Beware of cheap speakers...and home theatre systems.

[The Bandit]

How can people be fooled into buying this overpriced crap....

http://toronto.craigslist.org/ele/365270183.html

http://toronto.craigslist.org/ele/363419968.html

http://toronto.craigslist.org/ele/362377518.html

http://toronto.craigslist.org/ele/360263953.html

Electronics and speakers to avoid at all costs.

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"White Van" Speaker Scam product lines:

This is a list of the more common names of these garbage "brands". These apply to speakers and electronics. Many have similar - or like names to real, well known brands. Please print this out - and / forward it to your friends. The scammers keep flagging it so they can rip you off!

The websites / laminated sheets and "magazine" write ups are ALL FAKE.

There is NO WARRANTY and these units are NOT CSA or C UL approved.

They have been linked to at least one house fire.

Some of these rip off artists will tell you these brands are "off brands" of major manufacturers such as BOSE.

NOT TRUE AT ALL. There is no connection to these units and any of the major manufacturers at all. They are all low end Chinese speakers - poorly assembled - no baffling / bracing. Often there is either NO CROSSOVER or a small under rated capacitor inline acting as a "crossover".

And by the way "DIGITAL READY SPEAKERS"?

Speakers reproduce ANALOGUE signals from digital SOURCES.
Sad really when the rip-off artists are TOO STUPID to be able to correct such a glaring error.

Watch carefully for the similarities in some of the names!

Acoustic 3312 Studio Monitor
Acoustic Lab Technology
Acoustic Monitor
Acoustic Response
Acoustic Response Series 707
Acoustic Image 3311 / 3312
The above are not to be confused with real companies such as:
Acoustic Research,
Acoustic Image,
Acoustic Lab Technology

Advanced Sound Technologies AST X2 1055

Audiofile
Audiofile 583LR
Audiofile 835LR

Audio Tech

Dahlton KV 1500
Dahlton KV 2500 TI Speakers
Dahlton AV5.1 THX

DiVinci - NO CONNECTION TO BOSE LABS AT ALL!
DiVinci D6 and ALL other models

Denmark
Denmark Loud Speaker E830LR
The above should not be confused with the real company Denon

Digital Audio SL-3810
Digital Audio DA 2000SL / 2000CS
Digital Audio 2000
Digital Audio Professional Speaker Systems SL-3810
Digital Audio Skyline 900-SL
Digital Audio SL-3910 Speakers
Digital Audio 2003 DA 5.1 Pro-Series III

Digital Dogg Audio

Digital Pro Audio
Digital Pro Audio SL-T 2.8

Digital Research 5.1 Pro Series
Digital Research DA 5.1 Pro Series III

Dogg Digital

Dynalab
The above should not be confused with the real company Dynamat

Epiphany Audio speakers

Elite Audio (not to be confused with Yorkville's Elite line of speakers)
The above should not be confused with the real company Yorkville Elite

Fleetwood Audio

Genesis
Genesis 508 and all other models
Genesis Media Labs

Grafdale
The above should not be confused with the real company Wharfdale

Hauffman

Innovative Sound Digital Pro Audio

Kirsch X3

The above should not be confused with the real company Klipsch

Linear Phase
Linear Phase studio monitors
The above should not be confused with the real company Phase Linear

Matrix
Matrix Audio Concepts
Matrix MX-505T & all other models

Millenium
Millenium MTS 2208

Omni Audio

PSD
PSD (2.8)
The above should not be confused with the real company PSB

PTS (Precision Transducer Systems)

Palermo
Palermo VA 6.1

Paradyme
The above should not be confused with the real company Paradigm

Pro Audio

Pro Dynamics

Proline Acoustic

Protecsound PT-5000 digital surround sound system speakers

Samurai 518

Skyline AD-900SL
Skyline Digital Denmark 800 or 900 "series"

Studio Tech
Studio Tech (Pro Poly Series)

Theater Innovations (Ti 5100)

Theater Logic

Theater Research TR-900
Theater Research TR-1120
Theater Research TR-1410 Digital Sound Speakers
Theater Research 2380
Theater Research TR-2810
Theater Research TR-5210 Professional Home Theater
Theater Research TR5160
Theater Research TR6000
Theater Research TR-6100 Digital Sound/5.1 Home Cinema
Theater Research 8810
Theater Research Pro Series III Professional Home

Ultra Digital Labs




Manufacturers of these garbage speakers:
• Audio Wood Products
• Century Distributors PTY LTD
• PTS (precision Transducer Systems
- 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

 

[newguy27]

Good warning. It's unbelievable how much crap is out there.

I was approached by a couple of guys in those White Vans trying to sell speakers at their claimed "huge discounted rate". They tried to spew some gibberish about how good their speakers were, etc. and when I challenged them on some of their nonsense claims and techno-babble...the guy finally admitted that he didnt know anything about speakers/home theatre. So sad to think that some people can fall for this garbage.

 

[mmouse]

Why is it always a white van? It's a cult if you ask me.

I'm the not so proud owner of a pair of Linear Phase studio monitors bought from a white van in Europe when I was young and didn't know better.

 

[mmouse]

Thanks for that link.

"The complete Genesis 1.1 system consisting of the six separate elements weighs over 1 l/4 tons and is shipped in six wooden crates."

Holy shit.

 

[newguy27]

in real life genesis loud speakers make some of the most expensive speakers in the world. e.g the genesis 1.1s are $170 000 a pair.

http://www.genesisloudspeakers.com/

holy crap...then those guys on the back of the van selling them for $200 MUST be a good deal!!!

 

[VERYBADBOY]

How can people be fooled into buying this overpriced crap....

http://toronto.craigslist.org/ele/362377518.html

Just a feeling but ...

I think that the CL Ad above, number 3 out of 4, is the only legit one of the bunch ...
http://www.stereophile.com/loudspeakerreviews/104legacy/index.html

All the others are crap ... yes I have been approached by a white van before and no I did not buy anything from them.

VBB

 

[The Bandit]

I emailed the list to a friend that has a Pawn Shop, and it was weird, because just today she said they pulled up in a "white van", and tried to sell her a Genesis sound system.