Dbot5 Speakers

http://www.wakeworld.com/getarticle.asp?articleid=1095

Pretty interesting construction.
They look sweet.. I wonder how they sound.

Looks like a copy of an NVS Addiction...

IMO they look just like the Skylons

wrong and wrong, http://www.dbot5.com/images/hardware/blackpearl.jpg and NVS or Skylon cant even begin to compare

"NVS or Skylon cant even begin to compare"

that's bold.

Wrong? Give me a break.

Speaker technology = copied Addiction
Housing technoloty = copied Skylon

I have heard this type of hype before... It just doesn't feel right when a newbie comes on this board and starts bashing the proven players.

"Can't even begin to compare" Probably true, my guess is that NVS blow the doors off the D-Bots.

Maybe it's just me but the D-Bot marketing approach seems a little juvenile. Why do you guys come right out of the gate slamming your competitors? From a sales perspective your approach is in very poor taste.

regardless what everyone else says, i was fortunate enough to get one of the first sets and these things are amazing and i've had others b4, so far my crew is liking the 2packs, and these look great on my enzo 24

"All Dbot5 speakers combine a woofer with a center loaded HFD (High Frequency Driver) to achieve wide frequency pro-audio sound quality without all the harsh noise commonly associated with a traditional horn speaker"

False statement. A properly designed horn speaker does not have "harsh noise"

Also, this setup uses a compression driver, mounted coaxially, which essentially a horn speaker, without the dispersion control you get with a horn. It is a tradeoff of some functionality to improve the form.

In the audio industry it IS pretty typical to have over the top marketing, because your customer is looking for something exciting.

The place where this speaker excels is by using an inexpensive perforated sheet grille, that looks much better than some of its competitors grilles.

tim...nice rip on the grills

it is remarkable how similar they look to the skylons. All that said, at the right price point, they could be a monster seller, say under $600?

D-unit- what's MSRP on these?

Is that bracket billet or cast like the skylons?

I wasn't ripping on the Dbot5 grilles, I was saying I liked them better.

I think the speakers look great. I can't wait to hear them.

It's always good for new companies to come out with high end speakers. It just pushes everyone else to stay on top of there game.

im guna have to say, i dont think d-unit was tryin to bash, but, "Looks like a copy of an NVS Addiction..." if this is talking about the looks and technology of the design, they are nothing alike. IMO

LOL....this is worse than MS ripped off Apple arguments.....

How many different ways are there to design a tower speaker? Not many....of course they all look like they ripped off someone else.

JW,

Not sure I follow your post?

D-Unit not bashing??? Read his post again "NVS and Skyon cannot even begin to compare"

When I designed my own tower speakers I borrowed (Okay, copied) some of the design elements from the NVS addiction. I did this because I thought it was a good design. I also tried to give credit where credit was due. My speakers were lots of work and the result had several drawbacks when compared to off the shelf addictions. Mine were still good speakers but I give credit where credit is due and that's to the Duane and Todd at NVS for having the insight in the first place.

Having the experience of building my own set of tower speakers utilizing the Eminence Beta 8CX coaxially loaded compression tweeter, I find D-Bot's press release laughable. The claim D-Bot's press release "revolutionary new design?", that it is not, it is in my opinion a short sighted copy. If patents were at stake this would be a slam dunk case. If you took a saw and sliced one of my Eminence Beta cx's or through an older addiction you will be holding something that looks exactly like the picture in D-bot's press release picture. It's neither new nor revolutionary, not even in use on a boat's tower.

I guess taking one competitors technology and putting it in another competitors housings is new but not revolutionary, at least not in my book. I guess hype is not new in this industry either... That seemed to be copied from the Skylon business manual too.

MIKESKI

yes you are right on the quote you copied, well anyways, im sure they all are fine speakers. i have been working on the same style for a year now, they are due to release in 08, by then there should be about 5-6 top brands, so then people will start buying on several points, like cars or trucks, you have the motor but you also have the body! good post!

Though I agree with a lot of what's been said here. I'm going to give Dbot5 the benefit of the doubt.

I'm sure they had a significant and prolonged engineering effort to bring these to market--regardless that the road-map is laid out in the wakeworld archives. If that was my effort I'd probably be pretty dang excited about what I had produced. Filled with pride I may be susceptible to coming off arrogant.

Suggesting that your product performs better than the product you copied is overstated -- especially when and if you're using the same components.

I, for one, welcome Dbot5 to the market. I'm sure we've all cringed at the price of production tower speakers. The more manufactures we have competing for our business should reflect better products, more options and lower pricing in the long

Dbot, What is the price??

It seems that with NVS, Wetsound, Dbot5, and soon Lucky Devil all making a Very similar product that it is going to start coming down to looks and price. That should be good for the consumer.

It's time for me to chime in since I haven't posted in a while. There are many more dimensions to consider when selecting tower speakers than just technical design, looks, and price. Consider these additional dimensions to the equation:

- Inventory availability during the season
- Proven track record of manufacturer
- Type of quick release mounts
- Weight of total system (tower flex)
- Sound Quality including low-end frequencies
- SPL at 80 feet on rough water (if important)
- Not just price, but value for the total package
- Fit and finish (up close)
- Longevity under harsh conditions
- Efficiency and power handling (how big an amp is needed?)
- Bullet proof cross-over?
- Backing of manufacturer, Warranty

You really have to dig deeper to get the whole story. Over the past 5 years, Wakeside has dropped many lines for various reasons. To get to the top of the Wakeboard Tower Speakers category and to stay there takes a huge investment and commitment and excellence in many dimensions from the manufacturer over a period of years. There have been many casualties.

We always welcome newcomers, and Wakeside already has some positive experience with DBot5 since we offer their racks and other boat accessories.

Mike

Mike, you are right on! Most of your points are VERY important when buying, really all of them when it comes down to it. Youve got people who want the cheapest and then youve got people who will pay whatever to get what they believe to be the best for them, either way there is something out there for everybody. go wakeside!

Hi Everyone,

I am the owner of Dbot5. It is good to hear all the cool stuff going on.

Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of time to post on Wakeworld; this is actually my first. I am bringing your products to reality overseas. I have our guy Dmitry post for us.

I can assure you I know what D-man meant by his comment. It wasn't intentionally arrogant. Let me explain: Dman is our graphics guy and Russian at that so a little rusty on communication...he is young so yes he is a little immature. However he is awesome! (I have actually been chuckling over this thread.) I appoligize if Dmitry has offended anyone. (my sales guys emailed me this thread in a panic...)

No, they are not a copy...horn speakers are found off the shelf in China. Chinese people love horns! Trust me, I live here.

We paid a good engineer a lot of money to do those. I can't really think of a lot of speaker designs that haven't been done. I worked over the holidays alone in China to deliver them to the market, so yes I am passionate about them.

We are the first ones who put a 6" HFD speaker horn inside the speaker. People are going to copy us, this is what all business's do. I don't know what to say?

Honestly, I have never seen NVS stuff. I have seen Sklon. I have a lot of respect for Skylon and what they have done. They do cool products and have good quality.

I personally liked their speaker when they were released. I was bummed because it was similar to what I had in mind. Honestly, I bought some Skylon speakers for my boat when they were released; I liked them.

I intended on doing my black speakers originally; these are what I want to represent the company. This is the style I will take for the future. Check them at www.dbot5.com.

However, I let the fear get the best of me and released what was proven to sale with chrome on the speaker. They do look similar to Skylons but we use many different materials; speaker components are not the same at all. Plus we added a design element you need to see in person that gives them a much different feel.

I regret doing it because I always want the company to represent me. It is tough coming out as the new guy with something totally unique. People have set what they want.

However, I am pushing my black speakers 100% because this is what represents my company. We will always push a unique style into the future in the industry; I promise.

I back up all my products. Mike is absolutely right on the manufacturers. I live in China to make this a reality for you guys. This is why I back it up...it is a dangerous place here. We have had some hiccups for sure; we are new.

However, we are not going anywhere. Check our site daily as we always are posting new blogs and products...such as stylish golf clubs so you don't match your dad on the green.

Next season my factory will be a Costco certified vendor. The standards don't get higher then this.

I will always do my best to bring you the best. I am getting better everyday and yes I do make mistakes. It is the hardest work I have done in my life. I get so much support from the industry I have to say thank you.

I love this lifestyle. This isn't a game to me. This is my passion. I want to add something positive and unique to the industry.

I have containers arriving in the USA with product weekly. Our speakers really do look good and sound really well. You have to see them in person to get a better grasp.

I won't have a lot of time to reply to this thread. However, if you email me at bryceh@dbot5.com I would be willing to answer any questions. My response might be slow but I promise I will get it done.

Thanks

Bryce

They look good Bryce, any idea on pricing yet? Also, you never heard of NVS!? Thats like a new car manufacturer coming out and saying "Honestly, I've never heard of BMW, but I have heard of Chevy"

buy skylon product...move to china....design and produce speaker.....release product very similar to skylon....ummmmmm?????

Let's quit the bashing guys. Mike hit the nail dead on with that post. Buying tower speakers is more than just how loud they are, lots of other factors come into play. It is good seeing dbot5 hit the scene, and same goes for Lucky Devil Designs. These guys are pushing new and different products, which means competition between more than just 3 companies. In the end this will lead to better and more affordable products. The buyer will also have a wider range of products to choose from, so when you are out at the lake, you wont see 50 pairs of tower speakers that look just like yours.

Hey Dudes,

Been getting some emails.

Seriously, the speakers are in limited supply. You can also check the engineered specs and materials on our website, www.dbot5.com to save yourself from a response like Sam's.

Here is the pricing:

MSRP

6 " Chrome set- 699
8 " Chrome set- 849
6-8"Chrome pair 1,399

6" Black set - 749
8" Black set - 899
6-8"Black set - 1,499

Thanks for everything!

Bryce

p.s. I found a good wakeboard club in China. It has been sick to ride with these dudes! I will post something on our blog so check it!

On your website, it says the speakers have a continuous rating of 150w RMS, and a peak rating of 250w RMS. I thought RMS was the same thing as continuous power?

Must be the english conversion from the immature russian or the owners manual written in chinese.

I take back my post from earlier, these do look very similar to the skylon housings and wetsounds designs.

Yup and that clamp looks like you can buy it at Grainger supply.

05mobius – that malibu in your profile, i can only assume is your boat, looks quite suspiciously like a knock off of the arc that Noah built to me.

Get real meatheads, there are limited things that are new, just improvements upon existing ideas. It will be interesting to see how theses new companies fare (Ronix and DBOT5 come to my mind). I personally like the DBOT dudes (from their site and interaction with them at the events - they seem like people who love the board sports for sure. All the guys i have met at DBOT can bust a kickflip on a skate, throw down on the snow and do a little on the wakeboard or skate) and I always like industrious people, but i am only one of many so we will see how it all turns out.

Also come on lets not be racist on this board guys. It's a world market and stage today!

As for RMS Leo - here is some good reading on RMS - http://www.bcae1.com/voltages.htm i don't want to claim any credit for this outside searching google for it however.

Muji

Muji, as far as I know Noah didn't register with the US government for a patent on his arc.

For the record, I like the design of the clamp. I'm curious to read about Skylon's response to the speaker design.

I had the chance to take a gander at some of these last weekend while hanging at Steve Bates' house. One word.....LOUD!!! They were extremely loud and very crisp and clean with no distortion what so ever. I was very impressed with them.

Everyone needs to quite bashing. Who cares if they look similar to another product on the market? The new Tiges, and MB, have a pickle fork...just like the X Star. So what, they look great and sound even better. I'd buy them.

"05mobius – that malibu in your profile, i can only assume is your boat, looks quite suspiciously like a knock off of the arc that Noah built to me."

Let me guess you're a mastercraft guy.. Not racist just like products made in the usa.

> Not racist just like products made in the usa.

There are still products made in the USA?

> Get real meatheads, there are limited things that are new, just improvements upon existing ideas.

Thank you, well said.

What?

Skylon, Fusion, and Wetsounds are in China correct? I'm sure there are more but those are all that come to mind..

Unfortunately to compete, you have to be there. Every industry that is out there is facing this. I work in the retail fixture industry and most eveyone is there...if you're not, you are being killed on price.
Sucks, but facts.

I'm interested in hearing these things.

To bad I guess everything is getting outsourced.

Muji, I think you completely missed my point about the RMS post. They said that the continuous wattage and the peak wattage were both RMS wattage. Continuous wattage and RMS normally go hand in hand.

It is one thing to improve on a product. It is something totally different when you buy speakers, carry them to china, and then start producing speakers that are very similar to the competition. And you do all of this after you ask the competition to design your speakers, and they refused to.

leo - i am not an electrical guy - just thought the link would help clarify.

Not sure the deal on the second part of your post it sounds like you have a personal vendetta you need to avenge, but i will comment. Name me 10 products outside the highly technical or bio/nano med industry that hasn't done what you just described over the last 45 years and i will buy you dinner ;-)

05mobus - i don’t own a boat and my taste is whatever the flavor of the day is, i am quite frankly a little more financially savvy myself to ever own one since most of my friends will foot the bill for one and all i have to do is pay for gas and beers.

No personal vandetta. Just stating something that Bryce admitted to doing.

"i am quite frankly a little more financially savvy myself to ever own one"

I guess that's one way to put it.

Leo,
Where does Bryce say he asked the competition to design his speakers? Are you referring to skylon?

Sam, Id rather not disclose anymore information on this website.

Made in China should no longer be the issue. Skylon, Wetsounds, Fusion, Element, and Titan tower speaker systems are all made in China.

When these brands were assembled in the US the work was often done by illegal aliens anyway. Most Americans don't want this minimum wage work. Probably 50% or more of the parts that go into both domestic and import (European) cars are made in China, Taiwan, or Thailand. The fact that tower speakers or even wakeboards are made in China is just part of the Global world we live in today.

What is more important is the company that knows the market (wakeboard boat accessories) and does the strategy, design, engineering, project management, quality assurance and testing, distribution, backing up the product with a warranty, and effectively handling the customer service. These companies develop the brand and the trust over time. These type of jobs pay much higher than the product assemblers get and are all located in the US.

There already is a level playing field. Dbot5 is using the same strategy as the industry leaders.

I think the new all-black version of the DBot5 tower speakers is unique enough to satisfy Wakeside with regards to product variation. The chrome version looks almost the same as the Skylon Rubicon and Element tower speakers so it appears like a clone even though the inside is different. I'm happy to see DBot5 move toward their own look.

Mike

Once again WakeSide is right on, so true!

Everything dang near is made in china(or overseas), maybe not the whole product, or maybe its assembled in the US. To me this topic should be closed,lol. I think every accessory company tries to make a product that will sell, and if its all HLCD that people want then it will probably be made by everyone. I dont believe anyone should bash anyone here, until someone copies the same exact part, then its not the same part.

LD

It is probably not so much the fact that they integrated existing design concepts that annoys people, it is the claims on their website and in this thread that it is new and innovative, which in fact it is not.

Again, they took good ideas from several manufacturers and combined them in what looks to be a great package, so they will probably sell very well. I know that if I wanted tower speakers on my boat, these speakers would definately be in the running.