2. home-theater
  3. 1102155277

Ideal Manufacturers for your local hi-fi shop...?

I'm a college student, and am majoring in Business and Econ/Finance to one day open up an audio shop. I want to focus on multi-channel music reproduction and true high fidelity home theater; something worth listening to music on.

This coming semester I will be in an Entrepreneurship (Small Business Management) class and have to create a fictional business, my choice as to what business seems obvious.

I’ve chosen a few manufacturers that I believe offer a good balance to and selection for a variety of price ranges. This will be a mostly audio based store, so keep that in mind. I would like feedback from the experts/obsessed, like myself, as to what vendor you would recommend adding or omitting to this list. Please keep in mind a couple of things though. 1. This is not a list of my favorite manufacturers; the goal is a list of an ideal selection. 2. The list will ideally be as short as possible as I will just starting out and will make life and the project easier. 3. Any advice on how to get vendors to sell at a brand new store (under real life circumstances) would be greatly appreciated. 4. The goal is high end home theater and multi-channel music reproduction, but we all know 2 channel can’t be ignored.

Parasound Halo (very attractive products, a good 2 channel preamp, the JC-1 bargain “A” rated bargain monoblocks)
Rotel (the only “receiver” offered for those wanting a smaller system, as well as a more affordable home theater alternative with there cheaper pre/pros, they also offer a universal disc player)
Meridian (The cutting edge in digital sources and pre/pros, the G series would be a very attractive option for most customers, hopefully.. No desire to sell their speakers if possible)
PS Audio (A wide range of power products, but not as generic as the Monster brand I would not sell their audio cables if possible)
Audioquest (Once again we have a single company with a solid background and a wide range of product. They also appear to me to be a good value)
Mark Levinson (All the amplification I could want, as well as the best 2 channel pres and cd players I would offer)
Revel (For a class A rated speaker the Ultima Studio is a bargain and offers full range in both frequency and dynamics, they also offer a worthy center, the most important channel, and surrounds. Their new SUB30 is supposed to be great as well.)
Totem Acoustic (This would be my average speaker, they offer a traditional look with wood grains versus the modern Revels, they also are dynamic yet small to be room friend [waf] They Their price range would dip to the bottom end, with the rainmaker or Dreamcatcher paired with a rotel receiver)
Gallo Acoustic (Once again we have a bargain buy with the Reference 3, but also another worthy center, the Duo. They also offer a great alternative to in-walls for those with picky decors.

I want each and every comment from all that took the time to read this entire thread, sorry so long, and thanks a ton for the help.
Patrick Mahoney from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais IL.
eclipse911t
eclipse911t OP
6 posts
 
Wow, this has been some great feedback, I really appreciate it. Some were harsh, but apparently I needed that. My goal is to go against the flow. I’ve also done the WHA and hated every minute of it. Some rich guys clueless about audio just sits around measuring and comparing sizes with his neighbor.

The answer to the most important speaker is easily the center channel, and the subwoofer comes in a close second in my opinion if your goal is HT, multi-channel obviously the other speakers come before the sub. I have looked at some brands basing my choices on centers, such as Sonus Faber’s beautiful center, as well as the Paradigm Reference Studio CC-570 that I use. Dynaudio makes a couple of worthy centers as well.

I ask that you guys don’t give up on me and disregard this effort as futile. I really want to learn, as much as possible.

BUT since this is hypothetical for now let us ignore the real necessity of WHA and Home Automation sale to keep most HT businesses afloat.

In regards to the 2-channel amplification, I would like to make a strong push to run a 2 channel amp in the rear and 3 monos up front

PS Scratch Gallo from the list, that WAS a pretty dumb, I just read the review of the Reference and got all excited about a budget full-range speaker.

Keep the comments coming…
fatparrot
1,314 posts
 
If it is a project for a business class, the brands that you sell will have less to do with audio quality and sonic signature, but more to do with the ugly side of audio, the business model!

Manufacturers' reputation, QC, support, territorial protection, point structure (profit percentages), store demo unit policies (pricing and payment schedules) are your primary considerations.

Having attended the CES and "The SHOW" 3 times in Las Vegas, I have become friends with 1 manufacturer, 1 manufacturer/distributor, and 1 distributor. I have started to gain a perspective from "the other side of the mirror". Believe me, the audio industry can be just as nasty and cutthroat as any other business sector. Although we audiophiles get pleasure (hopefully!) from our hobby and music, the sales side of audio can be very brutal.

I wish you good fortune on your future business ambition, but do careful research before pursuing your endeavor.
eclipse911t OP
6 posts
 
Thanks Fatparrot, am I just being an idealist, or is it simply not possible to operate a hi-fi shop that is really just high fidelity. I don't want to charge outrageous WHA install fees, rather I just want to do free in home setup with any product, and become friends with hobbyists/educate the curious/spark passion in those seeking out a new hobby. I really want to think it's possible to run a business like this (the old fashioned way if you will)

Patrick
prpixel
876 posts
 
Patrick,

If your market is big enough, sure you can make a living just doing retail. A lot of people go into business with the idea "I like product x, so everybody else will like it too". This is a flawed business model; you have to sell what the public wants, not what you as a individual want.

As far as you idea for using mono amps goes, offer it as an option, but have a good 5 and 7 channel amp as the primary.

I was going to suggest that you pick up a few issues of Audio/video interiors but they've changed the focus of thier magazine. You would se beautiful homes with incredible looking theaters driven by mid-fi crap.

Let me say it once again; Audiophiles are a very small minority. I can't stress that enough.

Good luck,
eclipse911t OP
6 posts
 
I know they are the small minority, but they are out there. Look at how many views this post alone has had. Sadly we are buying used equipment for the most part. I have flipped through some amazing looking theaters with some Def Tech and Denon crap running in a multi million dollar home, and it simply makes me sad these people don't know what they are missing!!! I have a very very modest home theater, I'm just a student. I desperately want to believe that you can educate and inspire passion for quality in enough of these confused people to stay afloat. Not saming I'm educated enough to take on this task, but I refuse to believe it's impossible!
More to discover