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Making A Gain-setting Brochure For Novices

Discussion in 'General Car Audio Discussions' started by geolemon, Feb 3, 2004.

  1. geolemon

    geolemon Full Member

    I've been casually working on a gain setting brochure for the past couple weeks.
    This will be a standard tri-fold brochure, aimed to the true novice.

    This isn't supposed to be the authority on gain-setting, but rather a source of information for novices who have come into the shop, and are buying an amp "cash-and-carry". It's not even meant to eliminate clipping 100%.

    The goal is to minimize warranty returns for subs and amps damaged by gross clipping, and also obviously to improve the customer's sound quality.

    I haven't touched it in a week or so, so I put in a couple hours yesterday, and expanded it a bit.

    I originally had it on three pages, and the material felt too cramped and uncomfortable.

    I've stretched it out to four pages, plus a cover page, and I've printed out a new draft copy.

    I created a web page this morning real quick, stating the goals of the project, showing the first three-page draft at the top, and then the revised five-page version below it.

    http://www.betteraudio.com/geolemon/gain

    Again, bearing in mind the target audience, any feedback?
    Particularly with the "how to" fold.
    Let me know what you think! B)
     
    geolemon, Feb 3, 2004
    #1
  2. geolemon

    geolemon Full Member

    ...and just wanted to add, this is simply a rough draft...

    I just threw it together with a few pictures (some of them not even legal copies :p ) so that I could get my actual content together and working...

    But as long as it's with respect to that, any comments on the style, layout, pictures, look-and-feel are appreciated too.
     
    geolemon, Feb 3, 2004
    #2
  3. The_spacemonkey

    The_spacemonkey Full Member

    I like it. The amazing thing is I know some installers that have some big misconceptions on gains and gain setting.....its sad really :(


    so, where is this thing getting distributed? Are you doing this just for fun?
     
    The_spacemonkey, Feb 3, 2004
    #3
  4. fugyaself

    fugyaself Full Member

    You might want to watch words like improper and incorrect. It makes people think there is one specific way to set it.

    On the bottom of page one you say "If the gain control is set improperly..." You may want to somehow work in 'too high' instead. Didnt really notice if you continued with that or not. You may also want to describe the sound of clipping so that people know what to look for instead of just thinking distortion.


    Maybe mention that many amps have clipping protection and will shut off when you clip too much


    Looks very good though. Cool idea.
     
    fugyaself, Feb 3, 2004
    #4
  5. geolemon

    geolemon Full Member

    Good suggestion on "too high".

    I'm really doing this as a somewhat unmotivated project...
    It's to address a need that I see completely and totally unfulfilled... and I mean, for like the past 15 years. :lol:

    I think, honestly, shops cop an attitude, often...
    "Well, if you are going to buy it, and not have it installed here, then F-you then... when they break it, they'll be back."

    I think that not only discourages the customer (which is bad) and makes the customer feel it's a game of "us vs. them" (which is bad), but it also can result in equipment damage... obviously subs more often than amps.. but I know of some amps that have failed under abuse too.
    And those warranty returns are bad for the customer, a pain for the shop, and definitely bad for the manufacturer.

    It's to help the customer, it's to help the shop, it's to help the manufacturer...

    I haven't really thought of a specific application, but it seems like there's a need.
    Maybe we'll package them with our amps, I don't know. ;)
     
    geolemon, Feb 3, 2004
    #5