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Topic:
Vantage Lighting
This thread has 16 replies. Displaying posts 1 through 15.
Post 1 made on Tuesday October 31, 2017 at 18:18
slobob
Long Time Member
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225
I know that there are a lot of Lutron fans here, myself included, but what has your experience been with Vantage? Any good/bad experiences since the Legrand takeover? Wireless work good? Drapes?

I'm too small for Lutron to deem worthy (even though I take over ans program most systems in the area), and a designer I work with has drank from the Legrand Koolaide.... Just looking for pros/cons
Post 2 made on Wednesday November 1, 2017 at 10:44
Duct Tape
Loyal Member
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November 2008
5,295
I like the product, but haven't been happy with the communication when placing orders.If you are a member of IP, take a look at a recent post regarding Vantage.
[Link: facebook.com]
Post 3 made on Wednesday November 1, 2017 at 10:53
Impaqt
RC Moderator
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October 2002
6,229
On October 31, 2017 at 18:18, slobob said...
I know that there are a lot of Lutron fans here, myself included, but what has your experience been with Vantage? Any good/bad experiences since the Legrand takeover? Wireless work good? Drapes?

I'm too small for Lutron to deem worthy (even though I take over ans program most systems in the area), and a designer I work with has drank from the Legrand Koolaide.... Just looking for pros/cons

Too small for Lutron? I'm pretty sure that doesnt exist. There are always options with them.

That being said, the Wired Vantage stuff is great. I havent had much experience with their wireless stuff.
Post 4 made on Wednesday November 1, 2017 at 11:33
Fins
Elite Member
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June 2007
11,627
Vantage is a great product and has great support. When working on a golf course with a ton of LED lights, they sent someone out to help solve a bunch of problems. And with the way the dimmers mount in the panels and require no tools to install, I was able to teach the head of maintenance for the club how to troubleshoot the system and replace dimmers. personally, i like the hardware and programming much better than Lutron.
Civil War reenactment is LARPing for people with no imagination.

Post 5 made on Wednesday November 1, 2017 at 14:50
brent mccall
Long Time Member
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May 2004
181
I have to go with Find on this one.
The Vantage panel trims out nicer than any other panel currently on the market.
Module replacement is very easy and programming makes sense.
Brent McCall
Envy, it is a dirty emotion.
Post 6 made on Wednesday November 1, 2017 at 18:03
westcojack
Long Time Member
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July 2009
90
+1 Brent +1 Fins

The RF also works well, a 100+ foot radius.

A lot of plug and play, good diagnostics, fairly easy programming.

We've done projects both near and far with good results.
Jack Goldberg, PE
Post 7 made on Wednesday November 1, 2017 at 18:27
flandon
Advanced Member
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September 2004
805
On November 1, 2017 at 18:03, westcojack said...
+1 Brent +1 Fins

The RF also works well, a 100+ foot radius.

A lot of plug and play, good diagnostics, fairly easy programming.

We've done projects both near and far with good results.

3rd
Flandon the mighty Dragon Fisher
Post 8 made on Wednesday November 1, 2017 at 18:50
Prime Design
Active Member
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August 2009
747
Vantage is great, I have been working with it since 1999.  While I don't install any more I still work with dealers who use it.  I liked that not everyone carried it so I could earn suitable margins.

​The biggest selling point was that they had the best looking keypads of anyone.  They still have great keypads and a rock solid system but it is hard to find ugly keypads today (but not impossible).

​Legrand has given them a backoffice and a lot of money to build on, if it works for you this is a good choice.

​Not to start a war but the house I wrote about a few years ago had Vantage throughout and the client still loves it.  That was the third Vantage system I was involved in with his homes.
Post 9 made on Saturday November 4, 2017 at 21:15
GotGame
Super Member
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February 2002
4,022
I would suggest to you to stick to Lutron. Better depth of product and far better support.
I may be schizophrenic, but at least I have each other.
Post 10 made on Saturday November 4, 2017 at 22:41
Fins
Elite Member
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June 2007
11,627
All of my experience with Lutron is they are whores willing to steal other ideals and their support is at best what Vantage offers.
Civil War reenactment is LARPing for people with no imagination.

Post 11 made on Sunday November 5, 2017 at 02:47
Brad Humphrey
Super Member
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2,586
On November 1, 2017 at 10:53, Impaqt said...
Too small for Lutron? I'm pretty sure that doesnt exist. There are always options with them.

???
If you are not killing it, selling a bunch of lighting control, Lutron wants nothing to do with you.
"Always options with them"? Yes, they tell you to go buy their product from an electrician or electrical house (usually at retail pricing). Sorry, that is NOT an option for a A/V dealer.
So small dealers are stuck with the limited selection thru our distributors. And even that has strings attached usually.

For those that are big enough (do enough lighting control) to have a Lutron account, good for you.
Hopefully you are big enough that Lutron thinks twice before stealing your customer if they can. They sure don't think twice about raping a small dealer in the arse, doing whatever it takes to undercut them - including giving customer's the internal friend's & family plan (20%+ off dealer cost) if they have to, to steal the customer.
I had it happen several times back in the day, when Lutron would get a hold of the customer's information. Why do you thing they have those forms they want you to submit about the job, that request all the customer's info?

I STILL see that going to this day. Just had a customer last month, looking at getting a bunch of Lutron shades. Told him I don't carry those and voiced my reasons why. For fun he called Lutron (I think because he didn't believe me), they got him in touch with the regional rep. Customer told them he had an A/V dealer that was going to sell him the shades - the rep told him he could sell to him direct and the price he quoted was 10% above dealer cost. He agreed that it was very sleazy.
Post 12 made on Sunday November 5, 2017 at 05:32
buzz
Super Member
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May 2003
4,366
On November 5, 2017 at 02:47, Brad Humphrey said...
Hopefully you are big enough that Lutron thinks twice before stealing your customer if they can. They sure don't think twice about raping a small dealer

It's hard to swim with sharks.

At one point we were trying to develop some high rise and tract projects with the early BOSE whole house stuff. (We were just trying to be "commercial" with a high name recognition brand, it was lousy product.) We held wine & cheese events for designers and developers. And, we had an outside sales person. Every time we developed a good lead, a factory guy would appear and undercut our price. It didn't take too long for us to figure out that BOSE should develop its own leads.
Post 13 made on Monday November 6, 2017 at 09:42
jrainey
Active Member
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Posts:
September 2010
632
On November 1, 2017 at 18:27, flandon said...
3rd

4th.

We take the guerilla marketing approach as there are PLENTY of Lutron guys in the market. Vantage gives us another point of view with lighting and shade (Qmotion) we like it. Infusion has been solid.
Jack Rainey - Full disclosure...reformed integrator, now mid-Atlantic manufacturers rep for: Integra, Paradigm, Anthem, Parasound, Atlona, LG TV's and Metra Home Theater...among others
Post 14 made on Monday November 6, 2017 at 10:07
SB Smarthomes
Super Member
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July 2007
2,634
My experience with Lutron has been different.  I'm a small one man shop, but do enough lighting control and shading business to be direct with Lutron.

My Lutron rep has passed a few leads to me and also shut down two homeowners (both were in the design industry) who were trying to circumvent local dealers and get a better deal direct.

I've heard of shady stuff going on in other markets, so maybe it's dependent on who the rep is, but my experience has been very good.  It takes some work to get started with Lutron, but one of the best things I've ever done for my business.

I think Vantage is a solid choice, but wanted to speak up and say that my experience with Lutron has been very different than some of you are stating.
www.sbsmarthomes.com
Santa Barbara Smarthomes
Post 15 made on Monday November 6, 2017 at 10:53
Brad Humphrey
Super Member
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2,586
Yes. You guys out on the West coast have mentioned before, about how things seem different with Lutron out there.

Our friend from Kansas and a few others up the coast here however, have seen Satan's... I mean Lutron's sleaziness way to often over the last 20+ years. Not the same reps and different reps over time - always the same underhanded policies.

Hopefully that West coast Lutron rep sticks around for a long time. But I have seen you do quite a bit of business with Lutron. I would think you are well within that category of "dealers they would never try and screw over".

I still remember the 1st time I ever met a Lutron rep (1997). He was the nicest guy, seemed to want to bend over backwards for us, even bought lunch that day. When we got to talking about what kind of numbers I was expecting to do, his personality changed completely. At that point, I was just wasting his time and he was adamant about moving on down the road. Wow.
The experience over the years didn't get any better lol
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