You are right. Resellers are protected but isn’t the “distribution agreement” between the manufacturer and the importer / distributor. If any, which sets the overall rules?
Sad news. MBL has filed for insolvency.
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I heard Hegel's latest integrated yesterday at a show, the 400, typical digital noise making box I'm afraid. You have a world class pre amp, all you need is a decent power amp, two reasonably priced options at the show were Vincent Audio SP-T700 monos at £5K and Longdog Audio LDA P6100 monos 3.5K
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I think so too it was a bad example (Rei): a preamp costs over 20k, a power amp 30k, and a phono amp with some features 10k. The worst thing is, when you look inside you don't see anything that justifies the price. Okay, it's no different with other brands. A bigger mistake was MBL removing the cheaper MBL301/311 loudspeaker; the 4010/8010 amplifiers they were bestsellers over years from their range. If you want to survive you have to appeal to a wide range of buyers. I expect a number of companies will learn this the hard way.
It would usually be the regional distributor. You have to prove the commercial agency relationship. I worked on the first case under this legislation in the UK, the defence was that the relationship was that of a joint venture, which failed.
I had a conversation with a MBL insider last night.
He stated that he, a couple of MBL employees, dealers, are negotiating to take over MBL.
I would hate to see a traditional brand like MBL simply disappear, lost jobs, customers without support, and all that.
I wish them luck.
He stated that he, a couple of MBL employees, dealers, are negotiating to take over MBL.
I would hate to see a traditional brand like MBL simply disappear, lost jobs, customers without support, and all that.
I wish them luck.
A question and I do hope who knows gives some kind of Answers.
how many hands to reach the buyer
maker then who to finally arrive at a home ?
I’m thinking as market share goes down maker selling there own products direct seems to be a way to lower prices big time
I’m curious who sells direct ? Now
how many hands to reach the buyer
maker then who to finally arrive at a home ?
I’m thinking as market share goes down maker selling there own products direct seems to be a way to lower prices big time
I’m curious who sells direct ? Now
That would be great. There is a lot of substance there. Would be great to see a rebirth/recap.
What i sometimes wonder is why do you need a distributor in each country in europe when you have high dollar gear which is not sold as often as for example a microwave or TV
Why not skip the distributor.and sell directly to dealers as a manufacturer based in europe?
With high volume products it makes sense but with low volume high end gear ?
Why not skip the distributor.and sell directly to dealers as a manufacturer based in europe?
With high volume products it makes sense but with low volume high end gear ?
Hopefully they have the cash strength to take over them. Even if most of the debts are written off or not going to the New company which takes over everything it must be a positive cash flow projection and a realistic one with margins. Tough period for selling expensive stuff now.
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I’d pay that if the speakers were already run in and the dealer helped with setup. But realistically, this would only appeal to someone who could spend the entire week listening. I’d also hope the dealer would give an honest opinion on whether the amp and room were up to the task before lugging the speakers over.
if the MBL company were to restart overcoming the crisis and introducing a new business model, one of the problems they will have to solve is that of being an almost closed system. In particular, their extreme speakers, 101, 111 and even the 116 can be driven effectively either by their own amplifications or by very few other amplifiers. And I, who am a fan of this brand, have tried an infinite number of amplifications on my MBL speakers and, excluding their own electronics, only a few large amplifiers like Plinius, Karan, the gigantic electocompaniet and a few others are able to move their speakers. Not to mention trying to drive the MBLs with power amps and valves that, with an average efficiency of 81/82 db and an impedance second only to the legendary Apogee Scintilla, tend to clip the amplifications and make them go into protection.
Very hopeful MBL can find a sustainable way out. While not for everyone- they have a very unique and admirable product that I have enjoyed.
Why are they in this circumstance? who knows- but 50 team members sounds excessive and wages on the the P&L is a killer if cashflow is not there.
More broadly , the huge gateway manufacturers are all gone or reorganized when it comes to very entry level products to engage the masses: Matsushita, Sony, Pioneer. They missed the boat 40 years ago by not moving fast enough and still thought of TVs instead of monitors and totally missed the communications (cellphone) bandwagon to sustain themselves. If they were on track they could of been strong enough for the periphery . Instead, Samsung (now owns Harman - oy vey) , LG came on and displaced these heavy weights.
No one shops at malls or goes downtown to look through the window and dream - gratification is simple and immediate with the iphone or android.
So now you have dwindling interest in "hifi" and focus on much simpler , affordable and arguably useful hardware like the cellphone to supplant shelves of boxes to listen to music on. I mean with all due respect a full blown CH L10 is almost an ingot of aluminum on a shelf.
Traditional industry answer to sustainability-- more and more expensive boxes for fewer and fewer people that can afford them. The latest best for the this market is very fickle and there are many slices of flesh to pay for before it gets to the end user. It becomes a product of the month club to a very small audiences with levels and levels of distribution that makes it impossible for volume and as @Elliot G. has stated above- communications and awareness is through closed channels like the traditional media and consumer trade shows where even Comicon has more awareness.
There always will be and uber hifi market - but I'm afraid it will be nothing like most of us grew up with.
Kodak anyone?
Why are they in this circumstance? who knows- but 50 team members sounds excessive and wages on the the P&L is a killer if cashflow is not there.
More broadly , the huge gateway manufacturers are all gone or reorganized when it comes to very entry level products to engage the masses: Matsushita, Sony, Pioneer. They missed the boat 40 years ago by not moving fast enough and still thought of TVs instead of monitors and totally missed the communications (cellphone) bandwagon to sustain themselves. If they were on track they could of been strong enough for the periphery . Instead, Samsung (now owns Harman - oy vey) , LG came on and displaced these heavy weights.
No one shops at malls or goes downtown to look through the window and dream - gratification is simple and immediate with the iphone or android.
So now you have dwindling interest in "hifi" and focus on much simpler , affordable and arguably useful hardware like the cellphone to supplant shelves of boxes to listen to music on. I mean with all due respect a full blown CH L10 is almost an ingot of aluminum on a shelf.
Traditional industry answer to sustainability-- more and more expensive boxes for fewer and fewer people that can afford them. The latest best for the this market is very fickle and there are many slices of flesh to pay for before it gets to the end user. It becomes a product of the month club to a very small audiences with levels and levels of distribution that makes it impossible for volume and as @Elliot G. has stated above- communications and awareness is through closed channels like the traditional media and consumer trade shows where even Comicon has more awareness.
There always will be and uber hifi market - but I'm afraid it will be nothing like most of us grew up with.
Kodak anyone?
It's nothing like Kodak, there is still demand for live music and high quality reproduction, unfortunately music/hifi industry went digital and no longer delivers high quality reproduction.
Gunnar, we are sort of in the same field, you aren’t technical and I am. I can assure you no manufacturer of audiophile switches, cables etc. are going to let me near their products.
Who cares whats inside .
Its a fallacy that parts cost / built quality are responsible for good sound
Open up an Fm acoustics amp lol .
But ... then go listen.
If build quality equates to good sound i should nt have sold my Boulder.
Its a fallacy that parts cost / built quality are responsible for good sound
Open up an Fm acoustics amp lol .
But ... then go listen.
If build quality equates to good sound i should nt have sold my Boulder.
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Even $100 K amplifiers ? My big MBL's are $100K these days , and you need 2 sets if you want to drive the X-treme speaker system right. I think MBL sells more speakers than amps.
They are probably hit by potential tariffs in one of their biggest markets, and limited purchasing power/ opportunities of the Russian oligarchs.
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Tariffs increases (if they even ever take place, which I doubt) on goods of that kind from Europe would not be anything significant that can potentially bankrupt the company. Tariffs are imposed on the declared, or wholesale value of goods imported, thus the company can always lower the wholesale price in proportion, and come out more or less even....
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