I just have to type this: I can't think of a more deserving person for this to happen to in such a big way than Dale Lott. Dale is one of the nicest and most genuine people I have (personally) met from head-fi.org. Well, he's simply one of the nicest people I've met period. And he's simply an engineering genius.
Now, I would never profess to know much about the science and mathematics that goes into creating a stunning audiophile and sonically satisfying audio product. I just know what sounds good to me and how to express that with words. There have been occasions, however, where I needed to be a little bit more technical in my descriptions - I am a journalist by trade. So I would ask Dale to break some audio concepts and ideologies down for me. Dale never made me feel as if my questions were beneath him or that he was too elitist to talk to me (if he had the time, which translates into him making some time for people like me). He took his time to help me understand the science that goes into his products (i.e.configuration of drivers, materials chosen, concept of burn-in, how we hear things as humans, etc.). Journalists have to become quick (semi) experts on various subjects. I couldn't have had a better teacher and instructor than Dale.
So congratulations again, Dale, to you and your team. And please stay in the game. This hobby and industry needs more people like you. What a great thread!!! Happy listening!!!
Well said,
@ericp10! I couldn't agree with you more! I knew about
@Aurisonics from the time it launched, and I never could decide which of its IEM's were right for me. When Rockets came to Kickstarter, I knew that would be my first pair of Aurisonics. My Rockets have since become my go-to headphone. The build quality is amazing, and the sound is utterly impressive for its specs. This past year, a cracking sound developed in the left earbud that required me to mail them in for a warranty claim; it was odd because I baby my Rockets (they look new!), and the cracking never seemed to occur when shaking the cables as one would expect. It was initially a bit difficult for Andy to pinpoint the cause, but with some back and forth conversation and examining my Rockets from top to bottom, he patiently figured out that the root of the issue was actually in the jack. My Rockets were then repaired and shipped back for free, no fuss or muss. A company can have the most amazing product in the world, but it means nothing without providing superior customer service. Dale has always promised his customers a hassle-free experience should the rare need to claim a warranty arise, and Andy went above and beyond to resolve my issue, inform me throughout the entire process, and ensure that I felt appreciated as a customer. During and after the Kickstarter campaign, Dale always made time to answer my questions about his products, as well as sound engineering/components in general. As you said, he never made me feel like any question was beneath him. He's a great guy who always goes the extra mile to make sure his products and team are beyond stellar. That's why I continue to support his projects quite vocally. In fact, I'm currently looking forward to getting the LIVV headphones he developed alongside Mark Clayton (yes, "that" Mark Clayton from the NFL), which are due to be shipped to KS backers in October.
I know there will be customers who will wonder whether Dale has "sold out" to Fender. I have every confidence that Dale would only move forward with such a merger if it was mutually in the best interest of his staff, customers, products, and himself. I have been thinking about this merger from various angles, and I'm already seeing benefits. The prices seem to be more affordable without compromising on build and sound quality. The same Aurisonics staff is going to stay on board. With Fender's monetary backing, more products will be developed. I only wish for two things:
- I don't want the Aurisonics name to die. I see that the new IEM's only have Fender's name on the IEM casings. Instead, I believe the line should be branded as Aurisonics x Fender (or something along those lines). A lot of heart and soul has gone into the Aurisonics brand, many of us have backed and come to love worldwide. While I love Fender too, for all of the success that Aurisonics has built in a few short years, it seems inappropriate to dump Aurisonics' name. I just think it would be appropriate to keep the Aurisonics' name alive and prominent on the products, alongside Fender's.
- It would be nice if Kickstarter backers and established customers would be offered a special lifetime discount (or at least occasional discounts when new products are launched). We helped get the company to where it is now, and we have a vested interest in seeing its continued success. We want to keep buying and supporting this company, and a discount would help us continue to afford your products. They could think of it as an advertising investment, as most of us would be posting reviews online, telling friends about our new Fender headphones, etc. Likewise, it'd be neat to start a beta testing team and/or official customer reviewers.
Above all, I want to know more about Dale's position in the company. Does he have complete creative control and authority over the products he will be developing? Does he choose who to hire to his team? Is there a guarantee that all products will continue to be made in the USA forever? If Fender ever decides to drop its IEM line, will Dale have the option of buying back the company and his staff? That's the sort of information I'm most interested in hearing.
It would also be nice for the company to make a table that compares all past Aurisonics IEM's against the new Fender models' specs. This way, those of us who already own Aurisonics IEM's can decide which new model may be most suitable for us. I've read some informal comparisons here on Head-Fi, but a clear comparative table would surely be useful to many of us.
Overall, I support Dale's decision and wish him the best of luck. I guess we'll all see how it'll play out. I'm hoping that the company will be the same at its core, with many new improvements/opportunities, and a "Fender" logo tagged onto its products.
