… ucking up Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Polk Audio, Marantz, Definitive Technology, Classé, and Boston Acoustics
https://stereonet.com/news/breaking-masimo-finds-buyer-for-consumer-audio-business
https://www.whathifi.com/hi-fi/harm...s-as-masimo-sells-its-consumer-audio-business
dave
https://stereonet.com/news/breaking-masimo-finds-buyer-for-consumer-audio-business
https://www.whathifi.com/hi-fi/harm...s-as-masimo-sells-its-consumer-audio-business
dave
I am glad to be retiring and not have to deal with this conglomerate, that in this case does not appear to be of value to the diy nation.
Many, if not most, of these companies were started years ago by people who were audio experts and for them this was as much about creating quality audio as it was about making money. But over time I suspect that few of the founders are still there, and many of the companies are now in the hands of financial people instead of audio enthusiasts. So, their mindset has nothing to do with delivering quality audio. Now it's all about delivering maximum return to the stockholders instead.
Most of those brands were not doing well, Denon and Marantz come to mind.
TV sound bars and headphones / buds seem to be the future, also car audio.
Home audio, particularly high end stuff is declining at this time.
I do not see any IP gains there, none of the technology seems to be patent protected.
Bit difficult to understand, maybe a tax break or a tariff avoidance measure?
Here in India, the big brands have exited the low end TV market, only high resolution 43" and above are made by Samsung, LG, Sony etc.
So what is Samsung going to do in a declining and increasingly generic market?
What happens to the sales and service networks of all those different brands?
No ties, except my phone is a Samsung....which was paid for, not free.
TV sound bars and headphones / buds seem to be the future, also car audio.
Home audio, particularly high end stuff is declining at this time.
I do not see any IP gains there, none of the technology seems to be patent protected.
Bit difficult to understand, maybe a tax break or a tariff avoidance measure?
Here in India, the big brands have exited the low end TV market, only high resolution 43" and above are made by Samsung, LG, Sony etc.
So what is Samsung going to do in a declining and increasingly generic market?
What happens to the sales and service networks of all those different brands?
No ties, except my phone is a Samsung....which was paid for, not free.
I completely rebuilt my old sx780.and replaced the crossovers in the HPM900s
Their home stuff is not at its level. The odd thing is the car systems are very good.
Their home stuff is not at its level. The odd thing is the car systems are very good.
I do not see as a negative. If Harman/Samsung does not buy them, they are probably go under as Masimo does not want to keep a bleeding asset anymore. Apart from tax reason, I see only B&W has somewhat value to Harman/Samsung since they have a worldwide "high end" name in audio circle, and can be used as a selling point for the car automotive. The rest is either not "well-known", prestige enough worldwide or operating in a decline market (Denon, Marantz)
They should rethink the whole design and distribution strategy.
1. get rid of all the middle men
2. reduce the retail price to manufacture cost from 12:1 to 3:1.
1. get rid of all the middle men
2. reduce the retail price to manufacture cost from 12:1 to 3:1.
Though I am, and have been for years, a Mac user I use an Android phone and tablet. I have had a Samsung tablet and was appalled at how infrequently they would do any kind of a system, or security, update. That lack was amplified by Google's frequent updates to my current Pixel tablet and phone. It seems support is not high on Samsung's agenda. They are a company I have no wish to support.
Majority of the well known audio products are owned by a few large corporations.
Speaking of China, I just checked and the 4 audio components I bought in the last year were made in China and half were Chinese owned. I think you will find a lot of the Harmon products are made in China.
Speaking of China, I just checked and the 4 audio components I bought in the last year were made in China and half were Chinese owned. I think you will find a lot of the Harmon products are made in China.
Last edited:
As an aside to the conglomeration of businesses has anybody noticed how the used sales price of "classic" audio gear has been on the increase for the last decade or so? Or so it seems when I'm looking at the used market close to home
Australian prices are on a low volume sold, and harsh weather degrades wood and so on. So fewer survivors.
I think the USA market, with comparitively large volumes of units sold and preserved, would be more indicative of price trends.
Europe volumes, particularly for post 1980 local production were low, and India had huge import duties...do not have information about Australia.
At that time the USA population was about 10 times that of Australia...so a larger potential market.
I think the USA market, with comparitively large volumes of units sold and preserved, would be more indicative of price trends.
Europe volumes, particularly for post 1980 local production were low, and India had huge import duties...do not have information about Australia.
At that time the USA population was about 10 times that of Australia...so a larger potential market.
It seems like the higher end area is being taken over by niche brands. Were there always so many small manufactures of high end? It really seems like a smaller market is being saturated with choices.
The lower end is being taken over by the direct from China products. That doesn't leave much left for brands like these.
The high end shoppers likely don't see name value in these brands and the bargain shoppers seem to have a bit of scorn for these brands.
Boston Acoustics faded away over the past couple of decades under the ownership of Sound United. Not exactly sure what happened. Sound United went bankrupt in 2022 and I believe that all of the recently acquired brands were in their portfolio. Harman also owns Roon. Harman continues to do well under Samsung.
Maybe they have less problems and issues than the others? You seem to turn a positive thing into a negative.
"My car only needs service once every three years! That must be a very bad car!"
Jan
Corporate Greed. Streamlining. Asset stripping. Less R&D, less innovation on proven platforms. less quality, less product backup/ parts.
More Dunning Kruger top down whimsical management, lawyers, bankers and shareholders. Last time I checked, they never invented, produced or made anything except debt, whilst lining their pockets.
Exactly what the world does not need.
There are some serious pioneers in that list.
More Dunning Kruger top down whimsical management, lawyers, bankers and shareholders. Last time I checked, they never invented, produced or made anything except debt, whilst lining their pockets.
Exactly what the world does not need.
There are some serious pioneers in that list.
If it were only app updates - most of which are window dressing - I wouldn't be annoyed. However, given their OS is Android based, and Android as well as Apple launch security updated regularly, it's odd that Samsung doesn't bother.
Interestingly, a number of years ago when I was in business, we dealt with a Canadian firm who imported electronic gear from both Japan and South Korea. In conversation one evening at a promotional event in Vancouver, the owner remarked that the Japanese and Koreans were markedly different in how they responded to potential product issues/problems. The Japanese would immediately be concerned, seek more information, and would promptly correct any issues. The Koreans would take an approach bordering on disbelief that their product could have an issue, and would require prodding to investigate.
Interestingly, a number of years ago when I was in business, we dealt with a Canadian firm who imported electronic gear from both Japan and South Korea. In conversation one evening at a promotional event in Vancouver, the owner remarked that the Japanese and Koreans were markedly different in how they responded to potential product issues/problems. The Japanese would immediately be concerned, seek more information, and would promptly correct any issues. The Koreans would take an approach bordering on disbelief that their product could have an issue, and would require prodding to investigate.