Beware, "White Van Speaker Scams" tis the season.

[Seth=L]

For any who are currious to what names of audio not to buy, this is for you.

This receives updates whenever I am informed of another White Van Speaker Scam.

* Audiofile
* Acoustic Lab Technology
* Acoustic Monitor
* Acoustic Response (not to be confused with the company Acoustic Research, which involved the famous and respected Henry Kloss, who went on to found KLH and Cambridge Soundworks), Acoustic Image, Acoustic Lab Technology
* Blue Ridge Sound Engineering
* Canyon Audio (not to confused with Canary, these are basically the same as Theater Research)
* Denmark (not to be confused with Denon)
* Dogg Digital, Digital Dogg Audio (reportedly very popular on eBay)
* DCS Digital Audio (Logo looks similar the the DTS logo)
* Dahlton
* Dynalab (not to be confused with Dynamat)
* Divinci
* Divinci Audio
* Elite Audio (another name Theater Research uses, kind of rare though)
* Epiphany (there are two different Epiphany brands, one is extremely high end, and the other is a scam. The high end one can be easily identified by its array of drivers, they are very large speakers)
* Fluance (not the worst offender)
* Grafdale
* Digital Pro Audio, Pro Audio, Digital Audio, Digital Audio Professional Speaker Systems, Digital Audio Skyline Digital Research
* Epiphany Audio
* Kirsch (not to be confused with Klipsch)
* Omni Audio
* Protecsound
* Pro Dynamics
* Paradyme (not to be confused with Paradigm)
* PCS
* PSD (jokingly referred to as Paid Scam Drivers). Not to be confused with PSB.
* Theater Research or TR (has many other names)
* Samaurai
* SDAT(Super Dumb Audio Theme)
* Streem

These speakers are often sold out of white vans by intimidating guys or they are also sold on Ebay. So if you ever come across something like this it is propbably a scam. Also here are the names of the companies that distribute and manufacture these speakers.

* Audio Wood Products
* Advance Engineering Research
* Century Distributors PTY LTD
* Dynalab
* Global Audio Network
* JAM Entertainment/JAM Enterprises, now known as Kelfi Distributors
* Millennium Speakers
* Omni Audio or Omni Audio Products
* Orca Distributors
* Republic Distributors, Inc. (parent of Omni and Dynalab) or Republic Distributors Of Canada or Republic Distribution GmbH
* Sound Illusion Production

Hope this saves some poor soul from being ripped off, and if you reading this because you already bought some and were looking for info, I am truly sorry about your luck, and hope you can get the scammers back.

 

[Jack Hammer]

For any who are currious to what names of audio not to buy, this is for you...
...Hope this saves some poor soul from being ripped off, and if you reading this because you already bought some and were looking for info, I am sorry about your luck.

Thanks for taking the time to post this. Maybe you can get the mods to put it in the FAQ's or make it a sticky.

Jack

 

[Seth=L]

That would be cool, unfortunetly I have no clue what a sticky is. I am gonna do some diggin.

 

[Seth=L]

Did the dig, now I know. That would be excellent.

I really hope that someone that is conceiving getting some Paradyme speakers sees this thread upon research and finds the truth and gets sucked into what I call the top contender of the "BIG 3". The "BIG 3" is: White Van Speakers, Bose, and Monster Cable. They are the most formidable evils of the Audio realm.

 

[Jack Hammer]

Did the dig, now I know. That would be excellent.

I really hope that someone that is conceiving getting some Paradyme speakers sees this thread upon research and finds the truth and gets sucked into what I call the top contender of the "BIG 3". The "BIG 3" is: White Van Speakers, Bose, and Monster Cable. They are the most formidable evils of the Audio realm.

I'm not a fan of Bose or Monster, but I wouldn't put them in the same category as the white van stuff. Bose makes an ~ok~ product (I'm being nice) with a LOT of limitations, IMO, at a hugely way overinflated price. If they sold them for $200 a set, they wouldn't be such a ripoff.
Monster, on the other hand, makes a very good product, just at a way overinflated price.

My $0.02

Jack

 

[Seth=L]

I understand, I just think that they are pretty crazy, and completely un-orthadox ways to sell products, even if it isn't the same league.

 

[Seth=L]

Here are some useful links:

This one is about Ebay scams,
http://scams.flipshark.com/wholesalescam.html

This one isn't very useful, but it is funny,
http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/3/15757.html

So dumb, I could slit my rists.

 

[Audioholics]

Uh, that would be a good reason why we require registration and email confirmation on these forums.

 

[Seth=L]

Isn't that epinions just dreadful? I am glad we have these precautions to avoid that kind of crap.

 

[Rob Babcock]

Epiphany is legit and extremely high end. Sleestack owns a pair of them, I think. Danny Ritchie of GR Research is one of the designers.

 

[Bigfishe]

maybe it's just me, But a lot of members on these boards have commented on Fluance as being a decent buy for the money.......

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Epiphany is legit and extremely high end. Sleestack owns a pair of them, I think. Danny Ritchie of GR Research is one of the designers.

Must be someone using their name then. Seth is correct with the name. Lawsuit time?

http://www.wsbtv.com/money/2825532/detail.html

http://www.stereo411.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=857

Heres the real Epiphany site:

http://www.epiphanyaudio.com/products.html

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

maybe it's just me, But a lot of members on these boards have commented on Fluance as being a decent buy for the money.......

The reason they're saying that is because of their reasonable online price. They're still using inferior drivers. They are very demanding speakers, with an unusually low impedance and spl rating. If bottom line price is what you're after, BIC Venturi, Acoustech, and Athena are much better bets.

 

[Audioholics]

Must be someone using their name then.

If you re-read the article, the name (at least after the first mention) is "Ephiphany". Shady and definitely worthy of a lawsuit.

 

[Nick250]

I seems to me this is being complicated. Does not saying "don't buy speakers (or any product for that matter) from people who approach you in parking lots or on the streets" take care of the issue?

Nick

 

[Bigfishe]

I seems to me this is being complicated. Does not saying "don't by speakers (or any product for that matter) from people who approach you in parking lots or on the streets" take care of the issue?

Nick

Ding Ding DING!! well said

 

[Seth=L]

Apparently there is a company called Epiphany that is completely breaking a law, because it does exist. I found what you where talking about, and you are probably right, they seem to be high-end, but there is another that is using the same name, and it is a scam.

Here are some here: http://www.ebay.com.my/viItem?ItemId=160042462698

And another useful link:http://www.wsbtv.com/money/2825532/detail.html

And yet another:http://austin.craigslist.org/ele/227662646.html

 

[Seth=L]

If you re-read the article, the name (at least after the first mention) is "Ephiphany". Shady and definitely worthy of a lawsuit.

It was a typo, if you look at the speakers, they clearly say Epiphany on the speakers, DVD player, and the powered woofer.

 

[j_garcia]

Also be wary of the biggest scammer of all: BOSE

Others would include:
Dogg Digital
Nuance
Paradym
Digital Pro Audio

 

[Seth=L]

Also be wary of the biggest scammer of all: BOSE

Others would include:
Dogg Digital
Nuance
Paradym
Digital Pro Audio

Part of the Big 3, White van speakers, Bose, and Monster Cable. All just rip offs.