May I show-off my new website, for those who know (and know of) me? Audio Note at The Audio Home..

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Warren Jarrett, Oct 28, 2017.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Warren Jarrett

    Warren Jarrett Audio Note (UK) dealer in SoCal/LA-OC In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    Fullerton, CA
    I am a pretty established regular here, and don't usually show-off any publicity for my audio dealership. But, since many of you know me, read my posts, and have visited me, I want to show you my new business name and website. I am just so excited about it, I want to share.

    Please look at my new website, and comment. Does it do what I need it to do, does it look good, and does anyone have any suggestions?

    www.theaudiohome.com
     
    rxonmymind, nosliw, LeeS and 33 others like this.
  2. jimbutsu

    jimbutsu WATCH YÖUR STEPPE

    I'm conflicted - the site REALLY makes me want to come visit, but since I'm probably not where I need to be to have that level of gear right now, I'm worried that the site might pull in tourists/window shoppers (like me) who aren't in a position to buy much - it's a testament to how inviting and appealing you've made the house.

    On the other hand, if I were in the market for such gear right now, I can't think of a better or more inviting showroom/shopping experience than a well-kept, well-stocked home.
     
  3. 33na3rd

    33na3rd Forum Resident

    Location:
    SW Washington, USA
    The site looks very nice, Warren. It makes me want to spend money that I don't have!
     
  4. Ntotrar

    Ntotrar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tri-Cities TN
    Too bad you aren't in North Eastern Tennessee... Not that I have any money...
     
  5. lonelysea

    lonelysea Ban Leaf Blowers

    Location:
    The Cascades
    I like it and admire what you're doing. In terms of constructive criticism (from a former web designer), I'd say that the image on the homepage (with the reel to reel) isn't the best choice for an introduction to your business. The first shot in the photos section is great; with you and the city in the distance. I think a little fine tuning in the photography department will smarten things up a good deal.
    Best of luck!
     
    triple, IanL, Doug_B and 3 others like this.
  6. Warren Jarrett

    Warren Jarrett Audio Note (UK) dealer in SoCal/LA-OC In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    Fullerton, CA
    Thank you. About the photography, you are absolutely right. Every picture on the site was taken with a cell phone and they are mostly a collection of various systems I have put together, including the ones now in The Audio Home.
     
  7. macster

    macster Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Diego, Ca. USA
    Warren

    I like it, and the images also. Here is why I like the images, they are a reflection of you (from what I've seen on the board), in that they are honest and natural. I'm not a web designer, but a guy who posts stuff on webpage. I also record audio, but I do it from the middle of the audience and I get all the associated noises. but I like doing it "that" way. But the guy is technically right, no he is right peroid. But it's still a very site. Now having said that, man I am really envious of that view.

    M~
     
    stuwee and Warren Jarrett like this.
  8. Erik Tracy

    Erik Tracy Meet me at the Green Dragon for an ale

    Location:
    San Diego, CA, USA
    I think it would be helpful to list the gear you have available for demo, or can get for a potential audition.

    I've been to some boutiques where they don't have or can't get specific models within a line for me to audition.
     
  9. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    But in your area, you also do have Watkins Stereo and The Sound Room available, both superb shops. The senior Mr. Bill Watkins was also no less than the inventor of the Watkins Woofer used by Arnie Nudell at Infinity Systems. And he also has his own superb speaker line.

    To our original forum poster, very nice job on the shop, interesting gear selection and approach.
     
    Last edited: Oct 29, 2017
    Ntotrar and Warren Jarrett like this.
  10. Jack Flannery

    Jack Flannery Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston, TX
    Looks great. But I would consider an equipment page, and put little menus on the top of your home page. The pics are pretty good but those could be better. Very nice pad.
     
    Warren Jarrett likes this.
  11. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    I like it!

    The first thing that I like is your URL

    TheAudioHome.com

    I would like to see you have your web site name written out as I have displayed above.

    That would further emphasize the business name because it would make it more apparent to the viewer/reader.

    (You are allowed to do that).

    Phone number at the top of the page is easy and important.
    I like the way it appears before your name banner.

    The script font style flows nicely and gives an artistic, yet professional air to the site.

    I would also vote to loose the first photo.

    Why, because it looks like a smartphone "snapshot".

    It's ok that it was taken with a smartphone, it is just that this particular photo, screams "snapshot".

    It also looks like a stack of someone's personal gear.

    Go back through the thread, Show us pictures of your systems/rooms here...

    Look for the best ones that showcase the listening space as an environment.

    I think that you should place the emphasis on the total environment as opposed to a tighter shot of various unknown pieces of equipment.

    Also, loose the RTR!

    It conveys the impression that you are presenting more of a home recording studio.

    Under the About Us, you emphasize that you have 5 listening rooms, yet the following three photos, illustrate the same shot and after four photos, we have yet to even get a peek at any "room".

    In your photo section, the first photo on the left should be at the top and should span both columns, like it was shot in Cinema-Scope. The photo lends itself to that format.

    Once you do that, you will be gaining ground vertically. Currently, it is not tall enough.

    There is no symmetry to the photos, either from a layout POV or from a logical arrangement POV.

    I think some kind of symmetry for the arrangement of the photos are in order.

    If you are using a two column format, then please put like size photos next to each other.

    By the time you hit the third row down. The photos do not remotely match up.

    The tops should be on the same horizontal plane, as should be the bottoms.

    It is also ok to mix two column photos together with a wide shot that spans both columns. Which with a provide them with more vertical height and show off their width.

    I would pair the first photo on the right, next to the fifth row photo on the left. As an example.

    The photo of the TT looks lost and out of place.

    The photo to the right of it, looks like you had about 3' chopped off of your vertical height. It gives the photo a strange feeling.

    I like your listening room photos, with the exception of the one in the third column, on the right.

    Instead of a curiated listening space, it looks more like you just moved in a few days ago and are unpacking and setting up your gear, so that you can get back to listening to some tunes.

    A few more and better photos, and some minor layout changes. Should improve your nice looking web site a lot.

    I do think that some more and better photos, which showcase your product lines, are in order.

    And, they require captions.

    S&G
     
  12. Looks great! Wish I had the money.
     
  13. Warren Jarrett

    Warren Jarrett Audio Note (UK) dealer in SoCal/LA-OC In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    Fullerton, CA
    Thank you for your specific comments. I am definitely going to shoot some of the pictures again with my real digital camera because, you are right, all of these are from my cell phone. I will replace the first photo in particular with a much wider shot, showing the total environment of that room. And, I will add captions.

    But the RtR tape decks communicate some important messages, from my personal point of view.

    #1) RtR tape is the best sounding source for home reproduction that exists, better than LPs and better than CDs, and I own the master reel tapes to prove it. I suggest spending some of your visit hearing the best possible source, so you know what is possible, or at least what is the highest attainable goal that you can attempt to approach. Then compare that to what is easily attainable.

    #2) Everybody's audio system is their own personal reflection of what THEY are interested in. But usually, when you go to an audio retailer, what you see and hear is merely a bunch of equipment that he (that retailer) wants to sell to you. In the true spirit of "The Audio Home" I want to emphasize that I display a working, personal system (well, 5 of them actually) that, reflects MY personal priorities, and that you can visit to PARTICIPATE and enjoy with me. From there we can talk about YOUR priorities, and work together on attaining them. You can buy some of what I display, but it will have to integrate with your personal home system, not just a dealer's display of what he sells.

    #3) All of my listening rooms incorporate CD, LP and RtR tape. Whichever each visitor wants to hear is handily available.

    Did you notice that old 2-chassis Ampex RtR in one of my rooms? That belongs to Steve Hoffman, on loan to me. It was the last full-tube RtR deck that Ampex made and the first one that was small and light enough to be considered portable. So, it was commonly used in the 60's to record some of the most famous (and still best sounding, some say) live jazz records, on many of the fine jazz labels, like Riverside and Blue Note. When I play a tape on that deck, it is playing back on the same model of deck that was used to record the performance in the first place. That is "home audiophile", not "home recording studio", stuff.
     
    Last edited: Oct 30, 2017
    rgu2002, timind, macster and 4 others like this.
  14. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Thanks for posting the new URL. I wish you all the best in your business. I hope your get enough customers to continue to grow so you can feed your family and your ambitions, remaining true to yourself and the goals you have set.
     
    Mike from NYC likes this.
  15. Warren Jarrett

    Warren Jarrett Audio Note (UK) dealer in SoCal/LA-OC In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    Fullerton, CA
    S&G was not the only one who made suggestions, so I have already incorporated some changes. My opening picture is A LOT better now. It is taken with a real digital camera (not a cell phone, as it was before), and it shows Listening Room 2 "as an environment", instead of "a stack of someone's personal gear".

    But, please keep in mind, that the idea of The Audio Home IS a "collection of personal gear", integrated with the brands I sell (Audio Note & Voss Audio) in a "personal listening space".

    And, I added captions to the gallery pictures, so viewers can read a little about what they are looking at.

    Thank you to everyone who made comments for me to think about. Of course, I am not done yet, probably need to improve the pictures further.
     
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2017
    Dave, FashionBoy, macster and 2 others like this.
  16. Erik Tracy

    Erik Tracy Meet me at the Green Dragon for an ale

    Location:
    San Diego, CA, USA
    The main picture does look a lot better.

    Are you going to add descriptions of what is in each of your 5 listening rooms?

    It may generate more return hits if new gear arrives or is rotated in/out, and you update the site.
     
    Warren Jarrett likes this.
  17. GeoffC

    GeoffC Forum Resident

    Some Typography/Text comments - just my view!

    There seems to be extra space in the text under the 1st picture after 'area'?
    'Home for Audio Note (UK) and Voss Audio in the Los Angeles and Orange County area, in a home with 5 listening rooms.'

    Hours - simplify !

    We are available all week Monday to Sunday, by appointment.
    Please call Warren during the hours of 12 noon to 8.00pm to book your time.

    Make the headings (below) stand out more (size and/or colour?) - when on desktop screen the three background images line up/join side by side and it looks strange because it's the same picture cropped differently.

    Come Listen
    Our Venue
    About Me

    Most of the colour (color) blocks are clickable - but they don't look like a button - so you added CLICK HERE - perhaps add a symbol instead like an arrow or >> perhaps?
    Also on mouseover the background colour only changes slightly/lightens - this needs to be a more 'dramatic' change with a bigger contrast.

    Hopefully GoDaddy will give these options.
     
    Warren Jarrett likes this.
  18. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    I do realize what you have and why you have it.

    I like real RTR gear.

    My father had a mono tube Wollensak RTR. He used to have professional local talent from AM radio stations record on it.

    But mostly, he would use it to demo a 55-second spot to his customers, who ran local drugstores who purchased his products. He would do co- op advertising, with his customers and place a 5-second tag at the end of the advertisement.
    K
    Mostly, the "tag" was a live announcement, by the DJ, rather than being recorded on the physical tape.

    BTW..., The tape recorder, shown in the Movie "Dick", a parody of Richard Nixon, was the same model that my father owned. It was not the same type of tape recorder that was actually used in the White House by Richard Nixon, during the Watergate scandal.

    Johnny Carson used to vacation here and he along with the movie, Where the Boys Are, both from back in the early 60's, put Fort Lauderdale on the Map.

    Jack Dury, was Johnny Carson's, PR guy, He had relocated his business to Fort Lauderdale, back in 1962. His office was a couple of blocks from our house,.

    When I was in my early teens, I used to "help out" a someone who had his office down the hall from Jack Dury. They did advertising and had 16mm motion picture camera's, just like the ones that were used to shoot Woodstock.

    There was a large heavy duty audio rack that had a 16mm Magnacync, beneath that were two Ampex decks. One time, Ed McMahon recorded an audio public service announcement and I used the Ampex decks to make stacks of dubs, that went out to the radio stations.

    I also had a couple of Bolex Rex 5, 16mm motion picture camera's and a Nagra IV.

    I very much like R2R's, but where they really shine is with original master tapes. If I had access to master tapes, then I would invest in a nice R2R. There is a good supply of them on the sued market.

    If you have never seen it, there is something that might be of interest to you. Steve Deckert of Decware, makes a ZP3 Zen Triode Phono Stage.

    [​IMG]

    But Wait...



    THE TAPE OPTION

    If you're a tape lover you'll be interested to know about the ZP3 tape option.


    [​IMG]

    By having a tape machine modified (shown above) with a pair of RCA jacks wired directly to the playback head, you can have pretty much the holy grail of sources... guaranteed to beat even the most expensive vinyl rigs.


    [​IMG]
    Natural Cherry Base


    The tape option consists of a couple switches to go between tape and LP as well as some calibration controls for the TAPE EQ. Shown above you can see the switches and calibration pots on the front portion of the ZP3. The center switch is an impedance switch that goes between 47K for vinyl and 600 ohms for tape heads. This in and of itself can be a valuable voicing tool during tape playback since one setting is more open and textured and the other is more disciplined and reserved.

    You probably have a wide variety of tapes and no doubt some sound better than others. Using the calibration controls that set the EQ from NAB to IEC (or anywhere before, after or in-between) you can literally extract magic from every tape.

    This wonderful little feature can be a real game changer for serious tape enthusiasts! If you only knew what was hidden in those flat or sharp or lean or fat sounding tapes... it's astounding! The range on the EQ is massive. When you're using it to dial in a tape, the process is not unlike tuning in a radio. It's such a powerful tool you simply have to have it.


    I was thinking that this might be something of interest to you?

    I agree with you on the quality R2R as reference source. I would recommend placing some of the text you used in replying to my post, on your website, so that someone who is viewing the site would have a better understanding about their importance and that you do have a collection of studio quality original master tapes.

    I run a small motel in the beach area and have converted the old lobby into a nice size audio room with amplifiers and speakers everywhere. And I have a couple of adjacent rooms that are part of the office space, that I use for equipment storage.

    At any time, I have three different systems running in the main room, which is about 450 sq. ft. and has HT too.
     
  19. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Warren, don’t mod your tape machines in any way. Don't fall for that Audiophile R2R claptrap!
     
    Kenneth73 likes this.
  20. Warren Jarrett

    Warren Jarrett Audio Note (UK) dealer in SoCal/LA-OC In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    Fullerton, CA
    Well, it would not be wise for me, in particular, to mod any of my RtR decks, because they are all recently restored and calibrated by one very talented RtR expert, Adrian. The advantage of all being calibrated by the same person, is that they are all marvelously compatible, from one to the other. Any tape I play, or record, is standardized throughout my collection of RtR decks.

    Unfortunately, Adrian will not work on vacuum tube tape decks, so the old Ampex is not one that is so perfectly compatible. I guess I could mod that one... right Steve? Wrong... that deck belongs to Steve. It is 100% original, and it is wonderful, just the way it is, except a little temperamental.
     
    SandAndGlass likes this.
  21. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    How you have organized the photos into a larger slide show, displays them so much nicer.

    The addition of adding textual content to the photos really makes a difference over just having a photo without anything to reference.

    The site looks so much cleaner now.

    One final comment. the three photos that compose the background under the About Us section come across as sort of disjointed looking and it gives a not sure what we are looking at impression.

    Could you replace them with a single wide shot with the cello or cellos and then have your text looking exact same way that you have it now, it the three column format.
     
    Warren Jarrett likes this.
  22. Ntotrar

    Ntotrar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tri-Cities TN
    Not an attempted hijack but a follow up. This week I took the time to acquaint myself with both dealers “McLover” recommended in the Tri-Cities area. Both owned by very nice folks but very very different stores. Thanks for the heads up.

    Back on track the “the Audio Home” web site looking better after every tweak.
     
    McLover and SandAndGlass like this.
  23. Warren Jarrett

    Warren Jarrett Audio Note (UK) dealer in SoCal/LA-OC In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    Fullerton, CA
    OK, now THIS is important. PLEASE, nobody should worry about me expecting a purchase from you. Maybe someday, after I get burnt-out I will have that attitude, which I hear many audio retailers have. Not me (yet).

    Tourists welcome. Window shoppers welcome. Audio Note fans welcome. Audio Note skeptics welcome. Just any old audiophile from this Steve Hoffman website is EXTREMELY welcome, with no other qualifications necessary.

    The Audio Home is a very informal place, and I hope my website communicates this, from my cell phone pictures to my appointment only availability. I am all about people connecting with people here on the SH website, to just visit and enjoy. Of course, I hope to convert you to REALLY loving the sound of Audio Note. But, the money? ... well, I know that is a whole other level of commitment.

    If anyone visits me, listens, and decides they REALLY like the sound of Audio Note, then that is at least half of my job well done.
     
  24. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Very cool attitude.
     
    Warren Jarrett likes this.
  25. Warren Jarrett

    Warren Jarrett Audio Note (UK) dealer in SoCal/LA-OC In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    Fullerton, CA
    Now for an inside story. Jonathan, the owner of Music First Audio criticized me for being an "audio hobbyist" instead of an "audio salesman". Now he might be right, maybe it is all about sales when THAT is your business. But I will NOT compromise the satisfaction of other audiophiles' long term enjoyment of music just so that Music First and The Audio Home can make some money. So, from now on, I am no longer the representative for Music First Audio in the USA. I sell what sounds good, to me AND to my potential customers.

    Audio Note and Voss Audio are the right directions forward for me, now.

    See this website for confirmation: www.MusicFirstAudio.us
     
    Fabrice, klonk, IanL and 2 others like this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine