"Hearing is Deceiving" Kickstarter Funding Fails

The goal was 1000 backers pledging $10.00 each for a total of $10,000 to produce this record, which would be all analog on one side and sourced from a digital file of the same material on the other.

We managed 320 backers for a total of $4,870, which means a few very generous people—from around the world—pledged well in excess of $10.00.

Thanks to everyone who pledged however much they pledged.

I still want to produce this record and fund it via Kickstarter. I will re-think the project and with everyone's input, hopefully come up with a plan. Stay tuned.

COMMENTS
vince's picture

Michael;

I am sorry to hear the first try failed. I am very glad that you will try again! I am still eager to participate in this experiment. Thanks!

Vince

jblackhall's picture

Michael, would Stereophile run a post on their website or could you mention it in an article? Try to touch base with some other prominent audiophile publications or websites. Maybe ask for help to spread the word from your followers and others your know in the vinyl community. I posted on several audio communities on Google+ and got at least a few backers. Also, maybe consider goading some of your vinyl nay-sayers? Even bad press would help spread the word.

Also, I think that some sort of benefit from donating would be helpful and/or better explaining why the number of donations is more important than the amount (i.e. they need "confirmed" buyers to make it worthwhile is what I assume). Maybe you could provide a personalized coupon code, free shipping, or a special insert in the record. I also think it would be helpful to delineate how the donated money will be used. It did seem a bit like you get nothing for donating and if you still have to pay full price for the album, then it seems like someone else is profiting off of these donations.

tubeular's picture

Suggest you ask people to contribute what you think the record will sell for - i.e., just let us pre-purchase the record, if that is $25 or $50 or whatever. It will make sense to people interested in this record (how many people will be interested enough to contribute at all if they are not interested in buying the actual record when it comes out?) and require many fewer contributors to get to your target. By the way, I still think the title is wrong, it is supposed to be a test you can try for yourself, why title the record with a conclusion that your own hearing will not reliably tell you the truth? And I've not given up on getting you to move the goofy "golden ear" picture from the middle of the front cover to the back somewhere. The lame nerdy humor is part of why I enjoy this site, but you don't need to stick that image in the middle of the front cover. Remember a couple of years ago when you posted a bunch of very critical commentary on the lame graphics on the ads for what I think was a west coast audio show and then noted the great quality of the graphics in the ad for a show you went to in Manila? That criticism and praise were justified, please apply the same critical eye to this.

Pretzel Logic's picture

That Fremer critique of "the Worst Print Ad Ever Created" is exactly what comes to mind. The cover is gross. It looks something like the graphics for a midi keyboard demo cd-rom that you would've got for free back in the eighties.

Dpoggenburg's picture

Mikey, you have every right to feel like your readership let you down here. I'm still flummoxed by all the hand-wringing about whatever the hell your $10 was going to get you, or not get you, or should get you. Jesus what a bunch of tight-fisted babies. Maybe you'd be better off looking for 100 sponsors who will put up $100 each, or go bigger: 40 donors at $250 each, etc. I'll pony up! Please give it one more shot - thank you!

Jon's picture

On behalf of all audio enthusiasts worldwide - particularly vinyl lovers - who through no fault of their own are living below the poverty line and have to count every single dollar as it is their last and for whom the weekly trip to the supermarket inevitably involves significant forward planning and sacrifice, we humbly apologise to you for not facilitating the fulfilment of your dream.

You can take your "tight fisted babies" comment and stuff it where the sun (presumably) does not shine (or at the very least, where it has absolutely no right to).

Dpoggenburg's picture

you probably should see a shrink

Jon's picture

You need to learn to have an ounce of empathy for people other than yourself. I think if anyone needs professional mental help, it is likely you. I don't have any beef whatsoever with well to do people. I count many of them as friends, as they do me. But I sure have a beef with people who clearly not only look down upon anyone who is not in the same financial position as they are, but then top it all off by calling them derogatory and inflammatory names. I think if anyone needs help, it is those sort of people, not me.

kozakjj's picture

Maybe choose Yes, Close to the edge or some Progressive Rock band from the 70's and offer the LP free with donation of 35.00.

M-Sevs's picture

I think the Symphonic Dances is perfect. It's the sort of beautiful music that the most amount of people will agree is artful, much more so than prog rock. Not that there's anything wrong with prog, but I would have a difficult time justifying an exercise of this sort for x amount of dollars containing music that I really have great difficulty enjoying. I love the Cramps, but I'm sure there are many here who are every bit as enthusiastic about this project as I who find the Cramps derivative and/or silly. I do think that the project would be more successful if the kickstarter had a more typical price structure. Count me in for Round 2, assuming the program material is not changed to Yes, the Floyd, or that flute playing rocker dude... what's his name? Jethro Tull. Thick as a brick, indeed.

audiof001's picture

I agree,'Symphonic Dances' is perfect for this project.While I have both the original Vox Turnabout and the Athena Productions reissue, I'll gladly add this Kickstarted issue to the collection.

Archimago's picture

Personally I don't think it matters necessarily the kind of music; so long as reasonably enjoyable by many. It's only 1 side of recording so we're not even getting the full album, right?

My concern is that not enough focus is being paid on the *resolution* of the source material.

Is not the purpose of this project to differentiate the resolution between a pure analogue recording vs. one that has gone through a digital intermediate? Why not use a more modern recording using state-of-the-art analogue to begin with rather than a 1967 tape with the decades of wear (50 years folks!)? This is not a "high resolution" source and you can easily hear the high noise floor in every version I have heard from LP to digital. Surely there must be many better options in this regard!

isaacrivera's picture

As Michael has pointed out before in this website, this is one of the best recordings of all time: http://www.analogplanet.com/content/sonic-spectacular-twice-good-45rpm-0...

audiof001's picture

A stellar performance - as high res and anything out there, IMO.

Jlmlong's picture

You can count me in .$100.00 lets start over

Cobion's picture

I considered the project as it was intriguing. I thought about the content of the project and determined that for the value, it would have been an LP that would have been listened to once in my collection. As it would have very little collector value and would lack in content interest for myself, I held back.
For the project to work for me, I would have considered a funding model of $30 US & delivery all in one shot. I'm sorry but the idea of a fund starter with nothing for a return didn't interest me.
I'll watch to see if the funding model changes, then reconsider.
Thanks for the effort either way.

isaacrivera's picture

There was never a "nothing for a return". The Kickstarted donation, which is only charged to you if the project is successful, was always going to be deduced form your LP purchase, so it has always been part of the return.

Bix's picture

Except that it said on the Kickstarter page that you got nothing with no information about a discount towards buying the record from Acoustic Sounds.

isaacrivera's picture

But here on blog it was explained many times over multiple posts

AnalogJ's picture

The only thing you were going to get with your $10 was a guarantee that you'd get a copy. Everything else was conjecture. It's not true that the $10 would be deducted.

I agree that MF should have different levels of contribution, with a physical copy included at some level.

isaacrivera's picture

Like Michael himself explained in a comment titled "A Copy is Guaranteed!" halfway down the page:

"So, if 1000 people pledge $10, each is guaranteed a record at whatever the retail cost turns out to be, minus the $10.00 put into the kickstarter project."

http://www.analogplanet.com/comment/541521#comment-541521#MzhmqKupbtauQd...

henryisland's picture

I would pay $30-50$ if the vinyl was included.

However, I did not know about the challenge (I am a Kick Starter member)

And, I would have been more inclined if the music was more contemporary: Jazz, Blues, Rock etc.

I think you can still get the quality and complexity with properly selected material.

Many thanks for all you do for the audiophile!

Brian J. Inouye's picture

Hi Michael,

I was truly disappointed when I received word that your project had failed, or perhaps, better stated, that there was a lack of interest in narrowing the gap between the art and science of recording and playing back music.

AAA versus ADA Vinyl was truly an original and innovative project, and I hope you are not discouraged by us mere mortals, but rather encouraged to pursue this with the passion inherent of all great discoveries.

With the recent research and discoveries in human hearing and neurology, it has become commonplace for our conventional understanding to be quickly overturned—so, why not our understanding of analog versus digital?

Consider these recent headlines, regarding hearing: “Game Technology Teaches Mice and Men to Hear Better…,” “Research Upends Understanding of How Humans Perceive Sound,” and even aspects of neurology, where our understanding of the human brain is so radically changed, that textbooks on neurology have to be rewritten, “Missing Link Between the Brain and Immune System.” Or consider, the “McGurk Effect” (Harry McGurk and John MacDonald, 1976), that will unquestionably upset conventional thinking with respect to sensory perception.

It is, perhaps, the height of hubris to think that we know all that there is to know about the storage and recovery of music. An open-mindedness to accept the humbling thought, that there are aspects to music and human hearing that are yet undiscovered, is vitally important to truly understand the ineffable enjoyment, which well recorded and properly replayed music, produces. If I were able, I would have funded the project myself—entirely! Well done, Michael Fremmer, for your original thinking!

Ptruce's picture

How about making it $20 next time so you would need half as many people. Also limit it for the first 2 years so that one either buys it up front or doesn't get it.

Peter

smargo77's picture

i would have contributed - didnt even know it existed

MichaelTrei's picture

Linn did something very similar to this in 1982 on their original ALOI label before it became Linn Records. It was an original recording by the Scottish folk group Ossian. The "digital" side was DDA, while the analog side was AAA. Not sure what digital system and format was used. I have a copy somewhere, I should try to dig it up.

http://www.discogs.com/Ossian-AnalogDigital/release/7155877

PeterPani's picture

I immedately bought a used one on amazon. I guess, it is all first generation digital hard- and software. But interesting anyway. Regardin the fundraising project I was in and I will be in again. Never-the-less, I doubt that it is possible to make any common judges about digital vs. analog. Listening to a record only once it can happen that digital can sound more spectacular. If the analog and digital chains are of high quality only long term, reperated listening will make the analog record to the one, more beloved. Daily use of listening to music let the analog recorded music always be the winner. Short time listening will split the preference to 50:50.

Jim Tavegia's picture

I think that was a great idea from one of the commenters. I do think that this would make this a home run and we all would wait for our copy to arrive as excited as a nice birthday surprise. I also think that a $30 limit would be key to make this work for many people and the music should be something that we would want to listen many more times than once or twice. For me to spend $30 on music it must be something I really enjoy hearing more than once. Great idea.

Analogico's picture

add an option that includes a flat rate for international shipping.

Bix's picture

Not at first, and if it wasn't on the Kickstarter page that kind of defeats the point.

isaacrivera's picture

whatever the final cost, your Kickstarter contribution counts towards it. It was Michael's first KS campaign and I think he relied on the supporters being his readers and would get the context from the blog. Whatever the case, this exercise was a learning experience for everyone and when he gets around to reposting, it will be better.

essmeier's picture

...most funding options for physical products include an example of the finished product in exchange for a contribution. Then there are usually additional funding levels that might get you something in addition to the finished product in exchange for offering more money.

Some examples that might apply here:

  • Level one - You get the finished record.
  • Level two - You get a copy of the finished record autographed by Michael Fremer
  • Level three - You get a copy of the finished record autographed by Michael Fremer and Kevin Gray
  • Level four - You get a test pressing of the finished record
  • Level five - You get an acetate of the finished record
  • Level six - Lunch with Kevin Gray and Michael Fremer

Those are just things that popped into my head. One of the funding options to get the film "The Wrecking Crew" finished included lunch with Hal Blaine. They asked something like $2500 for that, and someone paid it.

This project is more than feasible. It just needs to be packaged in a way that will make people on Kickstarter more eager to fund it.

Charlie

Dorian Workman's picture

Everything you said!

warpig's picture

Maybe make it a flip cover and sell advertisement space. Maybe 4 companies on one side of the cover. That would be approximately 36 square inches of advertisement space each.

Food for thought and you could hand pick the companies. 1250 each would be half the money raised. If it was close I would have thrown in a few more dollars. Also I did not read all the replies so if this has been mentioned before sorry for the re-post.

mtgman's picture

Somehow I missed this crowd-funding request - was it ever emailed to me?
I am interested in paying up to $50 for these laquers, but want the following:
Native recordings in Analog and native recording in various high-res formats, including DSD. Maybe a total of four recordings of the same material on four sides. Of course, to find a quality recording to meet all or most of these would likely be near impossible! What I am unwilling to pay for is a AtoD, then DtoA recording transferred to vinyl. Too many digital steps in that scenario...

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