In last week's vote, reader Ken said that, if we're going to ask if a manufacturer's website is important, we should recognize the best ones. So which manufacturer websites stand out as particularly great, in your opinion?
COMMENTS
Every manufacturer must offer downloadable images of its equiment front & back, sales/cut sheets, instruction manuals and retail price information. Offering the consumer as much information as possible as easy as possible will make your product the #1 choice.
The Decware website convinced me to take the "tube" plunge. Why? Tons of information: white papers on designs, descriptions, specifications, owner reviews, online tours, a "down to earth" approach, and a user forum that has some really committed customers and audiophiles posting there to aid and assist current and future owners. It is not a slick site but a real place to learn and understand the product, designer, and customers.
Not a favorite, but one of my biggest recent frustrations was Musical Fidelity. I was recommending their products to a friend who was buying a system, and all I needed to know was where he could go buy the stuff I was telling him to buy. But they've disappeared from Audio Advisor. Then they have no email contact on their site. Finally I get in touch with them (through Stereophile!) and MF in England tells me to contact Kevro, the new North American distributor. Despite repeated emails, Kevro never deigned to responddespite being given an individual's name and his personal email by someone from MF. What the . . .? Cut to now: it's been what, months since numerous new MF products were introduced. They're in buyers' hands already. I know because user reviews are showing up. But you got it! No info whatsoever on the website. Just a note which has been there forever saying "go away and come back later." I guess it doesn't matter, right? Since I was never able to locate a dealer, I guess I can't buy anything from them, anyway. I've been a fan since the company was called "British Fidelity" and was imported into this country by the late Dick Schaus. My very first preamp was an original "The Preamp." I've been recommending the company's products for years. Am I really a guy they want to alienate just because they can't get their act together on the web? Sorry for the rant, but this amounts to corporate negligence!
I dunno about "the" best (I haven't been to enough makers sites to award this title) but I give high marks to Monster Cable's website. It provides solid information about the products, there are pictures, the layout is good (can easily navigate the site), they keep the site updated and there is pricing info.
Bryston's site has been near the top of my list. http://www.bryston.ca/index.html is the URL. Check out the newsletter section. Hard to choose one "best" from many varied offerings on the web. If you have the patience to wade through dreck, the e-Bay electronics section commonly has a great array of vintage electronics w/ photos & lots of info.
The websites for Madrigal, Mark Levinson, Revel, Proceed, et al stand out as the best high end audio websites, in my opinion. All offer in-depth product information (including full specifications, theories and processes), owners' manuals on PDF, upcoming product news, and stunning wallpaper for your PC's/Mac's desktop. The sites are easy to navigate, Flash enabled, Java enabled, and very exciting.
http://www.ohmspeakers.com/ I have mentioned this site before, and if you have vintage Ohm speakers they list every model they have ever made and offer replacement parts for every one. Not only that if you are a DIYer You can build one.
I guess I am answering this with the most freguently visited sites. McIntoshlabs.com, Naim.com, these two seem to be very user freindly although behind the times in product release, I appreciate the downloading of manuals, brochures, etc.
Some do a better job than others. But a great site would allow me to chose a component, configure it, get a list price and a local dealer's name (and ideally an appointment to try the piece). An achive of discontinued products would also be helpful for those of us that buy and hold on to our components (or those who buy used).
In my opinion, the website is another storefront for the manufacturer. Image and what's inside are the most impotant things. Image: color and layout . What's inside: company profile, product information, owner's manual, tech corner... I think most manufacurers did a great job in one but none of them outstand in both. Some of the manufacturers such as Madrigal and dcs provide valuable and detailed information on equipments and techniques, but their site appearance can not match the Venture Audio from Belgium (www.ventureaudio.com).
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