View Full Version : Virtual Dynamics have ceased trading
Virtual Dynamics have ceased trading.
This news is rather personal for me because they have been advertising on their website for at least 3 years that they need a marketing manager. I applied twice in 2007, twice in 2008 and three times in 2009 for the job and the top man never bothered to reply, even though their sales manager said I was ideal for the job.
With the product they had, the market they had and the reputation they had built up, there was a good chance they could have weathered the recession with a little guidance, but I shed no tears for them when the head honcho is too preoccupied with his own self-importance to reply to a simple email. If there wasn't a job, then don't advertise it for several years :steam:
I had a feeling they had gone out of business, I did notice that they had stopped advertising on
Audiogon for many months now and I couldn't find their website last time I looked for news.
So how did you find out ?
I did a Google search for VD's latest products and the first entry in the listings was this website: http://audiomatters.blogspot.com/2010/04/virtual-dynamics-closes-down.html
hifi_dave
21-12-2010, 10:52
Sorry to be vague but what/who is Virtual Dynamics ?
They're the ones who took a hose pipe, some 6A wires, some fancy plugs, ferrite granules, put the whole lot together with loads of hot melt glue at each end and charged a fortune for the "second coming" of cables ;)
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/293165/my-cat-tore-up-my-virtual-dynamics-power-3
The original pics look to have gone, but the story is fun..
The original pics look to have gone, but the story is fun..
The original photos are here:
http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2008/03/virtual-dynamics-power-3-cables-cords-wire.jpg
http://media.audiojunkies.com/virtual-dynamics-power-3-cables-cords-wire-2.jpg
http://media.audiojunkies.com/virtual-dynamics-power-3-cables-cords-wire-5.jpg
http://media.audiojunkies.com/virtual-dynamics-power-3-cables-cords-wire-6.jpg
anthonyTD
21-12-2010, 13:30
out of interest,
how much were these cables ???:scratch:
kininigin
21-12-2010, 14:12
i find it hard to comprehend how a company like VD can go out of business when they were providing quality products like there mains cables.
Who's next mark grant ;)
I found a price for an i/c via an old advert:
1M length of Virtual Dynamics Master interconnect cable...cost £1350
There also a mains cable, seems to be about £675, 1.5M NITE II mains cable.
I'm sure Mark Grant's quaking in his boots.....not.
kininigin
21-12-2010, 14:35
I found a price for an i/c via an old advert:
1M length of Virtual Dynamics Master interconnect cable...cost £1350
There also a mains cable, seems to be about £675, 1.5M NITE II mains cable.
I'm sure Mark Grant's quaking in his boots.....not.
Hang on a minute,what's the date today? It's not april 1st is it?
Is this a real company we are talking about?
anthonyTD
21-12-2010, 15:11
i find it hard to comprehend how a company like VD can go out of business when they were providing quality products like there mains cables.
Who's next mark grant ;)
I dont think mark is going to lose any sleep over this!;)
the hi fi industry is becoming smaller and more discerning by the year, however, companies like MARK GRANT, BERSESFORD, AUDIOCOM, and many others who continue to offer worthwhile upgrades and items that punch well above their weight will always be welcomed and therefore deserve their place in the hi end audio market.
Anthony,TD...
Covenant
21-12-2010, 15:54
i find it hard to comprehend how a company like VD can go out of business when they were providing quality products like there mains cables.
Who's next mark grant ;)
If you search on Google you will find that a VD mains cable was ripped open by someones dog and inside was found a badly connected ordinary mains cable surrounded by a metal oxide powder and a garden hosepipe. Lots of photos too.
I got one for free off them and it made zero difference.:rolleyes:
kininigin
21-12-2010, 16:08
my sarcasm seems to be lost by some :)
i've just been reading through some of the thread on head fi via dave r's link and it's very interesting.The sheer nerve the VD representative shows in defending that particular product is quite unbelievable.
How people like that sleep at night i'll never know.
I believe the mains cable concerned was one of their "cheap" £300 ones..
At least Rega only add the dealer margin to what looks suspiciously similar to Mark Grant's mains leads, so if bought from a dealer, their cable is fine value still. It's when people start quietly charging what would be full retail (including non existant dealer margins) online that I start to get grumpy.
Mark Grant
21-12-2010, 19:08
At least Rega only add the dealer margin to what looks suspiciously similar to Mark Grant's mains leads,
Similar but not the same :)
The rega lead is here:
http://www.rega.co.uk/index2.htm
The Rega has 1.5mm cores and a copper braid screen with very similar looking IEC connector.
My cable the DSP 2.5 as I call it has 2.5mm cores and foil and braid screening.
So more copper and more screening for less money :)
Selling direct hence the price difference.
Also very high build quality and there are reasons why it works with many systems ;)
http://markgrantcables.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=45_18&products_id=69
Covenant
21-12-2010, 19:55
[QUOTE=kininigin;172292]my sarcasm seems to be lost by some :)
One of these would have helped! :eyebrows:
Hang on a minute,what's the date today? It's not april 1st is it?
Is this a real company we are talking about?
Virtual Dynamics was indeed a real company in Canada.
I only briefly had a play with one of their mains cables (a Nite as I recall) and wasn't overly impressed.
Their interconnects were another matter and I owned a pair of Nite 1's and Nite 2's which were good cables. I then bought a Master i/c and that was better than the Nites. The Nite 1 was one hell of a beast which had external metal screening which weighed a ton and would easily tilt a DAC or pre-amp. Even if it didn't lift uo the component it was attached to, the centre pin on the RCA plug would droop like Concorde's nose from the sheer weight it had to bear. In actual fact, the "centre pin" of the RCA plug was a continuation of the centre core of the cable - the plug's actual pin was removed
http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg208/kernowman/Hi-Fi/vd_nites.jpg
Similar but not the same :)
The rega lead is here:
http://www.rega.co.uk/index2.htm
The Rega has 1.5mm cores and a copper braid screen with very similar looking IEC connector.
My cable the DSP 2.5 as I call it has 2.5mm cores and foil and braid screening.
So more copper and more screening for less money :)
Selling direct hence the price difference.
Also very high build quality and there are reasons why it works with many systems ;)
http://markgrantcables.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=45_18&products_id=69
Mark, apologies, and thanks for putting me straight on the differences in your own excellent mains cables :)
Hi Mark,
The rega lead is here:
http://www.rega.co.uk/index2.htm
Unfortunately that link simply takes you to the Rega homepage....
Here's a pic of the (decent but inferior Rega mains lead):
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/4900/mainslead.gif (http://img194.imageshack.us/i/mainslead.gif/)
And the key bit of text:
The cable is constructed from the highest quality 1.5mm ² copper conductors with fully earthed braided tinned copper RF screen.
The thicker 2.5mm cores and foil and braid screening on your DSP 2.5s makes all the difference!
:)
Marco.
kininigin
22-12-2010, 11:39
[QUOTE=kininigin;172292]my sarcasm seems to be lost by some :)
One of these would have helped! :eyebrows:
duly noted ;)
twelvebears
22-12-2010, 11:40
My thoughts are good riddance and frankly, a bit of luck Frank that they didn't reply to you about that job.
Can you imagine how you would have felt as audio fan, that you were Marketing Manager to a company selling a load of shit?
kininigin
22-12-2010, 11:44
Virtual Dynamics was indeed a real company in Canada.
I only briefly had a play with one of their mains cables (a Nite as I recall) and wasn't overly impressed.
Their interconnects were another matter and I owned a pair of Nite 1's and Nite 2's which were good cables. I then bought a Master i/c and that was better than the Nites. The Nite 1 was one hell of a beast which had external metal screening which weighed a ton and would easily tilt a DAC or pre-amp. Even if it didn't lift uo the component it was attached to, the centre pin on the RCA plug would droop like Concorde's nose from the sheer weight it had to bear. In actual fact, the "centre pin" of the RCA plug was a continuation of the centre core of the cable - the plug's actual pin was removed
http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg208/kernowman/Hi-Fi/vd_nites.jpg
Whoa they are massive,do they share the same design principle as the mains lead?
Do you still have the i/c? Maybe you could take some snips to them and have a closer inspection,go on you know you want to :eyebrows:
My thoughts are good riddance and frankly, a bit of luck Frank that they didn't reply to you about that job.
Can you imagine how you would have felt as audio fan, that you were Marketing Manager to a company selling a load of shit?
The higher range of cables were very good indeed, but the way they were being described WAS shit of the highest order. The pricing structure too was a sure fire road to failure in a recession and they should have taken action back in 2007 to remedy that and stay solvent. As you say though, they didn't have the right attitude and from my viewpoint I am glad now I didn't get a reply.
I don't understand though why people were/are getting their knickers in a twist about the "hose pipe" used in the bottom range of cables, because it's sole function was to stop the graphite powder (or whatever it was was) spilling out all over the place. I re-terminated a pair of Nite interconnects and as soon as you removed the RCA plug the powder came pouring out at a great rate :(
You have to look at the parts cost and the execution of the construction compared to the retail prices asked for. Thin cheapo wires readily available from US hardware chains not very well terminated into good but standard plugs and using copious hot-melt plonked all over, the only "special" thing being the powder in the outer pipe. Sorry, but I prefer Mark Grant's professional approach, using decent grade of conductors (which WILL make a difference on their own), with a double foil/braided screen in a clear tube, professionally welded/screwed into good quality plugs and sold at a fair price - IMO.. Mark doesn't charge £300 for his cables and surround them with foo.
here are one or two of the pics linked to -
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q8/DSJR_photos/6cb21685.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q8/DSJR_photos/5313eec8.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q8/DSJR_photos/6cb21685.jpg
Techno Commander
23-12-2010, 12:12
Your cat seems to like them though. :)
Your cat seems to like them though. :)
I think Kitty,smelled something fishy about that cable.
Techno Commander
01-01-2011, 19:09
:lolsign:
This thread proves that Snake Oil really does exist. I'm glad you let the cat out of the bag... :piano:
I once knew of a guy who sold high end spa covers,
After a very well off customer replaced one in less than a years time due to there dog chewing the corner of it compleatly off,the owner had a great idea and would go into the shop at night and rub a little bacon grease at the corner of each one before the final cover was stiched over it. Seems it did help sales some.
There is no end to people finding ways to get more of our money and seems stereo,computers,cars,boats and our homes are perfact conduits for these people.
hifinutt
05-01-2011, 18:31
i got into virtual dynamics some years ago after frank recommended them .
yes the cheaper ones may be built cheaply but the nite 2 is built like a tank. i once spent about 8 hours trying to reterminate one with varied success.
massive silicon stuff inside the plugs to chip thru, big conductors etc. massive magnets at each end [when i left my aeriel cable near it there was massive distortion of sound
i have since had another go and even a furutech 1363 won`t take their conductors which is a shame
i bought some nite cables brand new from canada but they had a fault and almost immediately VD sent some replacement worth £££££ free without asking for the others back. excellent service but sorry frank never got a job there
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.