Why are People Dumping their Audio Research Gear and What Does it Say about them?

I remember when Sonic Frontiers was going away, I had just bought much of their top of the line equipment and I didn't know if they were going to bought out or just close their doors. My Sonic Frontiers equipment was exceptional, and I kept it and upgraded all of it over the next 25 years. 

When I was looking to replace my SF equipment I wanted something just as neutral in tube equipment, I now I have a REF 6SE, Am I worried, no. does it sound spectacular, yes! Will I hold on to this preamp for another 25 years, probably not I am not sure I will live that long.

But I do wish AR the best, I hope they survive this turmoil and come out even stronger.

If you were a dealer is there any certainty that under the renewed ARC you would continue to be a dealer?  If they really don't know the answer, then they should reduce their inventory now rather than later.  And that's assuming they assume ARC will survive.  This has nothing to do with how great the ARC products sound.

In addition to the question of continued authorization to continue selling the brand, and the goodwill associated with being an "Authorized Dealer"  a dealer may be concerned about the cost of warranty coverage if the company does NOT continue. Often there are good business reasons for a retailer to honor and pick up the warranty costs for products they have sold if a particular manufacturer is no longer able to.   That could be a significant expense if they do not have an in-house repair facility for that particular brand. There is also the common psychology surrounding businesses in distress and being associated with them. 

Buyers may look for similar uncertainties with EVERY brand you sell and shy away from your storefront. Perhaps very unfair and even unwise, but not unusual.  I have been involved in retail sales and management since 1966 and can even recall one store owner who would initially not carry a line because of how the brand name sounded!  Over 50 years later the brand is still around, but unfortunately that small chain of stores isn't.

In a market as subjective as this one, reading the tea leaves has always been an inexact science.  Who in the late 90's would have predicted the CD, and all the hardware needed to get the best from that medium, would soon see a decline as steep and total as it had risen?  

Bottom Line - If YOU like the sound, keep enjoying it until you find something you feel suits you better.  Equipment ages (especially capacitors), and people age (especially their ears), and there will always be something new.  Enjoy what you have while it works well, and keep an open mind about what the future holds!

I personally am not seeing a lot of ARC product showing up for sale. I do not think anybody who owns and sells it are dumping the brand. That does not mean there are not issues. One of my Hi-Fi haunts did stop selling the product. Reasons given was lack of recognition of who they are, compounded by it being too expensive. So, people in that seller’s area passed on it and bought something from McIntosh instead. The second is the modern tube sound. 160m is an amp that has pristine voicing, a lot of people found it to be too analytical and sterile. I think that has been addressed with the new 160m mkII. The stereo 160 and 80 are reported to be more natural and organic sounding.

ARC has never been a company that designs their amps to be velvety and lush. Those that are looking for that I think are investing into something different. IMHO, I think they gone a little too far with emulating the accuracy of a solid-state amps, would like to see them allow a little romance back into their house sound. Like I remember the earlier models had. What is interesting is that they are not the only historic brand that does this. The current version of McIntosh 275 does not sound like the ones that were first released. They too are more accurate sounding versus sweet.

Please feel free to dump ARC. I need a lot more of it :)