Call me Julot, the ICOS guy

Julot

Julot

New member
Joined
Jan 9, 2014
Messages
210
Location
Paris, France
Hi everyone,

So glad to find a friendly audio forum!

I'm Julien, I live in Paris, France, and I'm trying to promote a little known French brand named ICOS, which I think is awesome (of course I do!). Icos has been making uncompromising systems since 1973 but stays on a local, artisanal scale, and I'm thinking we should spread the delights it delivers to a larger audience.

I have two questions in mind when joining the forum:

1/ Can any one help me find relevant business data, in the US or Europe? I can't seem to find macro (market size and potential, big trends) or micro (profit and business models, sales, etc.) information on high end audio, which makes it difficult to find investors, no matter how enthusiast they are when they listen to the product (indeed so far, most people I contacted for investing ended up buying a system).
Maybe someone knows a source, or some of the retailers or manufacturers on this forum would be willing to share some of what they know with a competitor to small and far away to be real competition?
I assume Industry News would be the right forum to post that question in?

2/ This is clearly a more classic search on this forum: what's the best digital source? My business model rests on the listening experience and we at Icos haven't designed a server or streamer yet (only CDs, DACs and whole systems, especially with active amplification), so in the meantime we are kind of looking for the perfect companion to our system.

Dedicace_1_RDS_0702.jpgDedicace_2_RDS_0702.jpg
 
Welcome Julot. I can answer your second question. The Lumin Network Music Player.
 
Thanks, Mike. I knew you would say that, having browsed the forum (and the web) a bit. You do make quite the exciting case for it.
 
Where is the right place to continue that discussion? (the one about the digital source)

I haven't listened to the Lumin yet (only one retailer in France...) but one problem I have with it (or a Linn DS), on paper, is that I can't use the DAC inside for anything else (say, my bluray player, etc.), which is why one reason I'm contemplating alternatives such as Antipodes music servers (couldn't find anything on this forum about them, I sure like what they say on their website), or some combo with the SOtM sMS-100 for example.

The other reason being, we do our own converter (the Dactablette 4), and it does what you say the Lumin does: make digital sound as good as vinyl, so we'd like to use it, all the more since it includes/is also a stand for the digital source.

Dactablette.jpg
 
Julot said:
Thanks, Mike. I knew you would say that, having browsed the forum (and the web) a bit. You do make quite the exciting case for it.
Click to expand...

Well...admittedly, it took others buying it before the collective believed me! :). That's ok, I don't mind being the audio guinea pig. I love finding great audio values like the Lumin, Classe CP800, Pass XP15, etc.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Hey Julot, welcome to the forum!


Given the amount of hype surrounding the Lumin streamer, you should probably take a step back and look at different options (not contesting the merits of the Lumin player, just remarking the fact that hype usually follows a Gaussian curve and you don't want to step in at the top :)), maybe look closer (TotalDac came out with an interesting server recently, Pathos Musiteca is quite nice as well), or maybe at a top notch ODM that builds such custom devices for others and could do the same for you (Rockna/Audiobyte).

ps. I've always found your gear quite appealing, your website not so much. :)
 
Thanks! I agree, the website is next on my list. Just after selling some of the new systems we aren't done developing... Notice how I did not actually communicate the address ;-)
 
;)

Indeed, the German site is somewhat better, still not great. Personally, I dislike the fact that opening a product page lands the full catalog on the same page. I do prefer the pages where the pictures of the products are minimized and grouped together in a separate window within the page, and you can maximize them in the same page if you so chose, but can open them in a different one as well. Also, I like the manufacturers who also put up pictures with the internals of their products, can be fairly illuminating for those of us that understand what they're looking at. :)
 
Thanks for the feedback, you're very obviously right.

As for the inside of our machines, you know that they're ridiculously simple, don't you? But the point is taken, and there will be more, and better pictures.

Here's the entry level CD-player:
HF 2008-JuilletAout 3b.jpg
Here the top stereo amplifier (I know, real pictures will come soon).
2140 HF oct03 2.jpg
 
Julot said:
Thanks for the feedback, you're very obviously right.

As for the inside of our machines, you know that they're ridiculously simple, don't you? But the point is taken, and there will be more, and better pictures.

Here's the entry level CD-player:
View attachment 4845
Here the top stereo amplifier (I know, real pictures will come soon).
View attachment 4846
Click to expand...
No, Thank you! For your very open attitude. :)

I like simple because it leaves very little room for mystification and absurd literature, both of which are all too common in the high end ecosystem.
 
Welcome to AS!

If you want a great streamer that you can use the DAC with other digital inputs. Try the Naim NDS/555PS. It's very very good. Just 3 times the price of the Lumin here in the USA.
 
Thanks. You don't make it sound like such a good deal, though.

Anyone has experience with Antipodes? Their website makes me curious and I find their discourse makes a lot of sense. Plus, you know, they actually have one...
 
True. Here in the USA the NDS/555PS is the same price as the Linn Klimax DS. My guess is that over in Europe there isn't as much of a difference in price with the Lumin, but I have no knowledge either way.

All three streamers are very very good. I still own all three, but am selling the Naim and Linn. The Lumin sound wise sort of sits in the middle between the Naim and Linn which is perfect for me.

Julot said:
Thanks. You don't make it sound like such a good deal, though.

Anyone has experience with Antipodes? Their website makes me curious and I find their discourse makes a lot of sense. Plus, you know, they actually have one...
Click to expand...
 
Salut Julien, et
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GroupWelcome.gif


C'est bien d'avoir des Parisiens dans l'aquarium. :cool: ...Ca fait des courants d'eau de diversification.

Bienvenu,
Robert
 
Julien (Julot)...Bienvenu a l'Audioshark :hi:

As for the list of brands that have produced servers/streamers that have received some critical recognition include:

1) Meridian
2) SOtM
3) Aurender
4) Lumin
5) TotalDAC
6) Weiss
7) Sony
8) Linn
9) Baetis

Some good sources for reviews of mostly digital equipment (DACs, streamers, media servers, CDs, SACDs, etc...): audiostream.com, computeraudiophile.com, digitalaudioreview.net

Hope this helps.
 
I've just heard of the Ayon S5 that has garnered some poz reviews as well. A 2 chasis, tubed based streamer. Interesting stuff.
 
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