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Dear Sebatron ,

You might wish to join the discussion in rec.audio.pro initiated by Dan Valencia. I've had contact with Diana in your company for the last eight months, ever since some of your neighbors decided to spam our newsgroup in a (probably) well-intentioned attempt to create a favorable buzz about your product. I arranged then for your units (then the 4-ch, now the 2-ch I guess) to be reviewed by two or three prominent reviewers who write frequently for national magazines (Scott Dorsey and Ty Ford among them), and Fletcher of Mercenary Audio. We've been trying to get an evaluation unit into the hands of these reviewers for months, but to no avail so far. We're a little puzzled at the lack of follow-through, to be honest, since this seems to be the best thing for your business. A good review from any of these people would crack the US market open for you. I put this question to Dan Valencia. And I'm putting the question to you here. Why not take us up on the offer? Once reviews hit the magazines, nobody will accuse you of hype any further, so long as the units are as people say they are. [And a favorable buzz in rec.audio.pro is what helped Mark McQuilken get FMR audio off the ground, and he does very well indeed.] If the 2-channel unit is as claimed, then there is good reason to expect that it will do very well. The discontinued Peavey VMP2 became a cult-classic as the only reasonably priced valve preamp on the market. Now that it is not longer available, there is a niche to be filled. So let's get on the case and follow through with this thing; there are quite a few curious folks out there.

Best wishes, Luke

[Critical remarks since addressed were edited out from previous version of this post.]

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Sebatron Wed, 07/23/2003 - 05:02

Hi Luke ,
It’s Diana here.

We're a little puzzled at the lack of follow-through, to be honest, since this seems to be the best thing for your business. A good review from any of these people would crack the US market open for you.

Yes I understand Luke.
I relayed this statement to The Sebatron and he promptly faxed me back the following reply:

Hi Diana ,
….hmmmm…..interesting statement.Yes I remember you telling me about Luke.
From what I recall this was/is the sequence of events:
1/ The company released a four channel valve mic pre-amp called the vmp-4000e.This pre-amp was unique because it sounded organic and different to other pre-amps available…and it was a very good deal.It is all Class ‘A’ discrete High Tension Input Transformer Coupled Variable negative feedback and transparent servo fully balanced with d.i. input and switchable phantom phase with EQ.Always a high tension rail.
Packeging was also different….brown then white then back to brown cardboard.Delivery is always FEDEX.
2/Word got around and it was a good thing you know….everything was kept clean.Some people said ‘hey , bro’ , check this out….’Others heard the magic…others knew it was a good deal.The streets were clean….and kept clean.Others like Kurt ,knew.
3/The company then re-structured to deal with the great demand and got carried away with R and D and binge rave-type parties.But the streets remained clean.Still clean.
4/Now there are other gems to deal with:
The veqc-2000
THORAX….soon to be ‘officially released’
CRANIUM……think about it.
5/But shipping is no problem.
6/Give me the address , name the person (Not Fletcher) and I’ll send a vmp-2000e by FEDEX at my own expense.
7/Give me 3-4 weeks.We’ll publish the review my Forum.
…if it’s a bad one we’ll publish it in Eve Anna’s Forum.
8/Oh…BTW……Can you arrange a well cooked steak for tomorrow morning Diana?

Thanks and take care,
~SEBATRON~

So there you have it Luke.
Can you make sense of that?

Sincerely.
Diana Black.

anonymous Tue, 07/29/2003 - 15:32

Originally posted by J. Slator:
That was a seriously weird response, particularly considering that it was ostensibly a communication with one of your own employees.

In any event, I'm just curious what your beef is with Fletcher. Why is he the only person who you won't send a review unit to?

This sounds like manipulation more than sincerity to me from Luke & J. Who you working for...Fletcher? Privately would have been class... Posting this on the forum smells to me.

* Thank you J. We're all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view. :d:

* RAP, dark corners of the usernet... the little click... Then RO evolved... clean air.

* Craig Fletcher ... nasty politics...play with him or else...

* Sebatron... even the name has class. You're doing alright ~! :tu:

Sebatron Tue, 07/29/2003 - 17:14

Here we go...... :(

You see that's what i meant before :
point #2 on my fax to Diana...

"the streets were clean...."
now their getting dirty.Please keep all this dirt away.I've no time for BS and the like.

Let me get back to my sine waves and scope or ask good clean decent questions about music and making it , recording it .

MUSIC ALWAYS PREVAILS.

audiokid Tue, 07/29/2003 - 23:01

Ya it was. I feel older now hehe. I played the Londendary too. Mr Mix owned it all lol. That was an interesting hotel. I worked at Mothers for a while, really liked it, sold gear and had a riot with George Goodall and the gang. Lots has changed since then.

Finally moved to a small town and create this place. Rest is history. We'll all have to have a big party one day.

Cheers!

Back to Seb...

Rod Gervais Wed, 07/30/2003 - 09:42

Originally posted by acorec:

J Slater is flamed and posts are deleted. It didn't take long to get back to your old ways.

Wow, and here i had a warm fuzzy feeling when i witnessed JS and Chris having a nice conversation - I guess you must have missed that part - oh well.......... go figure.........

Hey J......... you seem a decent person - i think i like this side of you.

Rod

audiokid Wed, 07/30/2003 - 13:27

I second that Rod!

Ha, I forgot about those auction days J. lol "Mothers Auctions". It was crazy back then. Those were the "good old days" eh. I sold a Martin stack, amps, crossover, cable and board for just over $10,000. Man, a happy guy came in with a credit card and we packed into a truck.
I did wonder about markup too. I think the margins were pretty slim. ehem, we pulled a few items on Wed. though.

This topic appears covered, lets close it on move on.

Cheers!