Best Buy goes high end

[Gregadd]

Stopped at Best Buy today. Tubes,electrostatic and turntables. Yes Martin Logan,Sonus Faber, McIntosh B&W,McIntosh tubes,Marantz turntables.
At the strip mall no less.I can look at stereo while she shops.

 

[Bruce B]

Isn't this just an acquisition from Magnolia Hi-fi?

 

[JackD201]

Yes but the range looks quite expanded. In the musician's section, I was surprised to see KRK monitors for sale.

 

[Andre Marc]

Stopped at Best Buy today. Tubes,electrostatic and turntables. Yes Martin Logan,Sonus Faber, McIntosh B&W,McIntosh tubes,Marantz turntables.
At the strip mall no less.I can look at stereo while she shops.

Ugh....been like that for a long time. My local Best Buy has been selling Sonus Faber, McIntosh, Primare, Arcam, and Martin Logan for 5 years now.

 

[Gregadd]

It is Magnolia. It is new here.

 

[puroagave]

Yes but the range looks quite expanded. In the musician's section, I was surprised to see KRK monitors for sale.

KRK is a division of cerwin-vega, both now owned by gibson guitar. i was CVs consultant that relocated their chatsworth HQ in 2011 and negotiated the lease just as the ink was dry on gibson's acquisition. gibson was on a spending spree and announced at the 2012 CES they bought a 30% stake in Onkyo as well.

you'll see a lot more of KRK sold at places like best buy and not just at pro sound retailers. the chatsworth HQ was getting a new anechoic space for speaker testing, im due to go back and get a tour to see how the TI's turned out and will snap pics if they let me.

 

[Gregadd]

Imagine my shock. While waiting for the females to complete the shoppingI wondered in to Bestbuy outside my neighborhood. In the back was a demo with ML hybrid and classic Mac(275) tube amp eith green tube glow.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

No Magnolia's in Canada, but their sister chain Future Shop carries KRK and ML. Would be nice if they introduced some higher end gear like McIntosh. My local Mac dealer won't budge on price for them and Future Shop has been discounting a lot of their stuff when pushed. Hmmm...

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Best Buy has been rolling Magnolia out in selected markets/neighborhoods for years. Where it works, it's a big money-maker. There is very little mark-up in computers, even less in most TVs, and the competition is fierce. But high-end TVs have a lots of mark-up, much less competition. High end audio? Mark up just went through the roof. High-end cables and accessories? We just circled the moon.

In the neighborhoods where they can find the clientele, this is where the money is. It's not a business model that is very compatible with Best Buy's sales philosophy, though, which has everything to do with pushing service plans and high interest rate financing.

Tim

 

[Andre Marc]

Best Buy has been rolling Magnolia out in selected markets/neighborhoods for years. Where it works, it's a big money-maker. There is very little mark-up in computers, even less in most TVs, and the competition is fierce. But high-end TVs have a lots of mark-up, much less competition. High end audio? Mark up just went through the roof. High-end cables and accessories? We just circled the moon.

In the neighborhoods where they can find the clientele, this is where the money is. It's not a business model that is very compatible with Best Buy's sales philosophy, though, which has everything to do with pushing service plans and high interest rate financing.

Tim

My experience at Magnolia is that they don't allow in home auditions, and the salespeople don't know squat.

They prey on the carriage trade who can't be be bothered to shop or research.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

My experience at Magnolia is that they don't allow in home auditions, and the salespeople don't know squat.

They prey on the carriage trade who can't be be bothered to shop or research.

No, they don't do home auditions. The knowledge of the sales people, and the customers, is going to vary from store to store, but I imagine your experience is a common one.

Tim

 

[kach22i]

The last time I was in the Magnolia room in Ann Arbor, Michigan was about six months ago.

Martin Logan speakers limited to a select few models and leaning towards HT. Also a few B&W speakers, and nothing above HT receivers with D-class amps in them.

No turntables other the $100 ones on a shelf in the middle of the main store.

AudioQuest cables, some of them very pricey.

 

[taters]

My experience at Magnolia is that they don't allow in home auditions, and the salespeople don't know squat.

They prey on the carriage trade who can't be be bothered to shop or research.

That sounds like the typical Mc Inslush guy!

 

[Andre Marc]

That sounds like the typical Mc Inslush guy!

Have you heard any recent McIntosh gear, or are you just a wise ass?

I suspect the latter.

 

[taters]

Have you heard any recent McIntosh gear, or are you just a wise ass?

I suspect the latter.

I've heard it! It's got pretty blue meters and The Doctors and Attorneys swear by it.

 

[Andre Marc]

I've heard it! It's got pretty blue meters and The Doctors and Attorneys swear by it.

Which answers my question . You are blowing smoke.

 

[taters]

Which answers my question . You are blowing smoke.

I haven't smoked a day in my life!

 

[Brian Walsh]

Andre, pay no attention to the little man behind the curtain, taters, aka Sudz, who has been banned from quite a few discussion sites already and looks to be racking up points to get himself banned here as well. He loves to stir up stuff by posting utter nonsense and empty, groundless assertions.

 

[Andre Marc]

Andre, pay no attention to the little man behind the curtain, taters, aka Sudz, who has been banned from quite a few discussion sites already and looks to be racking up points to get himself banned here as well. He loves to stir up stuff by posting utter nonsense and empty, groundless assertions.

Brian, my good man, I will take your advice!

 

[taters]

Andre, pay no attention to the little man behind the curtain, taters, aka Sudz, who has been banned from quite a few discussion sites already and looks to be racking up points to get himself banned here as well. He loves to stir up stuff by posting utter nonsense and empty, groundless assertions.

Hi Brian,

Nice to run into you again. BTW- You never answered my last question I asked you.