Just saw this on CNBC and immediately popped over here for insight. Looking forward to thoughts from the more experienced than I.
No God No! Say it Ain’t So!
Thoughts? ( Inability to respond due to catatonia understood)
46 responses Add your response
@ghdprentice why does it make sense for McIntosh? |
It’s an investor driven society and has been for a good while. Its all about the $$$. Bose sees an opportunity to make $$$ Pretty simple. Most great products start off with a single or small group of visionaries. They use their ability to make a great product at a price for their projected market. This brings them success. Success draws attention and some point the visionaries are tired and want change. They sell to an investor who sees a way to cut corners and save $$$. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems to me that the high $$$ brands are no longer selling as quickly. home theater is the new kid. And the younger generation will not spend the $$$ as quickly as the Baby boomers. look on the sales sights. The used higher end stuff is hard to find today. IMO that indicates that it is not as readily available. If it isn't on the used market, it either wasn't sold new or the consumer is keeping it. Either way the market is not as good. But Bose sees some meat on the bone. get ready to see bones after the meat is picked. |
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Sonus Faber 901s. That Italian craftsmanship! Yeah baby!! Bring ‘em on. Seriously this should be one’s biggest problem. Life goes on just different. In fact I saw just the other day Bose has brought back 901s with a new modern look. What’s next? I think I read their entire “heritage” line of speakers from 60 years ago. Maybe they will be 60 years better this time. Just like me! 😎 |
McIntosh makes nice products, maybe Bose wants McIntosh to help them get better. I’ve taken some friends to CES and RMAF to hear nice sounding systems. Everyone system they heard they liked, but they never pursued any equipment. But some of them invested in home theater systems. |
This is terrible. If you currently own Macintosh or SF hold on to them. What will come out next definitely be the result of cutting cost where they can. They will sell an inferior product but market the heck out of the brands. I expect 2024 and older equipment to become sought after. I’ve never liked Bose sound, I just bought a car and it has a Bose system and I’m reminded every day how bad Bose really is. Just horrible and now they will take Macintosh and SF with them. Oh well. At least there’s still alot of other audio companies to choose from. |
+1 (I agree, he has NO idea.) Many people just don’t understand how holding companies and combination of brands work. There at least as many successful combinations, enabling niche brands to spend more on R&D and marketing then there are bad stories. Everyone just needs to calm down and see how this plays out. |
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certainly bose will eliminate redundant admin and shipping positions at mcintosh, but i seriously doubt they would interfere with the design/engineering side. by all accounts, d&m left mcintosh alone when they acquired it in 2003 and kept their tech separate from denon/marantz. that said, i'm pretty sure bose will use this as a way to get further entrenched in car audio--the luxury car forums are full of folks complaining about their bose systems, and this seems like a smart way for bose to get some high end cred. i'm not sure how much this will help the value of mcintosh's legacy products, however.... |
Volkswagen is also making the new Scout, and missing the boat altogether. They bought the brand to compete in the "rugged off road SUV" market which currently consists of Jeep, Bronco, Defender, 4-runner and similar. The Iconic versions of this category have removable tops, as the Scout always had. None of the mock-ups I've seen include a removable top, it just looks like they kept to some of the original styling of the rear side windows and some nod to the original front end. Otherwise it looks and feels like a suburban mom's soccer vehicle. I have my fingers crossed they have an epiphany and realize this version of the Scout needs to fully understand it's heritage of being a beast off road with some tree climbing abilities.
So my opinion of Bose buying McIntosh and SF? I do not drink Dogfish Head beer anymore since Samuel Adam's white powdered wig shed into their boiling brew. If I find some pints that were brewed before the takeover, and they were stored and cared for properly, yes, I would be interested Same for McIntosh, except I'm a little more open to trying the Bose version than the Samuel Adams Version. |
@mfili35 + 1 |
We all need to "take a deep breath" and relax for a bit. The Bose acquisition is probably not going the way of the Clarion years. Bose will probably assume the HR and accounting duties, but if they cheapened up the McIntosh product, they would be reducing the value of their investment in McIntosh. The PE firm that last owned them were "hands off" with the company; I suspect that they wanted to retain or increase the value of their holding, which they probably did in selling to Bose. |
Yes, perhaps we will see McIntosh at Best Buy. But I will readily admit that I LOVE my Bose QC headphones and Open Air buds. Both are very comfortable, very convenient and very musical, especially for classic jazz and classical. The headphones are great for casual listening and travel, and the buds are great for dog walks. |
...won't bother the spouse with this....would get a "So? Is this earth-shaking? Ours. or elsewhere?" response..... ...she likely remembers my 901's....*L* 'Vintage' will likely appreciate....New up to the future, likely by the Mac Mob that hangs here. Yay or Nay... A hit? *ouch!* ...or a miss? *"Whaaat?* No dog in the hunt, so I'll just watch what y'all say.... ;) J |
@tkrtrb125 - 1st World Problem? What does that have to do with anything? This is an audiophile website with audiophile forums. Which world do you think would be more appropriate for discussion purposes? |
@larsman Like I said First World Problems. Not like there are not better brands to buy. If Bose and PE firm flushes McIntosh the world will keep turning and people will just buy the next brand. Three threads on the same topic, get a life. |
I don't think Bose will fool with the McIntosh/Sonus Faber lines too much. Yes, they'll probably take over HR and financials but leave R&D and production in Binghamton. There's probably as much (or more) mystique surrounding McIntosh than any other brand of hi-fi gear. I always wanted a piece of Mac gear and finally acquired a used C27 preamp. Used it for a few years but then found something I liked better. Sold the C27 to a friend who has used it for 20 years and considers it the key component in his system. |
According to my local brick and mortar audio store, this has been in the works for a while. They dropped both NAIM and McIntosh at around the same time. And though I like the looks of that blue and green meter, I could never see myself paying what McIntosh products cost with exception to maybe the MR78 fm tuner. But if Bose is smart, they will hire the right people to make their products better. To me, the most obvious way for McIntosh to go forward, is by embracing the digital renaissance and by developing niche products while keeping prices down. If Bose keeps upping their price tag on McIntosh equipment, they’ll struggle because as was said before, younger folk aren’t likely to spend $$$$ for a stereo. As for Sonus Faber, I’ve never heard their speakers so couldn’t say whether this is good or bad for them. Anyway, I’m thinking that this could be a sign for audio manufacturers in general. |
