Sorry, but I remember reading tons of posts here from the distant past about
some guys in a "white van" who were going around trying to sell used
(probably either tainted or stolen) home audio gear, such as speakers, etc.
Well, two punk kids in a white van pull right up along side me today in
StonyBrook, Long Island, giving me a hard sell on some "really good home
stereo speakers, big tower style", etc. Said they got them from work and
wanted to offer me a really good deal. Of course I would have never
consider anything like this, but what I was more concerned about was their
actual intentions... maybe if I would have stepped out of the car and pulled
out my wallet, they would have followed by pulling out a pistol and that
would have been the end of my wallet, and/or car. Or, they might just be
dopey kids trying to merely sell off some cheap defective speakers for $50
that are worth zero to some suckers. In anycase, this little experience
reminded me of all the "white van" posts that I have seen here for years.
Gee, why don't these guys just paint the van a different color already? Or
why don't they just go sell their defective stolen crap on Ebay like
everyone else? Of course, white vans are super common, so this just may be
a coincidence. Before I thought to get the plate number etc, these guys
sped off. Well.... just another white van post. I finally got my turn. wg

In article , eagle123
says...
Sorry, but I remember reading tons of posts here from the distant past
about
some guys in a "white van" who were going around trying to sell used
(probably either tainted or stolen) home audio gear, such as speakers, etc.

IIRC they are, in fact, selling (low-quality) speakers, and they are not
doing anything illegal. The marketing tactic is to make you *think*
they - and you - are involved in an illegal transaction, so you think
you're getting a great deal and don't ask too many questions - like,
say, "how can I return these if I'm not satisfied with them..."

--
Jay Levitt

Funny, they approached me outside a Home Depot in Grandville, MI, in a BLUE
van...maybe they're trying to break the stereotype!!

Paul Andre

Mike Caffrey wrote:

I think they're usually selling bricks sealed in a box.

The boxes a couple friends of mine bought are way too light to hold
bricks, even with the piezo "tweeter"...

Worst sounding pieces of **** I've had the displeasure of auditioning.

--
ha

WideGlide wrote:

Sorry, but I remember reading tons of posts here from the distant past about
some guys in a "white van" who were going around trying to sell used
(probably either tainted or stolen) home audio gear, such as speakers, etc.
[snip] In anycase, this little experience
reminded me of all the "white van" posts that I have seen here for years.
Gee, why don't these guys just paint the van a different color already?

Well, times *do* change: I first started hearing these stories when I was
selling hi-fi retail in 1983, and back then they were all about guys in a Red
Van!

/Bob Ross

On Tue, 8 Jul 2003, WideGlide wrote:

Well, two punk kids in a white van pull right up along side me today in
StonyBrook, Long Island, giving me a hard sell on some "really good home
stereo speakers, big tower style", etc. Said they got them from work and
wanted to offer me a really good deal. Of course I would have never
snip

We were going to lunch last week and a white van pulled up and asked us if
we were interested in some "really high quality home speakers." There was
a red triangular-shaped decal on both sides of the van - gray lettering
I think - that had "Home Speakers" or similar on them. The decal was ~18"
across the bottom.

I'd never been approached before, but this was an organized attempt!

Doug

"LeBaron & Alrich" wrote in message
. ..
Mike Caffrey wrote:

I think they're usually selling bricks sealed in a box.

The boxes a couple friends of mine bought are way too light to hold
bricks, even with the piezo "tweeter"...

That's not a piezo tweeter, on the box it says it's a 3"x2" professional
ultra high frequency reproduction unit.

I got scammed by this in London, a good ten years ago, I was still old
enough to know better.

The scammers pulled over in a white van, and claimed they were installing
speakers in a night club
and had a few left over that would not be missed. They were quite friendly
and polite, and had
authentic looking paperwork. I went to the bank while they waited and took
out £250 for
a pair. When I got back to them, suddenly that price was for only a single
speaker.
I refused to pay £250 each, and also refused their offer of a lift home (I
was getting
a little suspicious by that time).

The speakers were terrible. Probably worth about £100 tops.

I occasionally see the same speakers going second hand for more than I paid,
and sometimes ring up the seller.
Either they got scammed too, or sometimes it's a salesman of the same kind.
They were advertising in the private
for sale part of SOS, but I rang up and informed SOS and they stopped
carrying the fake personal ads.


Worst sounding pieces of **** I've had the displeasure of auditioning.

--
ha

.....but you still are having fun with your Philicorda I hope!

cheers,
Bob (2 philicorda's)

(ItsTooLoud) wrote in message ...
In article , eagle123
says...
Sorry, but I remember reading tons of posts here from the distant past
about
some guys in a "white van" who were going around trying to sell used
(probably either tainted or stolen) home audio gear, such as speakers, etc.

IIRC they are, in fact, selling (low-quality) speakers, and they are not
doing anything illegal. The marketing tactic is to make you *think*
they - and you - are involved in an illegal transaction, so you think
you're getting a great deal and don't ask too many questions - like,
say, "how can I return these if I'm not satisfied with them..."

--
Jay Levitt

Funny, they approached me outside a Home Depot in Grandville, MI, in a BLUE
van...maybe they're trying to break the stereotype!!

Paul Andre

I got hit up by a guy about a year ago outside my ATM in a strip
mall...in a BLUE van (minivan type though).

Of course after the DC sniper incident, the popularity of WHITE vans
around here went down considerably...but of course the guys were
actually driving a BLUE Chevy car.

Anyway, this guy started into his spiel, and I said "Dude, you're
supposed to be driving a WHITE Van!".

He looked at me kinda perplexed, started his spiel again, and I
stopped him and said, "let me guess they are digital ready, list for
over a grand and you can let me have them for $300, I know all about
you guys, those speakers are crap".

At that point he sped off, maybe he thought I was an undercover cop.

Now that having a giant stereo is no longer a big thing with young
guys, you think the white van guys would move on.

Frankly I think they'd sell a lot more product by targeting young guys
with Hondas and Acuras, and selling them knockoff speed parts; you
know spoilers, mufflers, giant stickers, that kind of stuff.

Analogeezer

just another white van post.



I actually had a buddy who bought some of these speakers out of a
white van; really ****ty home stereo towers, the suckas couldn't even
hold a hundred watts! I didn't have the heart to tell my friend he got
screwed w/o vaseline. Anyways, a coupla weeks later, the same dude
hit me up on the same strech of highway, so I rolled my window down,
and he put on his game face, so I told him to pull over. After he
did, I looked at all his stuff, all the same ****ty speakers my friend
go hosed on, and let him go at it for a good thirty minutes. Then I
told him I had some B&W's in my living room and I didn't want any of
his ****ty stuff. He seemed to take it a little personally, so I
advised him to get a real job, like me, where I record ****ty pop-punk
bands and demos for 14-year old girls whose parents think they can
sing! Touche!


Kale Holmes

Bob Ross wrote:

WideGlide wrote:

Sorry, but I remember reading tons of posts here from the distant past about
some guys in a "white van" who were going around trying to sell used
(probably either tainted or stolen) home audio gear, such as speakers, etc.
[snip] In anycase, this little experience
reminded me of all the "white van" posts that I have seen here for years.
Gee, why don't these guys just paint the van a different color already?

Well, times *do* change: I first started hearing these stories when I was
selling hi-fi retail in 1983, and back then they were all about guys in a Red
Van!

Red vans, white vans, blue vans...

I think there's a conspiracy on the streets, what with these guys trying
to flag us down and all.

--
ha

In article ,
says...
I think there's a conspiracy on the streets, what with these guys trying
to flag us down and all.
^^^^

I call party foul.

--
Jay Levitt |
Wellesley, MA | Hi!
Faster: jay at jay dot eff-em | Where are we going?
http://www.jay.fm | Why am I in this handbasket?

Frankly I think they'd sell a lot more product by targeting young guys
with Hondas and Acuras, and selling them knockoff speed parts; you
know spoilers, mufflers, giant stickers, that kind of stuff.

Yeah, stuff that'll make their puny little fuel efficient easy to park imports
look & cost like a testosterone fuelled Humvee.

Scott Fraser

Jay Levitt wrote:

In article ,
says...

I think there's a conspiracy on the streets, what with these guys trying
to flag us down and all.
^^^^

I call party foul.

Busted. What's my pennants? I'll serve.

--
ha

(kHolmes) wrote in message . com...
just another white van post.



I actually had a buddy who bought some of these speakers out of a
white van; really ****ty home stereo towers, the suckas couldn't even
hold a hundred watts! I didn't have the heart to tell my friend he got
screwed w/o vaseline. Anyways, a coupla weeks later, the same dude
hit me up on the same strech of highway, so I rolled my window down,
and he put on his game face, so I told him to pull over. After he
did, I looked at all his stuff, all the same ****ty speakers my friend
go hosed on, and let him go at it for a good thirty minutes. Then I
told him I had some B&W's in my living room and I didn't want any of
his ****ty stuff. He seemed to take it a little personally, so I
advised him to get a real job, like me, where I record ****ty pop-punk
bands and demos for 14-year old girls whose parents think they can
sing! Touche!


Kale Holmes

Sure eventually they'll grow up and get a real job...selling time share condos!

Analogeezer

Analogeezer wrote:


Are they white vans in the UK too?

Nah, they would have to be white "mini" vans.

In article ,
(Analogeezer) wrote:

Frankly I think they'd sell a lot more product by targeting young guys
with Hondas and Acuras, and selling them knockoff speed parts; you
know spoilers, mufflers, giant stickers, that kind of stuff.

sigh

The "Fast and Furious" clones.

Don't get me started....


CT

When the Speaker and Stereo Store was open we'd get these in
regularly...Acoustic Concept was one of the brand names they'd use. A really,
really bad box (sometimes 1/8" particle board, I kid you not), $5 worth of
drivers, maybe a cap for the tweeter if you were *real* lucky, no stuffing in
the box. They would absorb about 10W before they blew sky-high. Our customers
would usually come in with a complaint about blown components and want to know
what it would take to upgrade them to "real speakers". When they saw the
typical $250-300 pricetag (and heard our disclaimers about the cabinets being
godawful anyway) they'd slink off, usually leaving us to dispose of the POS.

Peace,
Paul

In article ,
(kHolmes) wrote:

advised him to get a real job, like me, where I record demos for 14-year
old girls whose parents think they can sing!

****, man! I thought I was the only one who did that!

Have you ever had to do an a-capella tape 'cause she couldn't follow the
karaoke backing track?

CT

"Charles Thomas" wrote in
message ...
In article ,
(kHolmes) wrote:

advised him to get a real job, like me, where I record demos for 14-year
old girls whose parents think they can sing!

****, man! I thought I was the only one who did that!

Have you ever had to do an a-capella tape 'cause she couldn't follow the
karaoke backing track?

CT

I once had to visually cue a guy on every single verse. Otherwise, he'd
finish singing and there would still be two minutes of the music track
remaining. His reason for attempting to sing was because he thought he
sounded good singing along with his car radio. *sigh* That was back when I
was Anything-For-A Buck recording. Buh-bye. Now, I'm
Anything-For-A-Buck-And-A-Half recording!

reddred wrote:

An international conspiracy of white vans... I got flagged by one in Norfolk
once. I wonder where corporate HQ is? I'm picturing the rev. Moon saying 'I
listen to these myself'.

Do a google search for Dick Pierce's posts on the subject. He got to testify
as an expert witness.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

I was approached by one of these guys several years ago, outside an Office
Depot.

When I told him I owned speakers that retailed for $10K a pair, each driven by a
$6.6K amplifier, he turned purple. He was absolutely outraged that anyone would
own hi-fi equipment that cost more than a car!

White is ubiquitous, therefore no distinguishing marks, so to speak. But at
least now you know we weren't kidding or making up urban legend.

--


Roger W. Norman
SirMusic Studio

301-585-4681




"WideGlide" wrote in message
et...
Sorry, but I remember reading tons of posts here from the distant past
about
some guys in a "white van" who were going around trying to sell used
(probably either tainted or stolen) home audio gear, such as speakers,
etc.
Well, two punk kids in a white van pull right up along side me today in
StonyBrook, Long Island, giving me a hard sell on some "really good home
stereo speakers, big tower style", etc. Said they got them from work and
wanted to offer me a really good deal. Of course I would have never
consider anything like this, but what I was more concerned about was their
actual intentions... maybe if I would have stepped out of the car and
pulled
out my wallet, they would have followed by pulling out a pistol and that
would have been the end of my wallet, and/or car. Or, they might just be
dopey kids trying to merely sell off some cheap defective speakers for $50
that are worth zero to some suckers. In anycase, this little experience
reminded me of all the "white van" posts that I have seen here for years.
Gee, why don't these guys just paint the van a different color already?
Or
why don't they just go sell their defective stolen crap on Ebay like
everyone else? Of course, white vans are super common, so this just may
be
a coincidence. Before I thought to get the plate number etc, these guys
sped off. Well.... just another white van post. I finally got my turn.
wg

In rec.audio.pro, "WideGlide" wrote:

Sorry, but I remember reading tons of posts here from the distant past about
some guys in a "white van" who were going around trying to sell used
(probably either tainted or stolen) home audio gear, such as speakers, etc.
Well, two punk kids in a white van pull right up along side me today in
StonyBrook, Long Island, giving me a hard sell on some "really good home

Where exactly in Stony Brook? That's where I lived when I was on LI
a couple years ago.

I have some people around here running quad turbo Acuras pushing 750+
horses, plus one of the TNN car shows actually ran some of the Faster and
Furiouser (should have been Mo Fast and Mo Furious) cars, surprisingly NOT
being all that great in the performance department, but then they had like
five of each model, some shells and some fairly hopped up. The tested ones
were stock on the inside.

However, I can't believe the horses some of these guys are getting to the
ground out of the 2k cc engines. And when you think about it taking 14 more
horses just to get one more mile per hour after 190, these cars should be
able to fly if they had wings.

So one may question why these guys do it, but my hat is off to them for
pulling out rpms and horses that we couldn't back in the days of the small
block Chevies and big block Fords and Mopar hemis. There are affordable
street cars that pull 0-60 in 5 seconds straight off the show room floor,
the Subaru WRX 300 hp and a Mitsubishi in the mid 20s.
--


Roger W. Norman
SirMusic Studio

301-585-4681




"Charles Thomas" wrote in
message ...
In article ,
(Analogeezer) wrote:

Frankly I think they'd sell a lot more product by targeting young guys
with Hondas and Acuras, and selling them knockoff speed parts; you
know spoilers, mufflers, giant stickers, that kind of stuff.

sigh

The "Fast and Furious" clones.

Don't get me started....


CT

(ScotFraser) wrote in message ...
Frankly I think they'd sell a lot more product by targeting young guys
with Hondas and Acuras, and selling them knockoff speed parts; you
know spoilers, mufflers, giant stickers, that kind of stuff.

Yeah, stuff that'll make their puny little fuel efficient easy to park imports
look & cost like a testosterone fuelled Humvee.

Scott Fraser

Actually I resemble that mark...but my Integra lacks the giant spoiler
and giant stickers, I'm trying to keep it subtle.

I've got the "real" stuff though (low restriction intake, header,
catback exhaust, springs, adjustable shocks, etc.). Now if I keep my
foot in it a lot it takes my gas mileage down from 30 to 28 which a
Humvee could only get falling off a cliff.

Kind of funny but about once a month some 19 year old guy trys to buy
the car from me.

Analogeezer

"Analogeezer" wrote

Frankly I think they'd sell a lot more product by targeting young guys
with Hondas and Acuras, and selling them knockoff speed parts; you
know spoilers, mufflers, giant stickers, that kind of stuff.

http://homepage.mac.com/howheels/rubpics/woowoo.wmv

http://lisupras.com/wooo.html

-Scott (Warner)

Actually I resemble that mark..

Apparently my facetiousness wasn't blatant enough. See, I'm the one ridiculing
the SUV culture with its attendant wastefullness, etc.

Scott Fraser

Are they white vans in the UK too?

Analogeezer

White Van Man is a recognised social class in the UK - the best
selling daily newspaper, The Sun has a column in which they ask a
random guy in a white van his thoughts on the days news. Usually
quite unsophisticated in their opinions.

White Van Man doesn't tend to sell crappy speakers, though there are
plenty of shops selling stereos as well as toasters and irons that can
do that.......

Rob

(P Stamler) wrote in message ...
When the Speaker and Stereo Store was open we'd get these in
regularly...Acoustic Concept was one of the brand names they'd use. A really,
really bad box (sometimes 1/8" particle board, I kid you not), $5 worth of
drivers, maybe a cap for the tweeter if you were *real* lucky, no stuffing in
the box. They would absorb about 10W before they blew sky-high. Our customers
would usually come in with a complaint about blown components and want to know
what it would take to upgrade them to "real speakers". When they saw the
typical $250-300 pricetag (and heard our disclaimers about the cabinets being
godawful anyway) they'd slink off, usually leaving us to dispose of the POS.

Peace,
Paul


These days they sell under the name "Acoustic Image". I met the
caffinated white van guys last year. They had big beige Ford SUV. They
told me they needed some beer money for the "titty bar". Very
proffesional and trustworthy image.

I asked to look at a subwoofer and the printing on the large box it
was in rated it at 170 watts. The white van guys told me to make sure
I had carpet under it otherwise the sub would walk across the floor. I
knew it was time for me to start walking at that point.

Peter

White Van Man is a recognised social class in the UK - the best
selling daily newspaper, The Sun has a column in which they ask a
random guy in a white van his thoughts on the days news. Usually
quite unsophisticated in their opinions.


er....I drive a white van in London.
Wanna buy a toaster?

I always offer them a trade.
I get the speakers and they get the e-mail address of a guy in liberia
who will give you 30 percent of 60 million dollars and all he needs is a
bank account...

philicorda wrote:

I got scammed by this in London, a good ten years ago, I was still old
enough to know better.

Hey, I actually BOUGHT a pair of speakers from the guys in a white
van. It was many moons ago. (see story below)

The scammers pulled over in a white van, and claimed they were installing
speakers in a night club
and had a few left over that would not be missed. They were quite friendly
and polite, and had
authentic looking paperwork. I went to the bank while they waited and took
out 250 for
a pair. When I got back to them, suddenly that price was for only a single
speaker.
I refused to pay 250 each, and also refused their offer of a lift home
(I was getting
a little suspicious by that time).

Same story. Guys give me the "nightclub story". Didn't believe a
word of it. The speakers were said to be "brand new" in box. This
part seemed to be true. Furthermore they were of the "magnetic fluid"
kind that was a brand new item at the time.

I give them LOTS of sales resistance, but they simply wouldn't take
"no" for an answer. I tell them I think the speakers are crap
and doubt they are worth the money. They argue and I say, hey,
let me "test" them. Heh, they figure I'm gonna hook them up
to my "hi fi" and they readily agree. So we go to my house
and I take them into my audio lab!!! We hooked up a speaker
(new out of the box, by the way) and put it through it's paces.
it was rather weak on the bass end but sounded damn good on the
mids and highs. I told them, hey, these are really not half bad
speakers! Of course they were falling all over themselves with
praise for the sound as I tested the speakers. So we get down
to price. I offer $100. They counter. We agree on $150. Done,
they say, $300 for the pair. Whoa! I stop that crap right now.
I say, dig. $150 for PAIR. They hmm and haw and finally agree.
And we go to the bank machine.

The speakers were terrible. Probably worth about 100 tops.

interesting enough, these speakers were not terrible in fact they
are STILL here hooked to my computer. I probably still paid too
much since I later checked and found that I got these speakers
for about what similar Radio Shack speakers were going for at the
time. Only these sounded much better. That "magnetic fluid" thing
really does work. Of course soon I also added a 100W sub under
the table and now the system kicks some major butt. I pity the
dudes who fell for the $300 price though.

Have to admit it, these guys were major pro sales guys. I'm
a REALLY hard sell, and they never missed a beat even when
I gave the speakers the lab tests. And it worked, I'm still
using them.

Benj
(Who as a general policy tries NOT to buy things from guys
in white vans)
--
SPAM-Guard! Remove .users (if present) to email me!

These days they sell under the name "Acoustic Image".

That's unfortunate, as there's a real company by that name, which makes a
damned fine acoustic bass amplifier.

Peace,
Paul

the ones i've seen doing this are actually "real" businesses. the
trick is their speakers suck, but they make you think you're getting
some hot deal. it's real shady no matter how you slice it.

if you want to have fun with them, have them lug their speakers in to
your house to demo them...

"no.. i think it will sound better upstairs... no, let's try the
basement... no, that won't do it..."

if you have a big loud dog that hates strangers, even better!

In article ,
(Scott Dorsey) wrote:

They have moved on a bit, in that they now sell 5.1 home theatre speaker
systems and car stereo speakers as well.
--scott

i had a buddy that got duped into the 5.1 thing recently.. some guys in
a white jeep though. weird.

anyway they said that the whole thing was powered and ready to go, just
needed a source. he brought it over to let me check it out.. well
nothing was powered and it has a passive crossover in the sub for just
the front L+R only. 'Digital Audio' is the brand IIRC.

i don't like how it sounds, but he does. i guess thats all that matters.

--
cyrus

(P Stamler) wrote:

These days they sell under the name "Acoustic Image".

That's unfortunate, as there's a real company by that name, which makes a
damned fine acoustic bass amplifier.

Paul,

That was Acoustic Control, which is trying to get them to stop using "Acoustic
Anything" for a brand name. Acoustic Control use to make fine bass amplifiers.
Samick now owns the name, and they're making basically P.A. cabinets these days.

Harvey Gerst
Indian Trail Recording Studio
http://www.ITRstudio.com/

Even better -- turn the volume all the way up to 11 and blow out the speakers.
Before you've paid, of course...

if you want to have fun with them, have them lug their
speakers into your house to demo them...

Charles Thomas wrote:

In article ,
(Analogeezer) wrote:

Frankly I think they'd sell a lot more product by targeting young guys
with Hondas and Acuras, and selling them knockoff speed parts; you
know spoilers, mufflers, giant stickers, that kind of stuff.


sigh

The "Fast and Furious" clones.

Don't get me started....

Here, have fun http://www.funnyjunk.com/pages/ride.htm

xy wrote:
: if you want to have fun with them, have them lug their speakers in to
: your house to demo them...

You honestly are recommending inviting these thieves into my house?

Scott

That was Acoustic Control, which is trying to get them to stop using
"Acoustic
Anything" for a brand name. Acoustic Control use to make fine bass
amplifiers.
Samick now owns the name, and they're making basically P.A. cabinets these
days.

No, this is Acoustic Image, makers of the Contra bass amplifier among other
products. Different folks. See:

www.acousticimg.com/index2.html

Peace,
Paul