What is "boutique quality"?

[bobland]

I'm shopping around for a sound card and run across this description often. To my mind it sound like something substandard as opposed to the more familiar "professional quality."

Note that I'm looking in the $200 range so that may have something to do with it.

Any comments?

[Tone Deft]

IMO it's something you'd pay more money for, for no damn reason.

'professional quality' is Fredspeak for "I don't understand everything it does."

[Rave]

A lot of products claim to be pro but are far from it. Trying them out is a must. Buy cheap buy twice

[3phase]

I'm shopping around for a sound card and run across this description often. To my mind it sound like something substandard as opposed to the more familiar "professional quality."

Note that I'm looking in the $200 range so that may have something to do with it.

Any comments?

boutique quality for cheap soundcards? never came along that.. i actually would associate boutique quality for audio equipment with custom made stuff.. hand assembled..something like that...

i am not sure if i would want a hand assembled sound card..all this smd technic appears to be more a task for the mighty robot..
but maybe chineese kids are even better?

in any case i agree that the label on a soundcard seems a bit cheesy...

[chrk]

ITo my mind it sound like something substandard as opposed to the more familiar "professional quality."

Try googling "boutique quality" (with the quotes), results suggest select quality as in buying in a boutique opposed to department store (mainly for discount/bargain prices).

It'll boil down to getting China crap anyway...

[warpwny]

If you are really looking for a 'soundcard' and not a DAI, look at the asus xonar cards.
REALLY nice hardware. shielded, extremely high signal-to-noise.

[H20nly]

its a fancy way of saying we're overcharging you if you're stupid enough to pay.

would you like to have mimosas after shopping?

[bobland]

I found this description on Sweetwater for the Mackie Onyx Blackjack. As Mackie is associated with high quality I was somewhat confused as to this description. BTW, any comments on this card?

[Bounte]

It's all marketing speak. Most pros I know shy away from equipment with "Pro" stamped on the side. "Pro" generally means "mass-produced, but not our complete shite line." "Boutique" is a sort of keyword that implies smaller production runs with higher attention to quality or character.

[Jacqueslacouth]

Most pros I know shy away from equipment with "Pro" stamped on the side.

From gear like Mac Pro, Mac Book Pro, Pro Tools, Muse Receptor 2 Pro Max, Open Labs D Beat Pro, Logic Pro.....





Don't always be scared off by the pro label.

[Pitch Black]

"Long after the price is forgotten, the shittyness lingers on."

[lasersounds]

Most pros I know shy away from equipment with "Pro" stamped on the side.

Open Labs D Beat Pro





Don't always be scared off by the pro label.

I think the open labs pro is the exact thing he is speaking about, infact, they went out of business because noone fell for the gimmick.

[leedsquietman]

boutique quality usually means something designed individually or not to a mass market and often costs a lot.

FOr example, Metric Halo describe the ULN-8 (5000 dollar audio interface) preamps as 'boutique quality'. They are not a standard design like a lot of audio interfaces, which use cirrus logic etc, and are supposedly of a very high quality.