Sad news. MBL has filed for insolvency.

[PYP]

easy easy easy easy Here you are satisfiedView attachment 153477

they do NOT look happy with MBL. Did they just invest in the setup for their shared studio apartment shortly before the insolvency?

Reading about company with unique and highly regarded designs that can't make a go of it is very troubling. Harman International picked up B&W in May. Perhaps MBL will find a large brand like Harman (itself part of Samsung).

 

[Elliot G.]

With so few high end companies left, even losing one is sad.

I think you have it wrong. The problem is not too few but far to many. There are way to many companies and in particular way too many uber high end products for the size of the selling markets.
How many 300k digital systems can be sold?
How many multi six figure speakers can be sold?
Etc.
The amounts sold determine the scale, the pricing, the ability to stay or be profitable and that in the near and far term determines who can stay in business.
It’s not magic

 

[Porsche]

I think you have it wrong. The problem is not too few but far to many. There are way to many companies and in particular way too many uber high end products for the size of the selling markets.
How many 300k digital systems can be sold?
How many multi six figure speakers can be sold?
Etc.
The amounts sold determine the scale, the pricing, the ability to stay or be profitable and that in the near and far term determines who can stay in business.
It’s not magic

our industry has become the group of elitist, its a race to see who can have the most outrageously priced gear and rooms assembled now, we have lost focus on what its all about, the love of accurate sound reproduction. at axpona for example, many YouTubers and reviewers along with industry folk could careless about most rooms, there only strategy was to see the newest $800k plus systems, etc, we had 2 very nice rooms, has thousands in them and everyone loved them, many comeback with friends 2-3-4 times, that was great and much appreciated, but we asked many reiviewers, YouTubers, industry to step in an most could care less, heard more than once they only interested in the ultra high end. pretty absurd, I heard the big magico room, everyone going crazy over it, most overrated room there IMO, our industry is its own worse enemy

 

[andromedaaudio]

Agreed , its all about build quality bling / bling and as many boxes as possible so they can stuff in the biggest amount of inter connects.

And the stuff that is really good like FMA almost nobody from the press talks about .

 

[andromedaaudio]

Why not go all out and bring a Louis Vuitton bag on the market with 2 cables sticking out .

 

[microstrip]

our industry has become the group of elitist, its a race to see who can have the most outrageously priced gear and rooms assembled now, we have lost focus on what its all about, the love of accurate sound reproduction.

IMO we are "victims" of the technological evolution and a better understanding of stereo mechanisms. A few designers have found that using modern, more expensive technology, they can control fine aspects of stereo sound reproduction that can give us are real improvements in stereo enjoyment. Surely some of them are just going in the big and expensive wagon without proper knowledge and results.

Audiophiles must learn how to properly spend their budgets.

at axpona for example, many YouTubers and reviewers along with industry folk could careless about most rooms, there only strategy was to see the newest $800k plus systems, etc, we had 2 very nice rooms, has thousands in them and everyone loved them, many comeback with friends 2-3-4 times, that was great and much appreciated, but we asked many reiviewers, YouTubers, industry to step in an most could care less, heard more than once they only interested in the ultra high end. pretty absurd, I heard the big magico room, everyone going crazy over it, most overrated room there IMO, our industry is its own worse enemy

Well, why would the kind of people you refer be interested in a bespoke speaker line? IMO they are extremely difficult to promote unless people can listen to them easily.

 

[PeterA]

Audio forums are for hobbyists to discuss what the press and mainstream industry are not discussing. We certainly have vibrant discussions about what is wrong with the industry in lots of threads.

Bonzo almost single-handedly balances the mainstream voices.

 

[Porsche]

Agreed , its all about build quality bling / bling and as many boxes as possible so they can stuff in the biggest amount of inter connects.

And the stuff that is really good like FMA almost nobody from the press talks about .

dont leave out our burmester reference/signature

 

[Elliot G.]

our industry has become the group of elitist, its a race to see who can have the most outrageously priced gear and rooms assembled now, we have lost focus on what its all about, the love of accurate sound reproduction. at axpona for example, many YouTubers and reviewers along with industry folk could careless about most rooms, there only strategy was to see the newest $800k plus systems, etc, we had 2 very nice rooms, has thousands in them and everyone loved them, many comeback with friends 2-3-4 times, that was great and much appreciated, but we asked many reiviewers, YouTubers, industry to step in an most could care less, heard more than once they only interested in the ultra high end. pretty absurd, I heard the big magico room, everyone going crazy over it, most overrated room there IMO, our industry is its own worse enemy

I agree that the Industry is on a race to satisfy those who truly never write a check in order to gain status, prestige and the good old attaboy.
When I started in AUDIO it was a dealer/consumer business. People frequented their dealers for products and all servicers. It then became a review based business where the decisions on product were controlled by those who never buy anything. I have always felt this to be very strange even when I was being mentored by one who has the greatest effect and probably the cause of how we got to where we are now.

It is the way of the world today that expensive has conflated to always meaning its better. I believe we have been bombarded with this for generations. They have marketed that to multiple generations across all merchandise categories.

 

[Porsche]

IMO we are "victims" of the technological evolution and a better understanding of stereo mechanisms. A few designers have found that using modern, more expensive technology, they can control fine aspects of stereo sound reproduction that can give us are real improvements in stereo enjoyment. Surely some of them are just going in the big and expensive wagon without proper knowledge and results.

Audiophiles must learn how to properly spend their budgets.



Well, why would the kind of people you refer be interested in a bespoke speaker line? IMO they are extremely difficult to promote unless people can listen to them easily.

like anything, most get there head stuck in the sand with the main streamers that have been around for years, all the mega systems I heard I was not impressed, not saying it wasn't great gear and in the correct environment it may very well be work class, but at this last axpona it was not, big flashy and expensive, sounded blah IMO. we do build a one off speaker for the most part, they are priced well and I am confident they can compete with anything in there price range, we sell quite a bit locally and have been around for 12 years with MAA and going on 28 years as a integration company, so we are not "new" to this. we will be at capital audio fest in November and hope to see some new faces and old ones as well

 

[Reinickendorf]

as far as I see, the business is almost dead. At least: The decline is not stoppable. We are part of the last generation who appreciate and value all "this".

 

[Porsche]

as far as I see, the business is almost dead. At least: The decline is not stoppable. We are part of the last generation who appreciate and value all "this".

oh plz, almost dead my a55, axpona was packed and so have the other shows, you may see some of these guys dropping off because they are in the "elitist" group which is fine, much like Bugatti, pagani, etc, there's always a buyer but not many and you have to be able ti whether the economy when down

 

[Reinickendorf]

Everybody (in europe) has massive problems at present to sell ANYTHING. Many people still care and show interest, but only a few are still buying. Too many shops have closed down, too many brands have disappeared. (as a matter of fact!?) My way of looking at it.

 

[PeterA]

I never thought of my audio purchases as investments. They will likely be given away when I no longer use them. They are for my enjoyment at this moment in time.

 

[jep123]

This hobby will sadly die with us born in the 1960 and 70`s. The manufacturers of ultra high end equipment are lucky that they have audiophiles that started in this hobby many years ago and have the money and interest in buying their super (over priced) gear.

Coming generations will not spend a fraction of the money many «older» audiophiles are spending on this hobby.

 

[Porsche]

This hobby will sadly die with us born in the 1960 and 70`s. The manufacturers of ultra high end equipment are lucky that they have audiophiles that started in this hobby many years ago and have the money and interest in buying their super (over priced) gear.

Coming generations will not spend a fraction of the money many «older» audiophiles are spending on this hobby.

absurd, you can say that about every luxury item, watches, jewelry, cars, appliances, furniture, clothes, etc etc

 

[microstrip]

I never thought of my audio purchases as investments.

Neither do I. Like cars or many goods they are supposed to suffer natural devaluation with time.

They will likely be given away when I no longer use them.

Fortunately mine will be either sold or used by people I care about .

They are for my enjoyment at this moment in time.

The same for me, but I consider myself a temporary responsible user. I do not want to be buried with them, in the WBF Lamm tradition! (just joking, Peter ... , you know I am an optimist about the future of this hobby!)

 

[Rexp]

Humankind's love of music hasn't diminished at all, unfortunately the music industry and the hifi industry no longer deliver recorded music, just digital noise that sounds just as good on a phone as it does on a high-end system. Best to go back 45 years and start again.

 

[Al M.]

This hobby will sadly die with us born in the 1960 and 70`s. The manufacturers of ultra high end equipment are lucky that they have audiophiles that started in this hobby many years ago and have the money and interest in buying their super (over priced) gear.

Coming generations will not spend a fraction of the money many «older» audiophiles are spending on this hobby.

The hobby will not die. Headphones are the future:

CanJam NYC 2023 Commences

CanJams are about much more than skull-testing the newest headphones. They are the best places for all audiophiles to audition innovations in amplification, file servers, and digital converters and to jabber and bond with students, hipsters, gamers, and brainiacs from every part of the...

www.stereophile.com

 

[andromedaaudio]

I think the future is ok for high end audio .
Not as an investment off course but for enjoyment, people will always listen to music
The level of cheaper products has gone way up , the relatively cheap integrated hegel H590 delivers good performance as a easy 1 box solution with remote control.
I hope to do the same with speakers , giving great value at a relatively low price point .