massino also owns definitive , classe, heos and boston acoustics. i haven't seen sales figures, but i'd think only b&w (which does some car audio) and denon would have a lot of momentum--their other brands don't seem to have the same presence they once did.
Harman To Acquire B&W, Denon, Polk And Marantz From Masimo In $350 Million Deal
just saw the above announcement--of particular note is that masimo paid over a billion for the same brands just a few years ago. not sure whether harman will add any value--they've neither hurt nor helped revel or arcam--or what this move indicates about the consumer audio market generally, but this doesn't bode well for the future.
Showing 3 responses by loomisjohnson
some very intriguing opinions by @yesiam_a_pirate @kofibaffour and others...it does seem apparent that traditional two-channel audio is aging out and that home theater is being supplanted by sonos/wireless and soundbars (all of which have improved considerably). i recently went shopping for a new mid-tier avr and was struck by how flimsy and aesthetically unimaginative most of the mainstream models are--the current yamaha and onkyo were notably more plasticy and less substantial than their forebearers. the marantz avrs, despite a very substantial price premium, seemed like same generic product with a fancier faceplate. i do note that jbl has a newish line of visually appealing, affordable avrs, though i can't speak to their sound quality. |
i sorta agree with @realgoodsound --polk, definitive, etc. may still be producing nice products, but query whether there's a real demand for so many brands. it's analogous to when gm used to sell identical sedans under buick/pontiac/olds/chevy (and sometimes cadillac) monikers--they wasted billions on promo costs, lot rentals, etc. there's gotta be some consolidation coming, which is smart business but also a little sad.... |