Underground companies

[cleansoundzz 10+ year member]

I have my reasons as to why I feel that underground companies in general but particularly car audio build better products than mainstream companies but let me hear some of your thoughts. I think that the reputation of smaller companies rides on the quality of their products and customer service.

Why do underground companies like Sundown, T3Audio, DD, Stetsom produce better products than mainstream companies such as RF, Kicker, JL Audio, etc?

Thanks

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[hatedonmostly 5,000+ posts]

Because they give a shit about more than just profits //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif See Kicker, RF, and other companies that ride their former glory.

/thread

 

[Texasballa24 10+ year member]

DD is amazing. Theres subs are sick. You do have a point, but its not like JL, Kicker are garbage either. Dont worry about how popular a company is.

 

[FlexnInLa 10+ year member]

Audioque?

 

[ascitiesburn69 10+ year member]

I wouldn't say that all the mainstream companies products are shit. The companies you listed all make good products and there amps are pretty underrated, the problem with them is that they cost so **** much. Bigger companies simply use their name as a marketing tool and all the noobs save up for weeks and weeks just to get a mediocre setup when they could have gotten a louder (or better sounding if that's what your going for) setup for half the cost if all "underground companies products were used.

 

[misfit138 5,000+ posts]

The internet brands are appealing to a smaller group of people, whereas the mainstream companies have to appeal to the masses. This means companies like DD & Incriminator don't need to supply ridiculous amounts of product...at least nothing comparable to what companies like Alpine & Kicker are producing anyway.

Then there's this;

Your typical 17 - 22 year old guy doesn't need, or know a thing about, "competition worthy" equipment. Their purchase decisions are made by cosmetic appearance, word of mouth and brand recognition. On top of that, most people don't need a system capable of touching high 40s on the TL. Most of these kids don't have the cash for big power amplifiers either. That's why most of them end up with a pair of W1, P1, CVR, KFC or maybe Type R subwoofers. They're shiny, inexpensive, cheap to power and they make noise. That's good enough for most, but not us.

We're the minority, and the "underground" or "internet" brands are catering to us. It's a niche market. Many of the products are overbuilt, by design, to serve the guys looking for the ever elusive 150+. Simple as that.

 

[fasfocus00 5,000+ posts]

I have my reasons as to why I feel that underground companies in general but particularly car audio build better products than mainstream companies but let me hear some of your thoughts. I think that the reputation of smaller companies rides on the quality of their products and customer service.
Why do underground companies like Sundown, T3Audio, DD, Stetsom produce better products than mainstream companies such as RF, Kicker, JL Audio, etc?

Thanks

it's b/c those "underground" companies will go mainstream once their rep gets established. that's what all the mainstream companies did. I remember when JL refused to sell to big box retailers or large mobile auto retailers. JL finally got sick of dealing with small businesses when there were so popular they could easily get multimillion dollar orders and increase their bottom line. JL was the brand of the mom and pop companies in the 90s. Trust me when I say this, if any of those underground companies could go mainstream they would. If Best Buy put a 20 million dollar order to Sundown and they had to sell out, I am sure they would. any body would do it, and I can't blame them. Hell if I made amps and BB put a few million in my pockets, i'd sell out.

 

[misfit138 5,000+ posts]

it's b/c those "underground" companies will go mainstream once their rep gets established. that's what all the mainstream companies did. I remember when JL refused to sell to big box retailers or large mobile auto retailers. JL finally got sick of dealing with small businesses when there were so popular they could easily get multimillion dollar orders and increase their bottom line. JL was the brand of the mom and pop companies in the 90s. Trust me when I say this, if any of those underground companies could go mainstream they would. If Best Buy put a 20 million dollar order to Sundown and they had to sell out, I am sure they would. any body would do it, and I can't blame them. Hell if I made amps and BB put a few million in my pockets, i'd sell out.

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/handclap.gif.0c301076f534e244f0460706894f19e0.gif

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

I've bought a lot of mainstream products, I just prefer to buy it from a reputable dealer on eBay and pay at or less than 1/2 retail. Never had an issue...and I can re-sell my used stuff on eBay as well...works out rather nice if I do say. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

And I'm not in the younger demographic so SQ is more important to me than the dee beez.

 

[misfit138 5,000+ posts]

And I'm not in the younger demographic so SQ is more important to me than the dee beez.

But I'm sure you're not running $40 coaxials and $65 subs, right? That's the type of stuff the big market companies sell the most of...

 

[Haunz 10+ year member]

Some of the 'mainstream' companies have come out with new amplifier designs... the RF BD topology and thier new hybrid amps, the kicker warhorse, and the JBL class M (or whatever its called)... all of the R&D that goes into a new design obviously costs money... I run a MTX thunder TA amp, and although the topology is nothing special quite obvioulsy the heatsink and cooling design is very unique... again that costs money...

On the other hand you might call audioque an underground company, but its really just run of the mill shit from china... you might also call audiopipe a mainstream company, but its really just cheap run of the mill shit from china... and then you might call sundown an underground company, although its really just high quality run of the mill shit from korea (or wherever its made)...

 

[hatedonmostly 5,000+ posts]

Some of the 'mainstream' companies have come out with new amplifier designs... the RF BD topology and thier new hybrid amps, the kicker warhorse, and the JBL class M (or whatever its called)... all of the R&D that goes into a new design obviously costs money... I run a MTX thunder TA amp, and although the topology is nothing special quite obvioulsy the heatsink and cooling design is very unique... again that costs money...

On the other hand you might call audioque an underground company, but its really just run of the mill shit from china... you might also call audiopipe a mainstream company, but its really just cheap run of the mill shit from china... and then you might call sundown an underground company, although its really just high quality run of the mill shit from korea (or wherever its made)...

But it all comes from China anyway, so who gives a shit? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

 

[cleansoundzz 10+ year member]

it's b/c those "underground" companies will go mainstream once their rep gets established. that's what all the mainstream companies did. I remember when JL refused to sell to big box retailers or large mobile auto retailers. JL finally got sick of dealing with small businesses when there were so popular they could easily get multimillion dollar orders and increase their bottom line. JL was the brand of the mom and pop companies in the 90s. Trust me when I say this, if any of those underground companies could go mainstream they would. If Best Buy put a 20 million dollar order to Sundown and they had to sell out, I am sure they would. any body would do it, and I can't blame them. Hell if I made amps and BB put a few million in my pockets, i'd sell out.

So once they go mainstream, then more products are made in higher quantities and then quality suffers at some point.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

I have my reasons as to why I feel that underground companies in general but particularly car audio build better products than mainstream companies but let me hear some of your thoughts. I think that the reputation of smaller companies rides on the quality of their products and customer service.
Why do underground companies like Sundown, T3Audio, DD, Stetsom produce better products than mainstream companies such as RF, Kicker, JL Audio, etc?

Thanks

Holy begging the question, Batman.