[Unknown_Device]

Survey for my academic research on audiophile market - please share your opinion by replying the questions.

Hello, I am an audiophile and an MBA student who is writing his dissertation project on the audiophile equipment market. It is a non-commercial academic research project (not sponsored by any company) aimed to analyse the market and its main trends, and to convey the views of the real customers to the companies in the market.
Here I ask all fellow audiophiles to spend some of their time to fill out my survey. Here is the link: HIGH END AUDIO STUDY: A Survey For Music Lovers And Audiophiles
It is hopefully going to be helpful not just to the companies but to all people in our hobby. This market is under-researched, and companies at times may become quite delusional about the target customers, their views and needs. Please ask your audiophile friends to complete this survey too.
I decided to offer a prize of 100 UK pounds (converted to your currency of choice), paid via PayPal, to stimulate the participants (provided they give some means of communicating with them in the survey). I will randomly determine the winner on 20th Sept. 2009. The personal info will remain private and will not be used anywhere again.

Best regards

EDITED: P.S. Some folks below think it's fishy... Well, it is just a survey. But in any case, here are my personal details: Vladimir Afaunov, full-time MBA student, University of Bath, United Kingdom. You can look me up in Facebook or Linked-in.

 

[Dublo7]

This looks fishy to me. I wouldn't click that link.

 

[Meliboeus]

I've clicked and to me it seems legit, it does not ask any personal information beside your email, which is optional...a strange post but seems nothing harmful...

 

[limpidglitch]

I answered it. It wasn't too hard.

 

[Unknown_Device]

Thanks, guys! I added my personal details in the beginning of the post to make it less doubtful. I am a student, not some corporation. And my research is not commercial or sponsored. My dissertation deadline is October 9th, that's why I decided to offer a lottery to speed up the data collection.

And thanks to everyone who spent their time to answer my questions!

 

[jjsoviet]

I answered it as well. I do hope the audiophile market grows and more companies develop high-quality audio products in the future.

 

[dazzer1975]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unknown_Device /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks, guys! I added my personal details in the beginning of the post to make it less doubtful. I am a student, not some corporation. And my research is not commercial or sponsored. My dissertation deadline is October 9th, that's why I decided to offer a lottery to speed up the data collection. And thanks to everyone who spent their time to answer my questions!

Your dissertation deadline is october 9th and you are still gathering evidence?

Jesus christ, I thought I left essays to the last minute.

 

[s_nyc]

I responded. This one is nice!

There is a wide spread opinion that designing a truly great sounding component is more art than just science, and only a handful of visionary guru-like engineers can transcend from mechanical sound reproduction to a free flow of beauty and emotion. Do you agree? *

No, this is typical audiophile superstition, arising from lack of technical knowledge and the marketing hype.

Only to a certain degree, as a lot of practical experience is needed to complement the technical knowledge.

Yes, it is visionary industry leaders like Hiroyasu Kondo or Nelson Pass, who advance the state of the art electronic design in music reproduction.

 

[Dublo7]

Ok, cool. I just answered the survey. Good luck

 

[dj_mocok]

I just did the survey. 100 bucks is great. I sold my virginity for much less.

 

[Benaiir]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_mocok /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just did the survey. 100 bucks is great. I sold my virginity for much less.

It's not dollars, it's GBP, so converted, it's $163ish

I found the survey to just ask questions about SONY, and sometimes Phillips.

 

[logwed]

Survey was fine, as far as I can tell. (virus-free, i mean)

 

[Unknown_Device]

Sony, Phillips and Pioneer are chosen just as examples of mass market companies, and their behavior in the market. They carry historical significance, and not only that (just remember how many audiophile products were and are centred around transport mechanisms and logic from Sony, Phillips or Pioneer). Sony was rather good at making ES line products, some of them would stay for years in Stereophile's Recommended components (for example Sony XA7-ES cd player which was somewhat of an audiophile icon some 14-10 years ago), but later they pulled out of that market for no apparent reason. Pioneer was very well known with Elite series of components, got out of the market later, but now is trying to make a comeback. It seems quite hard for the big firms to compete with the smaller companies, while guys like Red Wine Audio rise to fame in just a 2 or 3 years, on the ideas that are technically not all that new or unique, and now are making a huge markup on their electronics (this in not to criticize RWA in any way, they are making some of the best amplifiers, whatever the markup). What the big companies probably lack is the understanding what people really want, not some technical expertise. They don't seem to understand how a good chunk of the customers might prefer a battery-powered low powered chipset amp to their fabulous new receiver that costs five times less. It is more of an issue of corporate culture, as well as corporate strategy and strategic marketing, I guess...

 

[revolink24]

Quote:

How would you react if you were to find out that inside of your $20.000 Goldmund Eidos20 DVD player, 95% of all parts come from a $200 Pioneer DV-600AV? *

Are they telling us something?

 

[Unknown_Device]

In responce to numerous accusations of using cheap Pioneer DVD players as main building blocks for its reference transports parts, Goldmond has published the photos of the new Eidos20A universal DVD transport (NOT the Eidos20 Blue-ray!) with reference to all Pioneer parts used (transport, logic, and decoding boards, which appear to correspond to Pioneer DV600AVS universal player, but added a super rigid anti-vibration chassis, a special power transformer, and an additional board next to the outputs, which is probably a buffer/shaper of the digital signal). It stated that the best transport platform from the market was chosen, and then enhanced to perfection with the company's proprietary technologies. They further challenged any audiophiles to compare the sound of the two machines, claming that the difference certainly justifies the price.
I have no doubts that Eidos20A sounds extremely fine.
But many DIYers not capable of purchasing the Goldmund player will be glad to get their soldering irons smoking on the Pio, after its quality as a transport has been affirmed by such a high-esteemed company.