Beresford Bushmaster DAC

[Martinh]

My graphic designer friend Matt's ideas and half an hour in Photoshop that I should have been doing proper work resulted in this:




No label on the selector but not sure it needs it - function is implied by its position.

Graham

P.S Stan I admire you throwing your creation's appearance out for comment. Looks great the just the way it is and no doubt *sounds* incredible - which after all is the point.

I like this one best too.

Cheers,

[Jamtoast]

Helvetica is a classy font!

Sure is! So classy someone made a whole film about it: http://www.helveticafilm.com/

[Gazjam]

My graphic designer friend Matt's ideas and half an hour in Photoshop that I should have been doing proper work resulted in this:




No label on the selector but not sure it needs it - function is implied by its position.

Graham

P.S Stan I admire you throwing your creation's appearance out for comment. Looks great the just the way it is and no doubt *sounds* incredible - which after all is the point.

These works well.
Few comments though? (all done in the best possible taste)

1)
The Gold button DOES imply function but maybe not enough to satisfy all users, which Stans email box seems to attest to!
Easy to incorporate "Source" text above the button in line with "Auto" to the right.

2)
Looks too busy under the power button.
Particularly noticable against the current changes which "declutters" the rest of the panel graphics?
I would have the recognised symbol for "Power" http://2.s3.envato.com/files/2462021...r%20button.jpg rather than On/OFF.
There is an "economy" of design at the headphone socket because of the use of symbol rather than text.
Having this at the Power button on the opposite of the Dac would bring this to the dac design overall.

3)
The italic Text below the power button be better placed under the "Beresford Audio" text at top left.
Perhaps with the power symbol rather than text this might be fine where it is though.

4)
Good font choice (and design) of the Beresford logo, it feels friendly, non sterile yet professional.

The BUSHMASTER font though....not so much.
Reminds me of Rotel kit from the 80's and is too clinical.
To me it feels dated and out of place compared to the other text.

I understand the need to differenciate the Product font from the Manufacturer/panel text...but not this.
Stan's original font worked quite well, I felt it was a bit too squeezed in with the smaller text below it.
With the smaller text moved the BUSHMASTER text it would stands alone and might now "works" better?

Will knock summit up in PS when I get home.

[seoirse2002]

PS - Bet you wished you had spelled commun commyni comm oh fffs.....

I know....was trying to get the font right and couldent hear any difference

communicating

[DaveK]

Davek,

I'd like to suggest another tip to aid communication.

I find posts much easier to read if they have a blank line between each paragraph.

Like this.

Regards,

Hi Lee,

Point taken .

Sort of 'Hoist on my own petard'

In mitigation I can only say that I tend to write as I speak, so long sentences and no major breaks between paragraphs.


George/Seorise,

Seems we're all human and prone to make mistakes - I'll forgive yours if you'll forgive mine .

Cheers,

Dave.

BTW - the Bushmaster design keeps getting better and better dunnit - I really like the latest offering.

[Werner Berghofer]

Graham:

• This is not the original Beresford logo. Think about the further consequences: Web site, business letters, business cards, other audio equipment from the same manufacturer …

• Although – with the exception of “Beresford Audio” – only fonts from the Helvetica family are used, I think there are too many font variants.

• The placement scheme used for the descriptive words and their corresponding elements is inconsistent. This creates a lot of unpleasant visual agitation and noise. “Auto” is placed above the red LED, “Optical” and “Coaxial” are placed below the LEDs, the headphone icon is located on the right side of the jack.

• Almost the complete text is centered, but the description “24/192kHz Fully Passive DAC” is aligned flush left. Don’t want to sound picky, but there’s a blank missing between “24/192” and “kHz”. Also I think that this description is dispensable, but I feel under no circumstances should it be placed immediately below the “On/Off” button.

• I still don’t like the use of an uppercase letter as first character in the descriptions. Is this the Holy Bible? Then I don’t understand why “ON/OFF” is set in uppercase letters only, but for the other words mixed case is used.

• I don’t like the appearance of the model name BUSHMASTER. I think similar to the Caiman front plate a semibold italic Helvetica variant (or another semibold, non-serif, maybe slab-serif typeface) in mixed case letters would look better.

• The circular pits around the LEDs, the “Select” button and the headphone jack are different in size and depth. I see the technical reasons for this, but I feel the front plate would look better without these pits.

• I think instead of the black/gold colour scheme (gold on the headphone jack and the edge of the volume knob) a combination of black/metal or black/aluminium would work better. The four blue/green and the one red LED still make me unhappy.

• Don’t like the inconsistent mixture of icons and descriptive text. Either use icons for all, or words for all. Guess an icon-only solution would work better. The “Beresford” logo and the model name would be the only words in this variant.

• Better use a simple dot on the volume knob like on the the TC-7520 and the Caiman DAC.

No offense,

Werner.

[Gazjam]

Hi Lee,

Point taken .

Sort of 'Hoist on my own petard'

In mitigation I can only say that I tend to write as I speak, so long sentences and no major breaks between paragraphs.


George/Seorise,

Seems we're all human and prone to make mistakes - I'll forgive yours if you'll forgive mine .

Cheers,

Dave.

BTW - the Bushmaster design keeps getting better and better dunnit - I really like the latest offering.

...being a mardy Shandy drinking Southerner doesn't help either

[DaveK]

...being a mardy Shandy drinking Southerner doesn't help either

That is very true but its not very nice to say things like that to Lee - he can't help living in Somerset .

Sorry Lee, I can only apologise for my rude ex-friend from the uncivilised north of our island .

Dave.

[Jamtoast]

Thanks for the comments.

The Gold button DOES imply function but maybe not enough to satisfy all users, which Stans email box seems to attest to!
Easy to incorporate "Source" text above the button in line with "Auto" to the right.

It's the only button (other than Power)! What else is it going to do?

2)
Looks too busy under the power button...

I would have the recognised symbol for "Power" http://2.s3.envato.com/files/2462021...r%20button.jpg rather than On/OFF.

Ties in with Werner's comment that should be symbols or text - not both. I'll try it and maybe post.

The BUSHMASTER font though....not so much.
Reminds me of Rotel kit from the 80's and is too clinical.
To me it feels dated and out of place compared to the other text.

That's actually my favourite bit of the design! But now you mention it is very R O T E L. Hadn't picked that.
I don't mind that it's bit retro - I think the box by design is pretty retro so it fits for me.

Stan's original font worked quite well

Most of this is very much window dressing and personal opinion but this is the one point I feel quite strongly about. I think having a rounded font for Bushmaster really doesn't fit with the image that the name projects. Good that Beresford looks friendly but 'Bushmaster' should look like it sounds - something to be taken seriously or it will take your hand off.

This is not the original Beresford logo. Think about the further consequences: Web site, business letters, business cards, other audio equipment from the same manufacturer …

I think this is true if the Beresford logo as it exists has significant brand recognition - not the name mind you, but the logo itself (the italic Beresford in a rounded rectangle). If not then no harm in deviating. But totally take your point. Not suggesting for a moment that Stan change his whole branding on the basis of something some numpty from Australia knocked up in 5 minutes.

Take the rest of your points Werner and agree with most of them.

Has anyone actually bothered to ask Stan if he can (or even wants) to change the text at this late stage? If not then sorry Stan!

[Gazjam]

Jamtoasts changes with my revisions