Mac: agreed, the strong survive. Those brands that are doing best right now are those that have carefully developed a strong, well-controlled dealer network over decades. Audio Research, McIntosh, Magnepan and many others are doing well.
Wasn't trying to quash nay-sayers; just thought we'd already banged the hell out of the downer-drum, and was trying to concentrate on the positive side of the equation. And yes, when "socializing" often consists of sitting around together while texting other people in other places, it's hard to mimic the spirit of the past. So it goes. Not dissing the young; I just find it a little bewildering.
Audioquest: thanks for the informative and upbeat post. One thing I've discovered through the years is that Euro manufacturers seeking to enter the US market often have much larger-scale ideas than the potential distributors in the US. I'm glad Octave has paired up with Dynaudio. There are a lot of other exciting central-European brands that offer superb performance and excellent values; similarly, the most exciting brands I see coming out of the US right now are the value-kings like Peachtree, Virtue, and a whole bunch of speaker companies. Some are made completely in the US; many are not. These days there are so many global component suppliers it's hard to tell what comes from where, anyone.
As much as I admire the ulta-high-performance cost-no-object pieces, those aren't what bring newbies into the fold. I'd rather see more people genuinely enjoyng music in their home, rather than some fund-manager showing off monoliths in his living room that are rarely played.
Kbark: Yikes! Too many good ideas to even comment on, but the idea of Katy Perry saying "Go, NAD!" in Men's Health is a killer. The issue that has always kept audio companies from mainstream advertising and endorsements is, of course, money. Smaller companies don't have it, and the larger companies, such as the ones you mentioned, do seem to maintain an odd radio-silence when it comes to mainstream advertising. Back in the '50's through the '70's, bigger brands such as AR and Fisher often advertised in upscale mainstream mags. Today, only Bose comes to mind; they're a privately-owned company, BTW, so numbers aren't disclosed--but they're thought to do two BILLION dollars a year. Coincidence? Unlikely. Second thought: Monster comes to mind, as well. Dollars unknown, for them, but most people recognize the brand.
And no, I don't think young kids are stupid, at all. I just think they need more exposure to good audio than they often get. I'm grateful for the long-suffering retailers who allowed me to hang around when I was a teen. I can't say I see much of that happening, these days.
Deci: in my experience, the show-houses don't want the gear showcased. Product-placement? It costs major money. Some years ago I worked with the maker of a striking and expensive amplifier at CES, and we were approached by a placement-broker. They wanted $50k to get seconds of screen-time in a third-tier movie with no major stars. Few audio companies can drop that kind of cash for limited returns, and it likely wouldn't be the best use of the money, anyway.
House also has Piega speakers in his office, no sign of what powers them. He used to have Duevel speakers at home. I haven't heard that those placements really drove a lot of business to those companies. That would require a lot of exposure in a lot of different contexts and venues; besides which, TV shows rarely have "where to buy it" listings, as some mags do.
Kbark, Ballan: more good stuff. Thanks.
Map: Yup, value is key, especially in a down economy. As I said, the most exciting products I see are in the sector audiophiles would label "entry-level" or "mid-fi", and a lot of dealers are doing well bringing folks in with those lines. And upselling them, eventually.
Pep: Made in USA is still meaningful in many markets, ironically moreso over there than in the US itself. Go figger. I was astonished and dismayed when production of JBL pro and high-end gear was moved from Northridge to Mexico. So much for that heritage and that marketing advantage.
Ferrari: Thanks as always for your perspective; it's always heartening to hear from someone who's been mucked-up in this business even longer than I have!
I have no doubt as to the survival of reproduced music in the home. The delivery-methods may change through the years, but the intent is the same as ever, and the tools are available for sound-quality to be better than ever. I, too, am optimistic, while remaining fully aware of the current problems and the future challenges. Ain't no way this stubborn old coot is giving up!
Thanks to you all for your insightful and thought-provoking contributions! Keep 'em coming!
Wasn't trying to quash nay-sayers; just thought we'd already banged the hell out of the downer-drum, and was trying to concentrate on the positive side of the equation. And yes, when "socializing" often consists of sitting around together while texting other people in other places, it's hard to mimic the spirit of the past. So it goes. Not dissing the young; I just find it a little bewildering.
Audioquest: thanks for the informative and upbeat post. One thing I've discovered through the years is that Euro manufacturers seeking to enter the US market often have much larger-scale ideas than the potential distributors in the US. I'm glad Octave has paired up with Dynaudio. There are a lot of other exciting central-European brands that offer superb performance and excellent values; similarly, the most exciting brands I see coming out of the US right now are the value-kings like Peachtree, Virtue, and a whole bunch of speaker companies. Some are made completely in the US; many are not. These days there are so many global component suppliers it's hard to tell what comes from where, anyone.
As much as I admire the ulta-high-performance cost-no-object pieces, those aren't what bring newbies into the fold. I'd rather see more people genuinely enjoyng music in their home, rather than some fund-manager showing off monoliths in his living room that are rarely played.
Kbark: Yikes! Too many good ideas to even comment on, but the idea of Katy Perry saying "Go, NAD!" in Men's Health is a killer. The issue that has always kept audio companies from mainstream advertising and endorsements is, of course, money. Smaller companies don't have it, and the larger companies, such as the ones you mentioned, do seem to maintain an odd radio-silence when it comes to mainstream advertising. Back in the '50's through the '70's, bigger brands such as AR and Fisher often advertised in upscale mainstream mags. Today, only Bose comes to mind; they're a privately-owned company, BTW, so numbers aren't disclosed--but they're thought to do two BILLION dollars a year. Coincidence? Unlikely. Second thought: Monster comes to mind, as well. Dollars unknown, for them, but most people recognize the brand.
And no, I don't think young kids are stupid, at all. I just think they need more exposure to good audio than they often get. I'm grateful for the long-suffering retailers who allowed me to hang around when I was a teen. I can't say I see much of that happening, these days.
Deci: in my experience, the show-houses don't want the gear showcased. Product-placement? It costs major money. Some years ago I worked with the maker of a striking and expensive amplifier at CES, and we were approached by a placement-broker. They wanted $50k to get seconds of screen-time in a third-tier movie with no major stars. Few audio companies can drop that kind of cash for limited returns, and it likely wouldn't be the best use of the money, anyway.
House also has Piega speakers in his office, no sign of what powers them. He used to have Duevel speakers at home. I haven't heard that those placements really drove a lot of business to those companies. That would require a lot of exposure in a lot of different contexts and venues; besides which, TV shows rarely have "where to buy it" listings, as some mags do.
Kbark, Ballan: more good stuff. Thanks.
Map: Yup, value is key, especially in a down economy. As I said, the most exciting products I see are in the sector audiophiles would label "entry-level" or "mid-fi", and a lot of dealers are doing well bringing folks in with those lines. And upselling them, eventually.
Pep: Made in USA is still meaningful in many markets, ironically moreso over there than in the US itself. Go figger. I was astonished and dismayed when production of JBL pro and high-end gear was moved from Northridge to Mexico. So much for that heritage and that marketing advantage.
Ferrari: Thanks as always for your perspective; it's always heartening to hear from someone who's been mucked-up in this business even longer than I have!
I have no doubt as to the survival of reproduced music in the home. The delivery-methods may change through the years, but the intent is the same as ever, and the tools are available for sound-quality to be better than ever. I, too, am optimistic, while remaining fully aware of the current problems and the future challenges. Ain't no way this stubborn old coot is giving up!
Thanks to you all for your insightful and thought-provoking contributions! Keep 'em coming!