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AudioScape is changing the way many hardware aficionados purchase boutique audio processors.
WHO IS AUDIOSCAPE?
You can answer the question, "who is AudioScape?" by visiting the company web site. While there you can check out the latest group photo of all the human beings who design, assemble, tweak, pack and ship your AudioScape product(s).
AudioScape manufactures a variety of high quality gadgetry, which include microphone preamplifiers, limiter/compressors, a reverb and a couple of vintage style EQ. Audioscape builds their products in Daytona Florida in very limited quantities and sells them factory direct to you, the end-user. By focusing on a few popular designs, keeping prices as low as possible and keeping quality to highest standards AudioScape has built a fleet of devoted users.
BUYING AUDIOSCAPE PRODUCTS
High-on-Technology gets their AudioScape products the same way everybody does, by getting into a shopping-donnybrook on Wednesday and Saturday nights at 8PM EST. A select group of products from this weeks production will be available on a first come first serve basis. The most popular items sell-out in seconds, higher priced items are often available for an hour or two, then they're gone. It took me a month to score my second V-Comp+.
By focusing on a limited number of items AudioScape is able to keep inventory tight and avoid build ups of components/parts and finished goods.
If you want to get into the game and buy some of this sonic truth you should go to the AudioScape web site and register for their weekly emails, this is where you'll find out what will be for sale next. Even if you're not quite ready to make a purchase right now it's a good idea to get on their email distribution, this is the direct news about what AudioScape is up to and it is worth keeping track of.
WHY ARE THEIR PRODUCTS SO LOW PRICED?
By selling factory-direct AudioScape avoids the extra 50-100% retail dealer markup. While selling independently limits their appeal to dealer folks, pro audio users are grabbing up each weeks production like hungry Florida vultures.
Word of the value AudioScape offers and the high performance of their products is spreading fast. I first learned of the company from a posting in a pro audio forum, then I checked out the company web site. The users of the products are the sales people who spread the word about the great sound and value; from there it's a short trip to the company web site where you can look at the individual products and specifications.
Looking at the web site alone can be a bit confusing since almost everything shows as "Sold Out", it can leave a newcomer wondering what is going on. Get on the email list, that is where you find out what you'll need to know in order to make a purchase.
ARE THEY ANY GOOD?
The AudioScape products are so good they sell out every week.
Many of the AudioScape products look like their vintage original counterparts, this makes it easy to navigate the controls. By eliminating unnecessary hardware features like fold-down front panels, custom vintage design metalwork and time consuming point to point wiring AudioScape can put the emphasis on the most important items like:
- Authentic tube complements
- Custom wound transformers
- Premium meter movements
- Solid metal work
- True to the original schematic(s)
- Assembled, carefully by human hands, in small batches
Crack open an AudioScape product and look inside. There you'll find premium circuit boards, meticulously hand stuffed with vintage components. While other brands scramble to design changes which make construction easier and cheaper, AudioScape takes advantage of their nimble company size to score premium new tubes as well as vintage NOS tubes.
CONTACT
If you send AudioScape an email the chances are very good it will be answered by Chris, the owner/operator of the company. Chris is very knowledgeable and hands-on with each individual product AudioScape makes. He knows every resister, capacitor and vacuum tube by name. He took lots of time from his busy schedule to explain the lengths they go to in order to get the exact right combination of tubes into every product.
EPILOGUE
It is unique and fun to have a high quality, home grown audio equipment manufacturer with its headquarters in Daytona, Florida. Vintech and Upton are also both Florida manufacturers though they're located on the opposite side of the state. I'm hoping to arrange a road trip to AudioScape World Headquarters in the near future.
So, who is AudioScape? They're your best opportunity to score a classic sounding stereo bus comp, or a Vari-Mu compressor, or maybe an 1176 in one of several model eras. AudioScape is your direct connection to sonic truth.
Until next time, Good Music To You!
©October 2023 by Mark King, It's NOT ok to copy or quote without written permission.
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