Quality Speakers at Half the Price - TSC, 10 year anniversary

By Nick Valente

Who started The Speaker Company? Where was it based? Why did it disappear after only a few years? These questions and more, directly from the source.

2017 was the 10 year anniversary of TSC, The Speaker company. Now, it's 2018. Throughout this year I plan on recounting some of the memories I have on getting this company off the ground, running it and finally watching a dream die. Here is my first post.

A Little History

The speaker company was the brainchild of Frank Sadowski a vice president and former Amazon executive who transitioned to D&M holdings, the company that owned Denon, Marantz, Boston Acoustics and McIntosh among a few other high end audio companies.

Quality Speakers at Half the Price

The idea was to introduce a mid-level speaker company that sold "Quality speakers at half the price", and do it only online.  This was to be done within the confines of a company whose main day to day objective was to sell high-end audio product through retail only. More on how that affected the business later.

The Business Model

The business model was pretty straight forward. Go to Chinese manufacturers who had tools for discontinued models of major brands, make slight adjustments to either the design or audio features  and sell them at a significant discount while still maintaining a 50% margin. Since tooling was such a big part of the startup cost this significantly reduced our cost base. Of course in 2017 this is nothing new. You can easily start up a company to sell almost anything if you have the know how and marketing skills to do so.
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August, 2007

I joined TSC in August 2007 as the sole employee and the General Manager. The first order of business was to choose a logo. This as it turns out takes considerably less time in a small company than it does at some of the larger logo efforts I've been part of, like AT&T WorldNet where I started and ran www.att.net for almost 7 years. We have around 6 or 7 choices and in an afternoon we settled on the logo you see in the header of this blog.

The Goal

The goal was to launch this online only speaker company by December 7, 2007, about 90 days after I joined the company. Fortunately my working on startups at AT&T and RapidFax prepared me for this. Not to say it was easy, it was not. Frank was a great help as well as a font of information on ecommerce as well as the writer we hired, Len Schneider. Len was an audio industry expert and an incredible asset in helping get TSC off the ground. I also had the pleasure of working with Roland McBeth, a long time audio industry expert, who built and managed our product line.

Over the coming months I'll recount the trials, tribulations, celebrations and the truth about why TSC closed its doors.

TSC T100 Subwoofer

One of our original products was the TSC T100 subwoofer. It was neither powerful or big. The driver was only 10 inches and the amp topped out at 100 watts. What it was though was beautiful. Shown in this picture with TSAT 100 & 200 you can see it had a high gloss finish of 5 coats of lacquer. We weren't really looking for the hard core audiophile here, we were going for a high wife-acceptance-factor. With this finish and soft lines it really was a beautiful sub. Pair two together and you got beauty and beast.

It was one of our more popular subs. Don't get me wrong, wiht a BASH amp and solid design it sounded pretty good in a small to mid sized room. In fact I still use this on one of my home theater systems in my home. My wife likes it too.

What subs can you get today on the market that are similar? None of these "look" as good as the T100 but I'll bet they all sound better overall given the T100 was a $199 price point. Also, it's REALLY tough to capture a high gloss finish on a speaker in a photograph and none of these likely do justice to these units. What  is your thought on high gloss speaker finishes?

All About the T Series

Did you know that TSC's T series was in fact based on the Saphire speakers from Tweeters? When this series came on line however several changes were made.

The Tweeters were changed from Blue to Black
The Tweeters were changed slightly to remove some of the upper end harshness
The glass tops on the towers was improved

Other than that these were pretty much identical to the Saphire line.

How does this happen?

When a company, in this case Tweeter, no longer manufacturers a speaker, often the overseas factory continues to own the "tool" used to manufacture the product. When this happens they sometimes look for other vendor who may want to pick up the line. Since there is significantly reduced cost, building a tool can cost in the 10's to 100's of thousands of dollars, the new project starts life with a reduced manufacturing cost.

This is how TSC was able to sell high quality speakers at half the price.

More next week on the story of the T series speakers.

Need Information on Speakers?

If you're looking for information on speakers visit The Speaker Guys. They have some great articles and links to reviews. Including some good information on subwoofers.

tSc Unboxed Video

Thanks to Thomas for this great unboxing video. Thomas shows the TC2, T250 and TSS-B surrounds getting unboxed.

Dipolar Surround Sound on Sale $109.98 a Pair

Get a true dipolar surround sound speaker for only $109.98 a PAIR! That's right we have this spectacular speaker on sale right now for a discount price. It is easily worth $300-400 a pair.

Here is what one customer says...

Just like on the TC2 that I ordered, I looked for any type of flaw on the
outside of the speakers. I figured at this price range I would be able to
find something wrong with how it was put together....nope! I removed the
grills and looked some more for any flaw. I was not able to find not even a
tiny bity flaw. They are put together really well. AS far sounds go...THEY
SOUND GREAT! Enough said.

This surround sound speaker, the TSS-B truly rocks at an incredible price. Don't miss this opportunity.

Home Theater Spekaers 5.1 for under $225

With our current sale you can get 2 pair of P5 bookshelf speakers, an RC1 center channel and a ASW8 subwoofer for under $225.

Use coupon Most15 to get 20% off the RC1 and ASW8, the P5's are already on sale.

This is a great deal for a complete home theater speaker package.

20% off Sale

We're getting a jump on the holiday season with a 20% off sale. Use coupon Most15 (case sensitive) and get 20% most of our products. It only excludes black iPod docks and headphones. So don't wait! Get your holiday shopping done now. Save big on one of our pre-packaged Home Theater packages or build your own. Remember you get free ground shipping on all orders over $50.

tSc Top Rating on BizRate.com

We're thrilled that The Speaker Compay gets top ratings on BizRate.com. Customers rate us high in all categories. This independent business review site echos the customer reviews on our own site about our company and our products. Thank you to all our customers. To read the reviews go to our home page and click on the BizRate medalion in the left column on the site.

NC3 Noise Cancelling Headphones

We're quickly running out of NC3 headphones at this incredible price. If you're considering a purchase of these noise cancelling headphones that we're selling far below our cost then you should act now. Once they are gone, they're gone.

Speaker wire Size

A hot topic that never seems to cool down is what size speaker wire do I need. You don't need to spend a fortune to get good speaker wire. Fancy wires that are as thick as 2 sticks of licorice are not necessary. The answer is pretty simple. In most cases 14 gauge will do just fine as most folks don't have speakers more than 10 - 15 feet apart. If you are running longer length's than that you might consider 12 gauge or lower. Although there are lots of posts about using lamp cord we'd recommend buying a good quality speaker wire instead. The following attributes can make speaker wire easier to use:

• Gold and silver wire makes keeping speakers in phase easier (hooking up red to red and black to black)
• Same with a white stripe along on of the wires
• Using banana plugs or other connectors to make connecting to your speaker or receiver easier

Safety Tip: Remember that in-wall and in-ceiling speakers require special wire and you should check your local building code.

That's it. Pretty simple.

Speaker Stands

Folks are always asking us about speaker stands. Although we do not sell them there are lots of places online to pick them up. When mounting speakers always keep the following in mind.

• Make sure the stands or mounts are appropriate for your size & weight speaker
• Be sure to follow the manufacturer's directions when setting up the stands
• Consider your environmnet. If you have small children you'll want to be careful about putting a heavy speaker on a stand where little hands might pull it down on themselves.
• Consider hiring a professional to mount large bookshelf speakers on a wall if you're not handy

Now that we've got that out of the way here are 4 online sources for speaker stands we thought had a decent selection. tSc does not endorse any of these stores in any way, we're just letting you know what we found.

Speaker Stands Online
Stands & Mounts
Crutchfield
Stands Online

Of course having great speaker stands means nothing if you don't have the best speakers. Check out tSc's full line of speakers here.

Enjoy Your Subwoofer Safely

Everyone loves the low sound effects that a good subwoofer can deliver.

Subwoofers are different than your other speakers in your home theater setup in that a subwoofer contains a power amplifier and must be plugged in to an electrical outlet to operate.

With proper care and consideration your subwoofer can safely satisfy your lowest needs for many years. Here are some common sense rules to follow.

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Always completely read the manual that came with your subwoofer and follow its instructions before operating as each may contain specific safety instructions.

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Operation

• Set your subwoofer to standby or off mode when not in use. This reduces power consumption
• Don't let the power cord or other cable stretch across the floor where someone might trip over it.
• Don't use your subwoofer as a stepping stool or a seating device
• Don't put objects containing water on you subwoofer including plants (they won't like the low frequencies anyway)
• Don't push your subwoofer beyond its limits. If it sounds like it's clipping (rattleing or tapping noise) turn it down. Never operate you sub at full volume
• Use the correct cabling to hook up your sub to your receiver.
• Never use a subwoofer outdoors unless it is specifically designed for outdoor use
• Always read your subwoofers manual before operating and follow its instructions.

Subwoofer Maintence

• NEVER open your subwoofer, there is nothing inside you can likely fix and you may risk serious injury.
• Clean you subwoofers exterior with a dry dust cloth. For more specific cleaning instructions follow the advice in your subs manual.
• Never touch or clean the driver (speaker)

Things we should not have to tell you

• Never operate your subwoofer in a wet or damp area
• Never submerge your subwoofer in liquid

I did say these were common sense but following this advice will help you safely enjoy your subwoofer for many years.

The Speaker Company offers quality subwoofers at half the price. See them here

In-Wall & In-Ceiling Speaker Wiring

If you're attempting to install in-wall or in-ceiling speakers yourself, here are a few things to keep in mind about speaker wire.

1. You will need a special wire to run inside walls that complies with your local building code. Usually UL rated wire labeled CL2 or CL3.
2. Speaker wire gauge will differ depending on how far your running from your receiver or amp. Less than 75 feet 16 gauge, 75 to 175 14 gauge, more than 175 feet consider 12 gauge.

Little black sticky things

Some of you have asked what the "little black sticky things" are that come with the IC & IW speakers. They are for used in the very rare (and we mean very) occasion where the grille is not tight against the bezel and develops a rattle. By placing a small amount of the black sticky stuff against the side of the grille that is rattling you can stop the friction and the noise. If you lost this with the packaging and you develop a rattle not to worry, most mailable putty's found at Home Depot used for insulation will also do the trick.

Managing Room Acoustics

Rob Sinden is the owner of Gecko in the UK. Rob's speciality is designing and optimising the best in hifi and home cinema. In Septemeber 2008 Gecko were appointed the UK agent for Steinway & Sons audio systems.

In this video Rob discusses the reasons we need to consider our home theater rooms. It takes more than just great audio equipment to deliver great sound. Rob covers some basic room acoustic problems and offers some solutions.

Two New In-Wall / In-Ceiling Home Theater Bundles

We just finished putting together two new In-wall Home Theater speaker bundles that we think you're going to love.

The ARTH-85C
Includes 2 IW8 8" in-wall speakers, a pair of IC5' for surrounds and our new IWD5C dual 5.25" center channel. All for only $127.94. Nope, not a misprint. For a limited time you save almost $32 on this great sounding system. Just add one of our subwoofers and your ready to roll.









The ARHT-P5
This system is gives you a step up form the 85C with 3 PTIW5's for the front speakers and 2 PTIC for the surrounds. With their adjustable front ports you decide how much bass you want from your front speakers while the positionable titanium tweeter deliver crisp clear highs. You get all this at a $29.88 savings for only $219.95. Just add a sub.




Check our all our Home Theater speaker packages here.

Hurry, these special bundle prices won't last long.

Help, My Flat Panel TV Speakers Sound Bad

If you're like many people the recession is not stopping you from getting a Home Theater setup with a nice 42" or larger flat panel TV. Your logic is likely that you'll save money by getting more of your entertainment at home rather than paying for a movie for a family of four. You're correct! By the time you've purchased tickets, popcorn, drinks and maybe a candy or two your out $60-$70. Do that 10 times and you've got the price of a decent TV.

Great Picture, OK sound
Flat panel TV's are geared toward doing one thing really well; delivering a stunning video experience. Unfortunately as they have never delivered great sound and as they get thinner there is less and less room for quality speakers. Bad sounding tiny speakers in your TV will ruin your Home Theater experience.

Getting Better Sound From Your Home Theater
The best way to improve on the sound of your TV speakers is to upgrade your sound system to a full fledged Home Theater speaker system. There are several ways to approach this from a simple 3.1 system to a full 7.1 system. To start with you'll need a good quality home theater receiver, we recommend either Denon or Marantz though many other brands make quality receivers as well. Then you can build your home theater speaker system out in one of 4 ways;

• 3.1 which includes a center channel speaker, and a pair of bookshelf or on wall speakers along with a subwoofer (that's the 1 in the 3.1) You can accomplish this by adding a center channel to your existing stereo speakers if you're happy with them though it is best to have these 3 front speakers matched.
• 5.1 which includes the same speakers as the 3.1 but also has two speakers for the rear surround sound.
• 6.1 which has all the speakers as the 5.1 system but includes 1 rear or back channel
• 7.1 which as 2 rear surround channels.

No matter your preference there are speaker solutions for your home theater to fit your lifestyle needs; On-Wall speakers, In-Wall & Ceiling speakers, Bookshelf speakers and Floorstanding.

Home Theater speakers will more than double your pleasure when watching your favorite movie at home. Visit our store for a full selection of On-Wall, In-Wall, Bookshelf and Tower Home Theater Speakers

Also see our Home Audio Primer

T300 Subwoofer Back in Stock

The T300 Subwoofer is now back in stock. This 300 watt, dual side firing 10" subwoofer sports a front slotted port and a compact cabinet. Although the matte-black finish is easy to keep clean it pretty much shakes the dust off every time you turn it on. (kidding, but it does get loud) At only $379 delivered this subwoofer is one of the best deals on or offline for a dual 10" 300 watt sub. tSc, Quality Speakers, Half the Price.

Pick one up today.

T100 Subwoofer Now in Stock

It's finally here. The T100-110 subwoofer is the perfect match to our TSAT series on-wall speakers. The TSAT's are a perfect match for your flat panel TV with their hand painted high gloss black finish.

With a 100 Watt BASH amp and a 10" downfiring aluminum woofer the T100 subwoofer is a style statement all onto itself. Ah.. and your wife will like it too.

Like the TSAT's you really have to see this speaker to appreciate its beauty. Yes beauty is only skin deep (or in this case 5 coats of hand painted lacquer) but how does this puppy sound? In a word, incredible. The T100 has many of the characteristics of our ASW10 but with the added benefit of an upgraded driver giving it a tighter more controlled output.

You can get all the specs on the T100 here and you can visit soundadviceblog for a T100 review and some really nice pictures!