DonPedro Design Awards 2006, submit your suggestions...

[DonPedro]

The DonPedro awards for design excellence in Pro Audio for 2006 will be presented on October 15th. 2006

Categories are:

Design excellence - Rack Equipment
Design excellence - Mic
Design excellence - Other

Best product photography
Best manufacturer homepage
Best vendor homepage

Worst design
Worst homepage

It goes without saying that winning this prestigious award will almost certainly guarantee vastly improved sales, older whiskey and large scale sex life improvements.

Shadow Hills won the 2005 award, and they have been very busy since.

So hit me with your suggestions please, so we can all make our world a little better designed.

[DonPedro]

Ok, let me start, how about this?

http://www.elysia.com/alpha_compressor.13.0.html

[Matt Hepworth]

That's beautiful!

How about:

SPL EQ - http://www.spl-usa.com/PQ/pq_in_short.html

GT SuPRE - http://groovetubes.com/product.cfm?Product_ID=2162
(better picture here - http://aes.harmony-central.com/119AE...R/SuPRE-lg.jpg )

Electronaut M63 - http://www.electronaut.info/old_site...cts/index.html

And of course the ADL-600 - http://presonus.com/images/adl-600side_hi-hires.jpg

[Matt Hepworth]

I actually wanted to post THIS SPL EQ - PASEQ: http://www.spl-usa.com/passeq/passeq_1024x410.jpg

[DonPedro]

This is a lot of work. Damn.

http://www.wunderaudio.com/
http://www.vintagedesign.se/
http://www.purpleaudio.com/
http://digidesign.com/index.cfm?
http://www.rme-audio.com/english/index.htm
http://www.heartechnologies.com/index.htm
http://www.shep.co.uk/shep.htm
http://www.brentaverill.com/
http://www.elysia.com/
http://www.rupertneve.com/
http://www.johnhardyco.com/
http://www.empiricallabs.com/
http://www.dynaudioacoustics.com/
http://www.gefell-mics.com/
http://www.mil-media.com/homepage.shtml
http://www.ams-neve.com/
http://www.pendulumaudio.com/
http://www.enhancedaudio.ie/
http://www.phoenixaudio.net/
http://neumann.com/
http://akg.com/akg_structuretree/pow...nguage,EN.html
http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/icm_eng.nsf
http://www.focusrite.com/
http://daking.com/
http://chandlerlimited.com/index.php
http://royerlabs.com/index2.html
http://www.adesignsaudio.com/pacifica.htm
http://www.greatriverelectronics.com/
http://www.davelectronics.com/
http://www.audixusa.com/home.html
http://www.avalondesign.com/index-main.html
http://www.apiaudio.com/
http://www.smartresearch.co.uk/
http://www.krksys.com/
http://www.lexiconpro.com/
http://www.tcelectronic.com/
http://www.tridentaudio.co.uk/
http://behringer.com/
http://www.event1.com/index/index.php
http://www.solid-state-logic.com/
http://www.beyerdynamic.com/cms/Home.1.0.html?L=1
http://www.manleylabs.com/
http://www.cranesong.com/
http://www.adam-audio.com/
http://mackie.com/
http://www.josephson.com/
http://www.lynxstudio.com/
http://www.schoeps.de/
http://www.drawmerusa.com/
http://www.uaudio.com/
http://www.toftaudiodesigns.com/
http://www.bluemic.com/
http://www.joemeek.com/
http://www.chameleonlabs.com/
http://www.genelec.com/
http://www.genelec.com/
http://www.summitaudio.com/
http://www.pelusomicrophonelab.com/
http://presonus.com/
http://www.global.yamaha.com/products/pa/index.html
http://www.yamahaproaudio.com/
http://amtecaudio.com/
http://www.tc-helicon.com/
http://www.ear-yoshino.com/Stock.asp?area=2
http://www.ear-yoshino.com/
http://www.publison.fr/
http://www.tube-tech.com/
http://www.bryston.ca/
http://www.gracedesign.com/
http://www.laaudio.co.uk/LAAudio_Home.jsp
http://www.neutrik.com/content/home/home.aspx
http://www.wesdooley.com/
http://www.studer.ch/index.aspx?
http://www.spl-usa.com/
http://www.quested.com/
http://www.euphonix.com/
http://www.otari.com/
http://www.motu.com/
http://www.motu.com/
http://www.dbxpro.com/
http://www.izcorp.com/mainframe.asp
http://www.auralex.com/
http://www.electronaut.info/old_site...cts/index.html
http://groovetubes.com/product.cfm?Product_ID=2162
http://groovetubes.com/
http://www.gyraf.dk/
http://www.buzzaudio.com/
http://www.dangerousmusic.com/index2.html
http://www.tab-funkenwerk.com/
http://www.barefootsound.com/
http://www.earthworksaudio.com/
http://www.shure.com/index.htm
http://www.soundeluxmics.com/
http://www.brauner-microphones.com/
http://www.alesis.com/
http://www.innertubeaudio.com/
http://www.horchaudio.de/
http://www.mytekdigital.com/
http://www.telefunkenusa.com/
http://www.cadmics.com/
http://www.rode.com.au/
http://www.sytek-audio-systems.com/
http://www.thermionicculture.com/
http://www.uaudio.com/
http://www.littlelabs.com/
http://www.coleselectroacoustics.com/index.htm
http://www.dwfearn.com/
http://www.electrovoice.com/index.php
http://www.fairman.dk/
http://www.helios-electronics.com/
http://www.klein-hummel.com/
http://www.korbyaudio.com/
http://m-audio.com/
http://www.mogamicable.com/
http://www.prismsound.com/
http://shadowhillsindustries.com/
http://www.speck.com/
http://studioelectronics.biz/
http://www.tlaudio.co.uk/tlaudio/docs/home/home_1.shtml
http://www.tannoy.com/
http://www.tonelux.com/
http://www.weiss.ch/
http://www.fmraudio.com/
http://www.funklogic.com/
http://www.anthonydemarialabs.com/
http://www.earthworksaudio.com/3.html
http://www.audient.co.uk/Audient_Home.jsp
http://www.avensonaudio.com/main.html
http://www.rollmusic.com/

Who am I forgetting?

So far the ugliest website is here:
http://www.smartresearch.co.uk/

Your research may be smart...

I really need some suggestions here

[Cojo]

Originally Posted by DonPedro

Who am I forgetting?

So far the ugliest website is here:
http://www.smartresearch.co.uk/

Your research may be smart...

I really need some suggestions here

Ok...

Smart is uggly but I still think one of the uggliest must be http://www.tridentaudio.co.uk/

/Cojo

[Dave Peck]

I think this thing is pretty darn sexy. But I'll admit I'm biased.

http://www.euphonix.com/press/produc...ng_bk_2600.jpg

http://www.euphonix.com/press/produc...rhead_2900.jpg

And of course the Shadow Hills 'tarantula face' compressor is quite impressive.

DP

[kats]

Pulleese, hands down the ugliest web site:

http://www.helios-electronics.com/

Plus he doesn't respond to email. Love the pre's though!

[Matthew Murray]

Well, I'm a bit biased here, but I recently redesigned Phoenix Audio's site, and I think it looks great:

http://www.phoenixaudio.net

I've also been redesigning Weiss Engineering's website and the pro division is already online:

http://www.weiss.ch/core.html

So yes, I'm biased, but I like to think they're quite good looking and effective, especially in relation to some of the other sites in this industry.

Oh, and soon I'll be launching a new site for Barefoot Audio too. So judge their new and upcoming site, not their old one!

[DonPedro]

Originally Posted by Dave Peck

I think this thing is pretty darn sexy. But I'll admit I'm biased.

http://www.euphonix.com/press/produc...ng_bk_2600.jpg

http://www.euphonix.com/press/produc...rhead_2900.jpg

And of course the Shadow Hills 'tarantula face' compressor is quite impressive.

DP

Nice stuff. The Shadow Hills compressor actually won last year.

Good examples of decent product photography are rather few. This looks nice though:
http://www.enhancedaudio.ie/

[DonPedro]

Originally Posted by Matthew Murray

Well, I'm a bit biased here, but I recently redesigned Phoenix Audio's site, and I think it looks great:

http://www.phoenixaudio.net

I've also been redesigning Weiss Engineering's website and the pro division is already online:

http://www.weiss.ch/core.html

So yes, I'm biased, but I like to think they're quite good looking and effective, especially in relation to some of the other sites in this industry.

Oh, and soon I'll be launching a new site for Barefoot Audio too. So judge their new and upcoming site, not their old one!

These are both really well done. Excellent work.

[Matthew Murray]

Originally Posted by DonPedro

These are both really well done. Excellent work.

Thanks Don :-) Just out there trying to fight the good fight.

[Cojo]

Here's one for the best looking award: http://www.elektron.se/ a great company with great products.

...and yes the Helios site was uggly. It's amazing to see all these big companies with no taste for graphic design at all!?

/Cojo

[Matthew Murray]

Originally Posted by Cojo

...and yes the Helios site was uggly. It's amazing to see all these big companies with no taste for graphic design at all!?

/Cojo

I don't think it comes down to them having no taste. All of the audio industry people I've worked with have had great taste (they know a good design when they see it). I think the problem rests on the clock. A lot of them are smaller, boutique firms that need to focus 100% of their energy on their products. Unfortunately, sometimes that means websites and even broader marketing gets back-burnered -- or worse, left up to a designer who *doesn't* have good taste.

But the audio companies themselves I think are usually quite aware that they need a better website ... they're just so busy making killer products that it's hard to put the required energy in to seek out people like me to give them a hand.

[Arny]

Dear Matthew & All who sail in him,
My site www.helios-electronics.com might be ugly but it does have some sought of character, unlike the sites that Matthew has designed, apart from the details, they both look the same, have you got no idea about character, to make each site its own.
Also the first page is very slow on both sites, :!!
http://www.phoenixaudio.net
http://www.weiss.ch/core.html
I do have broadband, (ADSL), but more than 50% surfers do not, it took 40 seconds for the first page of Phoenix to open, 30 Secs for Weiss on a 56k Modem, I would also like to have seen what the complete Phoenix module looked like, why did Matthew cover half the module fronts with clouds & words,
most designers would have named the modules underneath the pictures

I am not intersted in what my site looks like, but its success tells me that it works
I do not wish to design a good site, I only wish to design decent gear, and that I have done.
If I have any money to spend on my site then I would rather spend it on my product output, because at the moment, I am not able to keep up with the demand for my products, is this due to my sites design, only I know the amount of mail I receive. all wanting to either buy my product, or my gear
Matthew is the first who wishes to change the site, to put it in the middle votes.
I expect because it is the worst site on the net, it has now made guys & gals wishing to visit.
As you have all made it clear that I could never design a site that won the trophy, so its nice to be at the other end of the awards
My site is now being talked about, which the ones in the middle are not.
Getting talked about is the whole point of good advertising.

After all of the above comments, I thank you all for bringing this to my notice.

Here are some more of my sites for insults
www.ampex-uk.com
www.arnys-shack.com
www.cafe-au-go-go.com


Best Regards

Tony (Arny)
Tony Arnold (Director)
www.helios-electronics.com.

[Arny]

Dear Cojo,
No I am not a big company, just me and the wife Natalie.
and my VW Golf GTI is 1983 and my VW Vanagan Bus is 1989.

Thanks for your interest though

Best Regards

Tony
Tony Arnold (Director)
www.helios-electronics.com.

[Arny]

Dear Kats,
I am really sorry you did not get a reply to your mail, but many thanks for your kind words regarding our product.

Most company's recieve a lot of spam per day and sometimes the Spam Guard
will block a genuine email, may I suggest you write to me at

tony.arnold@neuf.fr

Best Regards

Tony
Tony Arnold (Director)
www.helios-electronics.com.

[Cojo]

Originally Posted by Arny

Dear Cojo,
No I am not a big company, just me and the wife Natalie.
and my VW Golf GTI is 1983 and my VW Vanagan Bus is 1989.

Thanks for your interest though

Best Regards

Tony
Tony Arnold (Director)
www.helios-electronics.com.

Tony, I like your style!

I'm sorry if I insulted you for not having the "coolest" site on the net. You don't have to 'cause your gear speaks for them selfs! I don't want to bee fooled by flashy advertising or expensive advertising for that matter, that I in the end will have to pay for!?

Keep up the good work!

Your new friend forever!

/Cojo

[cosmos]

Shadow Hills mastering compressor ....

this thing is just beutiful ! ( damm, i cant find the pic )

[dave-G]

Maybe this is slightly OT, but does anyone remember a new compressor -- some boutique company -- it's (IIRC), kinda grayish, and uses VU meters like the ones that are found in the Thermionic Culture gear. (?)

(not a 'nomination', by the way ... just trying to remember what it was)

-dave

[kats]

Originally Posted by Arny

Dear Kats,
I am really sorry you did not get a reply to your mail, but many thanks for your kind words regarding our product.

Most company's recieve a lot of spam per day and sometimes the Spam Guard
will block a genuine email, may I suggest you write to me at

tony.arnold@neuf.fr

Best Regards

Tony
Tony Arnold (Director)
www.helios-electronics.com.

Sorry for the dig Arny, but holy hell Anyhow I'm glad you can take a shot with good humor. I was smiling the whole time I was posting above.

And as I mentioned to you privately, it didn't stop me from ordering a bucket


Good luck on the award, I'm rooting for you!!!!!!!

[Matthew Murray]

Tony -- it would seem that we may just have different perspective with regards to web marketing, and the online branding of products with the intention of selling as many of them as is possible....

AND THAT'S FINE!!!

Best of luck to you.