New Bully Sound Products Debut at CES

XV-1

Well-Known Member
May 24, 2010
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Looks like it's trying too hard to me. I'm not trying to be a jerk, but the top one looks like a space age toaster.

Plus 3

And add part Coffee machine.
 

mep

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Apr 20, 2010
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I rather a manufacturer save money on the bling and put all the expense in the parts/sound.

If the faceplate and the Cyclops meter on the front of PASS amps isn't bling, please tell me what is.
 

wisnon

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Dec 12, 2011
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Exactly.

Related: A lot of guys can't understand why their wives hate audio, but they never seem to consider the looks of the equipment they buy. With the market the way it is, manufacturers should really concentrate on WAF. At least, that's my opinion.

Bling costs money! If as you say the market is depressed, is the answer lying in making things blingier and pushing up retail prices?

It should be about the SOUND with minimally acceptable boxes. Give me sound quality before bling, EVERYTIME.
 

still-one

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Bling costs money! If as you say the market is depressed, is the answer lying in making things blingier and pushing up retail prices?

It should be about the SOUND with minimally acceptable boxes. Give me sound quality before bling, EVERYTIME.


It is possible to have both. Manufacturers do not need to live in the 80's with black aluminum cases and toggle switches.
 

mep

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Apr 20, 2010
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Exactly.

Related: A lot of guys can't understand why their wives hate audio, but they never seem to consider the looks of the equipment they buy. With the market the way it is, manufacturers should really concentrate on WAF. At least, that's my opinion.

WAF schmaf. If you have to live with a stereo system that's picked out by your wife based on its looks, you deserve what you end up with. And the next time your wife decides it's time to redecorate and your system no longer fits with her new décor, you get to start all over again by selling your gear with ads that start off by saying how much you love your gear, but the wife says it has to go.
 

Bruce B

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If the faceplate and the Cyclops meter on the front of PASS amps isn't bling, please tell me what is.

It is, and totally worthless. I wish they had done away with it like the X.3/5 series.
 
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rblnr

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May 3, 2010
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Looks like it's trying too hard to me. I'm not trying to be a jerk, but the top one looks like a space age toaster.

Yeah, agreed. Looks like form has little to do with function. I also look at stuff like that and wonder how much I'm paying for the casework. I'm a big fan of good industrial design, but stuff that reeks of jewelry isn't my thing.

I think though that he's meeting the market where it's at if it's fair to assume a significant price jump for Bully. The stuff getting most squeezed is in the middle which reflects what's going on in society. The model for most highend companies now is fewer sales at higher prices.
 

MylesBAstor

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Apr 20, 2010
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Yeah, agreed. Looks like form has little to do with function. I also look at stuff like that and wonder how much I'm paying for the casework. I'm a big fan of good industrial design, but stuff that reeks of jewelry isn't my thing.

I think though that he's meeting the market where it's at if it's fair to assume a significant price jump for Bully. The stuff getting most squeezed is in the middle which reflects what's going on in society. The model for most highend companies now is fewer sales at higher prices.

A lot depends upon which market the gear is targeted for. If Bret's Asian distributors tell him that they don't like something about the design, don't you think he's going to change the design? :)
 
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still-one

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A lot depends upon which market the gear is targeted for. If Bret's Asian distributors tell him that the don't like something about the design, don't you think he's going to change the design? :)

Same thing that MSB is doing for the Japanese market.
 

Bruce B

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A lot depends upon which market the gear is targeted for. If Bret's Asian distributors tell him that the don't like something about the design, don't you think he's going to change the design? :)

Fine as far as I'm concerned. He can design anything he wants to cater to that market. I'll take his old chassis any day and put the extra $$ into the parts/sonics!
 

rblnr

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A lot depends upon which market the gear is targeted for. If Bret's Asian distributors tell him that the don't like something about the design, don't you think he's going to change the design? :)

Yeah, I was thinking it looks like Asian mkt which to me anyway seems a little more blingy in aesthetics. But yeah too, I'm with Bruce on where to allocate the $$ though I think that's a minority opinion.
 

Elberoth

Member Sponsor
Dec 15, 2012
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Save in this day and age, you need both. Black boxes just don't cut it in the market any more. Besides nowadays, how much does a little extra contribute to the cost with automation? Perhaps Bret can chime in if he's not in route.

You would be surprised. Sometimes a chassis may be even as much as 50% of the total BOM.
 

danielk141

Well-Known Member
Mar 13, 2012
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I'd like to point out the inherent efficiency in Pass Labs designs.
I have an XA-30.5. This is the same chassis as the INT-30.5, INT-150.5, X-150.5, X-260.5, XA-60.5.
That's 6 models built on the same chassis.
I had the XP-10, XP-20, and now XP-30. Three preamps built on a modular platform.
1 piece, 2 piece, 3 piece.
And soon, there will be double all the amp designs with the .8 series....
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Please take this as constructive Brett. The volume fader does make it look like a big toaster and the display set to the side does make it look like a coffee machine. :(
 

XV-1

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May 24, 2010
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Please take this as constructive Brett. The volume fader does make it look like a big toaster and the display set to the side does make it look like a coffee machine. :(

If the amp made toast and coffee as well as drives Speakers, Brett could be onto something special ;)
 

MylesBAstor

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Apr 20, 2010
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If the amp made toast and coffee as well as drives Speakers, Brett could be onto something special ;)

Wow a Class A toaster! Now that's something no one thought of! :) Now can it defrost also?
 

bretdago

New Member
Jan 22, 2011
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Be nice I'm at the show :) ... Its really not blingy in real life promise, and I made two black box solutions that sound wonderful... Can still sell you a classic line product but honestly people really like the 5 series. Performance is always number one in my world folks and I pulled out all the stops for performance and visual/ tactile design in the 5 series. You might not like it but it is original.
 

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