10/25/2017 - NL37

Hey there . . .

Just wanted to let you all know that Capital Audio Fest is happening next week, and Volti Audio will be there with the usual suspects - BorderPatrol Audio and Triode Wire Labs .  We'll be setting up the same system that has been used at the California Audio Show, the LA Audio Show, and AXPONA earlier this year.  Triode Wire Labs cabling will tie together a very simple system consisting of a CD transport and a computer server as sources, both feeding into a BorderPatrol DAC, to a BorderPatrol P21 (with built-in volume pot) and Volti Audio Rival speakers.

The sound from this setup is dynamic, exciting, and effortless.  Music just flows from this system in the most natural, engaging, and compelling way - exactly like listening to a live musical event.

You should come to CAF and have a great time listening to our system, and also all the other fun sounds being made at this show.

I'll be offering a "Show Special" on the 2017 Rival show speakers.  As you know, Volti Audio sells direct to our customers, eliminating the costs that come with a distribution and dealer network, and keeping our prices as low as they can possibly be.   Since there are no mark-ups to be marked down, it is a rare occasion to find a pair of Volti Audio speakers offered at a discounted price.  When you do see a pair being offered at a discount, you know that it's a REAL discount, and not one that just takes a bit of the markup away to entice you to buy the product.

The show speakers seem to be in perfect condition.  I've been the one packing and unpacking them at the shows, and I haven't noticed any cosmetic issues.  Nonetheless, I always sell show speakers cosmetically "as-is".  Sonically, they are "current model", and work perfectly.  They come with the full and normal warranty.

These speakers are finished with a beautiful Walnut veneer, and come with several options.  Here's a breakdown:

Total new price $12,650

Show Special pricing is just $10,000.   That's a significant savings and a lot of speaker there for the money.

Shipping these usually costs around $500 or $600.  But you can save that cost too, by picking them up at the show or I'll drop them off at your home on my trip anywhere between Maine and Tennessee.

I'll be driving up to CAF from my home in TN and then after the show, up to Maine to pick up another load of crap to bring back down to TN.  So I'm covering quite a large area during that trip, and I would love to stop by your place along the way and help you set up your new Rival speakers!

You don't have to be at the show to take advantage of this special offer.  It's first come first served.   The first person to pull out a credit card and put a deposit down on these speakers gets em.   Call me today and grab these before someone else does - 207-314-1937.  If you'd like to come to the show and hear them before you buy, be sure to get there early on Friday, because once someone buys them, they're gone.

I will accept a non-refundable deposit to hold the speakers, but full payment must be made before they are picked up or delivered.

I've done some work on the new, smaller, two-way Volti Audio speaker, and as usual with the start of a new design project, it's NOT going well!  I mean, they don't sound terrible, but they just aren't good enough.   Hours and hours of work goes into the modeling, choosing components, buying and testing components, building test cabinets, testing, working out construction details, etc..., and what have I got?  Yeah, more education.

You think designing a new world-class speaker is easy?  HA!  I've got news for you, it isn't.

Why a two-way?  The midrange horns and drivers for the Rival speakers are expensive.  Think about this for a minute.  What's going to make this new speaker half the cost of the Rivals?  Just wanting to do it isn't enough, I actually have to figure out a way to cut those costs - lol.  I'm still building two custom cabinets out of Baltic Birch plywood, I'm still loading them up with really high quality components, I'm still finishing them, still packing them up, still have all the business expenses, still gotta make a livin!  Where will I knock $4K off the cost of building a pair of Rival speakers?  Component cost is one place, and that's why I thought going with a two-way would really help cut costs.  I've also come up with a few ideas to really cut the time it takes for me to build a set of cabinets for this model.  Being a smaller speaker means it's much easier to handle them in the shop while they're being built and finished, and it also reduces the cost of packaging.  Shipping cost will be reduced as well.

I have a feeling it's going to end up being a three-way speaker, if it ends up being a Volti Audio speaker at all.   Asking one horn to cover midrange and high frequencies at the same time doesn't work so well.   Yeah, if you're building a PA monitor speaker, it's fine, but the refinement of sound just isn't at the level necessary for a Volti Audio speaker.  Finding a bass driver that can also reach up into the midrange is difficult.  Yup, I know other companies are doing it.   Have you heard their speakers?  Come to a show sometime and you and I will go to some of those other rooms and after listening to some music we'll go back to the Volti Audio room and listen.  When you hear the difference, I think you'll understand that the sound I'm chasing in my head just isn't going to come out of a 10" cone driver with a tweeter sitting above it.

I want to offer a lower cost ($4K) Volti Audio speaker to my customers, because I know that there are currently some people who would love to own Volti speakers, but can't afford them.  Having a speaker in the $4K price range would really help round out our product line.   But I'm not willing to compromise on the sound to make this happen.  Not very much anyway.

Thank you for your support, and until next time, trust your ears and Have Fun!