First off, I'm glad I have gotten as much response as I have from my previous post. However I am realizing that I have not fully communicated what I set out to communicate. My point is not that expensive equals good. Though, it would seem that that's pretty much what I said, or at least implied.
Let me clarify two things. One, I was making a huge generalization, obviously too huge. Two, my context is largely in the world of gear (i.e. audio, video, lighting, computers, software, things of this nature). For instance, here is a very specific example. I can buy a Royer R-121 ribbon microphone for $1300. Or I can buy the Samson VR88 for $500. These claim to do the same thing, however there's a reason the Royer costs more than twice as much. Yes, they do the same thing, but the Royer just sounds better. They're hand made in the U.S. and meticulously tested to conform to unbelievably precise specifications. The Samson is made in China. It's mass-produced and the manufacturing doesn't have nearly the same standard of quality and attention to detail. Unfortunately, I get the guy (usually between the age of 18-22) that thinks he has discovered some big lie in the industry and that he doesn't need to pay that kind money to get something that sounds great. When these people tell me things like "it sounds just as good as that expensive microphone", I always want to say "wow! Let me call all the recording engineers in Nashville and L.A.! I think you figured out something they don't know! They're out there buying all these expensive microphones, they're gonna be thrilled that the cheap mics sound just as good!" (sarcasm...lots of sarcasm)
Then there's an issue of industry respect and production value. We have, in the last year and a half, been buying exponentially more industry-standard equipment for our tours. For instance, we stopped building our own power distro's and started buying them from TMB ProPower. Yes they're expensive but the fire marshall at the venue only has to glance at stuff like this to say "they know what they're doing" and then he walks away. They didn't so quickly walk away from our home-build distro's... and those home-built distro's almost started fires on more than one occasion...'but we saved a bunch of money...' grrrrrr......
When I got hired at CIY, they purchased quite a bit of my recording and computer gear. Several of the core pieces (and most expensive ones) were all over 3 years old. I was really glad I hadn't tried to save a bunch of money 3 years ago when I bought that stuff. It has held its sound quality, durrability, and industry esteem. So I didn't waste money, and CIY is getting great gear for a good price. I could not have, in good concience, asked CIY to buy low-end gear from me.
Those are just very small examples of what I'm talking about. Yes the $10 watch will probably tell time for years just like the $80 one...so it's not always a 1 to 1 comparison. There's just usually a reason that some stuff cost more than others. So bring on the responses! :)
Monday, March 5, 2007
Sunday, March 4, 2007
New Blog for me
So... this is my blog now. Sara and I had one together but she accidentily deleted the whole thing. She felt really bad so it's not a huge deal, and we're probably better off starting our own ones. I like to keep things seperate...ya know, toothbrushes, sinks, pillows, beds....kidding...
Just for a little explanation of the 'don't buy cheap meat' thing, it's a phrase I use a lot describing a general life principle I happen to subscribe to. That philosophy is this: You get what you pay for. More often than not, if something is expensive, it's good; and if it's cheap, it's probably not good. I notice that America has this way about it that thinks everything should be really cheap... but (oh yeah) be really good quality too. These two things very rarely coexist.
Furthermore, in the music/gear world, there is a little thing we call 'Gear Nirvana'. It is a fictional place (it doesn't exist) in which you can get really good gear without paying much money. I get people all the time at events and other places coming up to me and saying such things as "I want to buy a guitar. I want a REALLY good one, but I don't want to pay a whole bunch of money. What should I get?"
This makes me very upset about our current state of economic values where the bargain is a bigger priority than the value. This also doesn't simply mean that this person came up with this idea all on his own. It really means that they have been conditioned for years to think this is reasonable mentality. Fact is, if you want this REALY good guitar, you're probably gonna have to pay a whole bunch of money. Sorry.
Or you get the guy who doesn't want to spend much money on anything, but then wonders why his [guitar, keyboard, mixes] don't sound as good as someone elses. Hmmmm.... let's think... why doesn't the $300 Behringer compressor sound as good as the $1600 Universal Audio 1176LN? Hmmmmm....
Things are marketed this way too. Start watching for it, you'll see it everywhere. Furniture commercials, billboards, radio adds. They are trying to make you care more about saving a buck than getting your money's worth. Truth is, if something 'should' cost $3, and you find some way to get something almost as good for $2, it will probably break, you'll then go buy the $3 one. So you didn't save a buck, you just wasted $2, since you've now spent $5.
Okay, I stepping down off my high horse riiiiiiiight......now.
Oh yeah, the cheap meat part. I was at a restaraunt a couple years ago and saw on the menu a whole rack of ribs for like $10. I ordered them, ate them, and was subsequently dissapointed by them. In fact, I think they made me sick later. Point being, a whole rack of ribs should cost quite a bit more than $10. So instead of realizing this, I thought somehow I could get $20 worth of meat for $10. Hey this is the 90's! And it's America!
Thus, don't buy cheap meat.
Ramble ramble ramble
Later
Jon
Just for a little explanation of the 'don't buy cheap meat' thing, it's a phrase I use a lot describing a general life principle I happen to subscribe to. That philosophy is this: You get what you pay for. More often than not, if something is expensive, it's good; and if it's cheap, it's probably not good. I notice that America has this way about it that thinks everything should be really cheap... but (oh yeah) be really good quality too. These two things very rarely coexist.
Furthermore, in the music/gear world, there is a little thing we call 'Gear Nirvana'. It is a fictional place (it doesn't exist) in which you can get really good gear without paying much money. I get people all the time at events and other places coming up to me and saying such things as "I want to buy a guitar. I want a REALLY good one, but I don't want to pay a whole bunch of money. What should I get?"
This makes me very upset about our current state of economic values where the bargain is a bigger priority than the value. This also doesn't simply mean that this person came up with this idea all on his own. It really means that they have been conditioned for years to think this is reasonable mentality. Fact is, if you want this REALY good guitar, you're probably gonna have to pay a whole bunch of money. Sorry.
Or you get the guy who doesn't want to spend much money on anything, but then wonders why his [guitar, keyboard, mixes] don't sound as good as someone elses. Hmmmm.... let's think... why doesn't the $300 Behringer compressor sound as good as the $1600 Universal Audio 1176LN? Hmmmmm....
Things are marketed this way too. Start watching for it, you'll see it everywhere. Furniture commercials, billboards, radio adds. They are trying to make you care more about saving a buck than getting your money's worth. Truth is, if something 'should' cost $3, and you find some way to get something almost as good for $2, it will probably break, you'll then go buy the $3 one. So you didn't save a buck, you just wasted $2, since you've now spent $5.
Okay, I stepping down off my high horse riiiiiiiight......now.
Oh yeah, the cheap meat part. I was at a restaraunt a couple years ago and saw on the menu a whole rack of ribs for like $10. I ordered them, ate them, and was subsequently dissapointed by them. In fact, I think they made me sick later. Point being, a whole rack of ribs should cost quite a bit more than $10. So instead of realizing this, I thought somehow I could get $20 worth of meat for $10. Hey this is the 90's! And it's America!
Thus, don't buy cheap meat.
Ramble ramble ramble
Later
Jon
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