. I was hoping that someone already had done this, but since no one seems to have done so, $30 or $40 isn't going to exactly break the bank!

Anyway, we'll know soon enough.

[SlumpBuster]

here I am back in 2002

And here in

So what? Here I am back in 1976. Doesn't prove anything.

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rwgvfp3jlvc"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rwgvfp3jlvc" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

Yes, mom. Yes, it did feel good.

[darrinps]

So what? Here I am back in 1976. Doesn't prove anything.


It shows I've been here for six years and while it is possible that I could have a connection with the seller (which I don't) you would think that at least someone who has been here that long would get the benefit of the doubt...but some folks are just born critics I guess.

All I wanted to know is if anyone had experience with these speakers before I bought them and you accused me of being a shill...now I remember why I took that time off from here.

Anyway, I'll post back what I find out when I get the things (assuming I win the auction)...if you don't want to know then don't read the review.

[SlumpBuster]

Jeez Louise... Just havin' some fun. I thought my video link kinda suggested that. So you're not a shill. Okay. Just been having alot of them around here lately. I didn't accuse you of being a shill because you asked about some speakers.

I accused of being a shill for being a brand new member (okay, so you kicked it around 5 years ago), asking about a "white van speaker" that is selling for 10% of its supposed MSRP, then disregarding the warnings. Plus, the "in-wall garage speaker" was somewhat unusual. Your distinction between asking people if they have had actual experience is form over substance. You don't need to have actually had Thunderbird or Night Train wine to know it isn't any good. Same thing with the white van speakers proliferating Ebay and the Interwebs. The cream of bargain basement budget gear will always raise to the top, e.g. that Realistic diskman back in the 90's, the T-amp, and the Insignia bookshelves. These are not that. Oh, yeah, and you got all sh!tty with filecat.

Sorry if I jumped the gun. I will keep an eye out for your review.

[filecat13]

Just how do you <b>know</b>?

Have you bought these and not mentioned it?

I imagine the first set of every new speaker (including the good ones) that hits the market are met with skepticism but you never know the good from the bad until someone steps up and reports on the things. I was hoping that someone already had done this, but since no one seems to have done so, $30 or $40 isn't going to exactly break the bank!

Anyway, we'll know soon enough.


How do I know? I don't need to do something stupid to know that it's stupid. I've never jumped off a bridge, but I know it's a dumb idea. I've never had $5000 surgery done by someone who said he'd do it for $150. I've never sent money to someone I don't know who promised me a great product that I'd never heard of in an industry that's replete with scammers and rip-off artists who prey on naive consumers and who showed me one picture and promised me I'm getting hundreds of dollars in value for less than $50.

IOW, if you're determined to run head first into a brick wall, don't come here and ask us if you should do it, and when we tell you "No, you shouldn't," get all uppity with us and say that since we didn't run into a brick wall ourselves, who are we to tell you not to do it.

Just buy the darn things and either keep silent that you really bought some crappy speakers and wasted your money, or come back and tell us how we're all fools and you are the first person ever who bought into something like this and got just the best product ever. We'll totally believe you. :sleep:

[darrinps]

How do I know? I don't need to do something stupid to know that it's stupid. I've never jumped off a bridge, but I know it's a dumb idea.

So you've never bought a lottery ticket? Never taken a chance at anything at all? I'm not exactly risking the family farm here!


IOW, if you're determined to run head first into a brick wall, don't come here and ask us if you should do it, and when we tell you "No, you shouldn't," get all uppity with us and say that since we didn't run into a brick wall ourselves, who are we to tell you not to do it.

If someone who had actually listened to the things said not to buy them, I would listen...but when someone just says they must be crap because they are inexpensive then that doesn't amount to too much.


Just buy the darn things and either keep silent that you really bought some crappy speakers and wasted your money, or come back and tell us how we're all fools and you are the first person ever who bought into something like this and got just the best product ever. We'll totally believe you. :sleep:

Well I ended up doing just that and paid about $29 total including shipping for the things. They arrived the other day and I'm niether shocked nor amazed so far. The speakers themselves look like good quality components and the housing is actually fairly nice (just like most other brands with six screw down clamps). In fact, just looking at them from the front you could see the things selling for as much as a low-mid range in wall. The cross over however looks inexpensive and the metal faceplate has some foam backing taped to it which you can tell was cut by hand...of course this doesn't need to stay there so no harm done.

Anyway, as I no longer have other in-walls to compare them too, I haven't listened to them yet, but I'll try to hunt down something in the low-mid range and see how these stack up then I'll post back along with some pictures of the things.

[tdst]

How do I know? I don't need to do something stupid to know that it's stupid. I've never jumped off a bridge, but I know it's a dumb idea. I've never had $5000 surgery done by someone who said he'd do it for $150. I've never sent money to someone I don't know who promised me a great product that I'd never heard of in an industry that's replete with scammers and rip-off artists who prey on naive consumers and who showed me one picture and promised me I'm getting hundreds of dollars in value for less than $50.

IOW, if you're determined to run head first into a brick wall, don't come here and ask us if you should do it, and when we tell you "No, you shouldn't," get all uppity with us and say that since we didn't run into a brick wall ourselves, who are we to tell you not to do it.

Just buy the darn things and either keep silent that you really bought some crappy speakers and wasted your money, or come back and tell us how we're all fools and you are the first person ever who bought into something like this and got just the best product ever. We'll totally believe you. :sleep:

EEGADS!! Nice friendly forum, huh? Try AudioKarma.org. They're a little friendlier, and just a touch more helpful. I hope your speakers sound great.

[filecat13]

EEGADS!! Nice friendly forum, huh? Try AudioKarma.org. They're a little friendlier, and just a touch more helpful. I hope your speakers sound great.

Good advice. Enjoy!

[hydroman]

So when my wife asks me; 'which shoes should i wear' and then slects the other ones...

I have to say to myself - 'why did you ask' if it wasn't for input to the decision.

So i ask you - 'why did you ask - if you were going to do it anyway'?

Help us understand.

Or just wear the d4mn black pumps for pete's sake!

[GTucker]

Naivete and gullibility sometimes go hand in hand. You were computer literate enough to make it to this forum, so I will assume basic computer skills. When you see something that is too good to be true, unless you have money to burn, assume it is as it seems. Take any number of search engines and search the name. When they all lead back to the ebay site, you should start to notice the smell. When you go to the vendor's ebay store and there are several too good to be true items and similar searches all lead you in the same circle, you should be smart enough to know you have a problem.
The responses you received are neither cynical or harsh. The folks responding were just applying a little common sense.
When your searches generate no reviews at any of the numerous review sites, there is most likely a good reason.

[darrinps]

...When you see something that is too good to be true, unless you have money to burn, assume it is as it seems.

Normally I think that is good advice...that's why I asked here first to see if anyone had EXPERIENCE with these.



Take any number of search engines and search the name. When they all lead back to the ebay site, you should start to notice the smell. When you go to the vendor's ebay store and there are several too good to be true items and similar searches all lead you in the same circle, you should be smart enough to know you have a problem.

Again, I would tend to agree...but you don't get anywhere by always assuming that...that's why I hoped someone here would already have tried these out.


The responses you received are neither cynical or harsh. The folks responding were just applying a little common sense.

Now we disagree. All I asked was if anyone had experience with these things....I just wanted some feedback based on that...not assumption, and I certainly didn't appreciate being called a shill!

Anyway...my review of these should be up this evening...just finishing the hosting of the images, etc.

[darrinps]

OK, it took a while but here it is.

I took several pictures of the Acoustic Audio speakers which can be seen here:

http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/3509/1003557nc5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/8086/1003558sp8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/3400/1003559dq0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
By darrinps (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/darrinps)

http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/5869/1003560mu2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
By darrinps (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/darrinps)


http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/9131/1003561mj4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
By darrinps (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/darrinps)


http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/1465/1003562vf8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/1792/1003563ih4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/4752/1003564yx4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I've seen better cross-overs and the tape holding the foam to the grill is a bit iffy, but the quality of the construction and the speakers themselves sure looks the part for a budget speaker.

I needed something to compare against, and since I was hunting for some reasonably priced budget in-walls anyway, I picked up a pair of BIC M60s. These are very inexpensive and can be had in the sub $100/pair range...perfect to compare against IMHO and also fairly respected for their price/performance ratio.

Comparing the BICs to the Acoustic Audios you see that the BICs are a bit better packaged, give better instructions, provide a cutout template, and a different mounting mechanism. Actually, I kind of prefer the AAs with respect to the mounting mechanism, although the BIC's way has advantages in some respects (it uses a frame made of metal, while the AAs use built in clamps made of plastic...easier to work with but maybe not as sturdy depending on the install).

Listening to the speakers I think the BICs sound almost as nice as the AR bookshelfs I have in place. The AAs are fine on the low end, but the mid range isn't there...they just don't sound as "full" as either the BICs or the ARs..not even close really. Maybe they just need to break in (kevlar and titanium take longer right?). Even so, I kind of wonder if this is more a function of their crossover than it is the actual speakers, but at this price I don't have the inclimation to tinker with them much. If anyone wants to volunteer..shot me a message.

Anyway, I hooked up my ARs, the BICs and the AAs and made a sound track which I uploaded to YouTube. Here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DjQdkzQ21A

Hopefully the quality will be such that you can hear what I did...you can probably guess which speaker is which!

In conclusion, for the price I paid (under $30) I can't complain about these I guess. I wouldn't want them in my house, especially when the BICs are cheap and sound quite good, but they'll be fine for mounting in my garage to listen to while lifting.

Questions?

[JohnMichael]

I have wondered about this thread for awhile. Anyone else besides me like it deleted?

[darrinps]

Well...provided that I spent quite a bit of time compiling a review...why would you want to delete the thing?

[audio_dude]

Yes, please make it go away.

edit:

why make it go away? because nobody needs to hear a review of white-van **** when we're interested in actual true audio equipment.

[JohnMichael]

Well...provided that I spent quite a bit of time compiling a review...why would you want to delete the thing?



Your only contribution to AR has been this thread. It is getting shilly in here.

[darrinps]

...why make it go away? because nobody needs to hear a review of white-van **** when we're interested in actual true audio equipment.

Actually, these are sold on eBay (maybe in vans too...don't know)...so some folks, like I was, may be interested in knowing about their quality as compared to similar priced speakers. So, what is so terrible about helping people who might be interested in the low end?

Besides, the BICs aren't a whole lot more and are also sold on eBay yet they sound very nice...for the money. That would be of value to some people IMHO.

Are only certain brands allowed to be talked about here?

Do you have to spend a certain amount on speakers to be worthy of posting here or something?


Sounds like a lot of acoustic snobery to me folks.

[darrinps]

Your only contribution to AR has been this thread. It is getting shilly in here.


Actually I reviewed several other lower end ARs years ago. I guess since I liked the BICs over the Acoustic Audios that now you think I'm a BIC shill?

Come on...do they really need to do that?

[emaidel]

Yes, mom. Yes, it did feel good.

I thought your mother was going to say, "Stop that, or you'll go blind!" and then you were going to respond with, "Well, can I just do it 'till I need glasses?"

[SlumpBuster]

It's like Gilbert Gottfried (sp?) said, "If masturbation was a crime, I'd be on death row."

I don't think this thread should be deleted, whether or not its shilly. Its educational. The AV world is permeated by hucksters and snakeoil salesmen. There are so many myths and urban legends that even well meaning salesmen can tarnish the rep of a respectable manufacturer. I'm thinking of one salesmen that wanted to tell me all about Dynaudio (respectable company) using disreputable myths. Threads like these help demonstrate what you should be on the look out for. Pics and A/B comparison of a $30 set of speakers is just wierd. Couple that with the idea that they are inwall, and its gets just plain even wierder. But, if we let spankingvanillaice through, we can be a little forgiving of this thread.

[darrinps]

I don't think this thread should be deleted, whether or not its shilly. Its educational....

Thank you.

For the life of me I can't understand why people think I'm a shill. Did anyone actually read the review? Did anyone actually listen to the recording? I wasn't doing the AAs any favors here folks.

Some peope are just born cynics I guess.

[johnny p]

I for one appreciate the review.... I would have personnally never bought them, nor reviewed them myself, and I wouldn't purchase them for my garage either b/c I'm sure I can find something laying around (even old shelf system speakers etc) but It looks like Darrinps gave an honest review.... I also think if nothing else, anyone considering purchasing such speakers would certainly decide not to if they checked out this thread.... Keep the thread alive! I like it!

P.S. the "300 Watts!" c'mon AA if you had 2 more exclamation points.... you would have had me!!!! ha!!!

[sn0skier]

You should definitely not delete this thread. I am a moron, but thanks to this thread I avoided paying $150 for some **** speakers. Instead I bought some klipsch speakers and an ADCOM amp and the other **** listed in my equipment on my profile from a guy on craigslist, and it sounds pretty damn good. I actually registered for this site because of the time and money this thread saved me.
You'd think people couldn't lie that much on a specs sheet, but I guess they can. By the way, I totally laughed my ass off when someone posted that jackass customer service guy's pic, because I thought that picture was way weird the first time I saw it, too.
Oh, where does the term shill come from? I figured out what it meant, but it is a strange term.

[Worf101]

You should definitely not delete this thread. I am a moron, but thanks to this thread I avoided paying $150 for some **** speakers. Instead I bought some klipsch speakers and an ADCOM amp and the other **** listed in my equipment on my profile from a guy on craigslist, and it sounds pretty damn good. I actually registered for this site because of the time and money this thread saved me.
You'd think people couldn't lie that much on a specs sheet, but I guess they can. By the way, I totally laughed my ass off when someone posted that jackass customer service guy's pic, because I thought that picture was way weird the first time I saw it, too.
Oh, where does the term shill come from? I figured out what it meant, but it is a strange term.
Posts like yours make us all, and the mods in particular, feel great. We joke around ALOT here but there are several members here (Wooch, Kex, Terrance, Tex, Bobsticks, Pixel and others) who love to drop the knowledge and help folks out. They're glad they could help as am I.

Da Worfster

[Woochifer]

Ah yes! This thread just reminds me that a lot of the younguns returned to college campuses this week ... PRIME TIME for those scammers who sell speakers out of white vans. No better time than now to reiterate that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Here's a previous post on the subject, w/ link to the scam policing site that tracks where the white vans currently stake out.

http://forums.audioreview.com/showthread.php?t=560

As usual a lot of the names getting slapped onto these POS speakers are knockoffs on legitimate speaker companies. The current crop includes Kirsch, Olin Ross, Divinci, and Palermo. (Seems like the Italian knockoff names are in response to speakers like Vienna Acoustics and Sonus Faber now getting sold at Best Buy) Previously, you had names like Acoustic Image, Dahlton, Denmark, Dynalab, Pro Audio, among others.

http://www.scamshield.com/Feature.asp?id=1

[02audionoob]

Next week, I'll post the results of my Clash of the Titans....I'll be comparing Dahlton to Dahlquist. Watch this space...

[cmjohnson17]

i found this review helpful and decided to make an account to say so. maybe he is affiliated, maybe not, either way i decided to go ahead to try the acoustic audio 300watt 2.1 system and got them for $31 after shipping and im not impressed. for that price i'd say its the best speaker you can get but if your looking for a good 2.1 system and think these are gonna cut it then you're mistaken. i don't think its actually 300watts either, i own a lot of other speakers and subs(complete audio nut here) and compared them to my logitech z 506's and the logitech blew them away but in all fairness those are 5.1. the sub on the acoustic audio was nice on the low end, terrible on mids and high end. some songs it gets a little choppy. in the end id guess they are pumping out about 50watt rms so for $30 its a steal. if you wanna spend less than $50 for speakers that'll last at least a year then go with these otherwise save your money for some klipsch's or higher end frisby's

[Bigjonroberts]

I found this thread helpful as well as I saw this brand of speakers on the Newegg marketplace. One of the few reviews I could find.