I received my iCAN Pro Sig today. Not hooked up yet, so for the moment I'll just comment on the packaging.
RANT ON (Calling
@iFi audio ):
It's all very nice but it's chronically overpackaged – a scandalous waste of resources. It goes something like this (from the inside out):
2 boxes ►
within 3 trays (one is empty) ►
then a very solid divider lid, ►
and on top of that sits the amp in its sponge surround. ►
All of that sits in a very solid box, ►
which goes into a slipcase.....►
which goes into the main slipcase!
But wait! There's more! We haven't got to the power supply yet. Here we have a box for the power cable alongside a sponge cut-out for the Elite. They sit in another box, which goes into another slipcase, which....you guessed it....sits in yet another box.... which goes into the main slipcase (above).
I would estimate that there is around four times the amount of packaging required for a trip to the Moon and back (even in one of Blue Origin's rockets)!
C'mon people get serious, please. That's an appalling amount of wastage. Just the packaging (not even with silica gel) weighs 1.365 kilograms (3 pounds)! The amp itself is only 1.985kg. If you cut that waste back to what is necessary then you might be able to afford to.....INCLUDE A DAMN BATTERY FOR THE REMOTE! Yep, 3 pounds of sexy cardboard, and no battery.
How miserable is that? It is also a frustrating choice of battery. A CR2032 battery is used in countless things these days, and I have 5 spares on hand. Nup, gotta get me a rarely used CR2025 for this thing (the only difference is 0.7mm thinner, so a little less life). So I had to go out to the store and buy twice as many batteries as I will need for the next 2-3 years.
Seriously, this is a AUD3400 amp, and you can't put a $1 battery in with it (cost to you)?? Especially when it is unlikely that the user will have those odd size batteries on hand, and have to go out to the store and buy more than they need. Now you might say "Oh, but a 2032 will fit" and I would say in that case, you should say so in the manual, because I don't want to try to fit it in only to find out it won't work and is jammed inside the remote. A 2032 slightly deforms the battery carrier which is a very good sign that it won't fit.
Now I know that some people get a trouser bulge over the whole unboxing experience, but I frankly couldn't care less about this one-off thing. Two seconds after unboxing it goes up into the attic anyway. My 10kg HEDD Type 7 Monitors came double boxed with some sponge corners to keep them suspended in air. The packaging for a MUCH larger and 5x heavier product is about the same 3 pound weight. Give me environmentally sensitive, robust, thoughtful and yet minimal packaging anyday!
With a bloody battery!
RANT OFF.
Right. I feel better now, and I'm sure the amp will be crackajack.
