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In Reply to: RE: Hove is practically a suburb of Brighton. posted by jusbe on October 16, 2014 at 00:50:10
He's built a new "factory", I hear tell.
Observe, before you think. Think before you open your yap. Act on the basis of experience.
Follow Ups:
Perhaps. I wonder what new toys are due? It would be nice to see some SET and PP amps using more unusual tubes (as employed by builders like Thomas Mayer and other). I'm a little bored of the usual suspects. And what of this new DAC, I wonder?
In any event, the centre of Brighton to the centre of Hove can't be more than 15 to 20 minutes by car (traffic permitting), along the waterfront.
Big J
"... only a very few individuals understand as yet that personal salvation is a contradiction in terms."
Sales are doing so well in Asia and a number of developing countries...but not so well in North America and the EU.
Observe, before you think. Think before you open your yap. Act on the basis of experience.
It means they will persist and survive.Can we say the same for western markets or economies ?
Big J
"... only a very few individuals understand as yet that personal salvation is a contradiction in terms."
Edits: 10/19/14
I have also hears, but can not confirm, that AN (UK) is subsidizing some of its dealers in the EU to maintain visibility in the EU where sales are slow. I am not sure what the form of the subsidy is. A guess would be lowering their wholesale prices, but there are many ways to do this.
If it's true, I'm not sure this isn't a pretty unique, or at least quite rare practice with high-end audio firms.
Observe, before you think. Think before you open your yap. Act on the basis of experience.
This is kind of strange with Peter looking to add more plants in Europe.
In Hong Kong they seem to be selling - every time I go in they seem to have sold even their demo models. But a lot of rich Chinese here and tubes are king in Asia.
I wish their zero series were more popular because based on sound quality it should be. Unfortunately, the sexy lookers out there for similar or less money have a visual advantage which sways the ears.
Last weekend I was utterly blown away by the M2 into Quest Monoblocks, DAC 3.1X and CDT4.1 Transport with AN J/LX speakers and Sogon cabling.
I don't know what can be done to sex them up a bit - offer the 20+ colour schemes they do with their speakers maybe? British Racing Green with red leather wrapped volume pots - eesh the thought of it makes me roll my eyes. Or matching wood veneers for the amps to match the speakers?
I think AN's issue has always been meeting the demand. In Canada you place the order and wait many months. You're going to lose sales and dealers who demonstrate the thing successfully and say okay please pay us $10,000 up front and you have to wait 10 months is probably often looking at a "thanks but no thanks" and then has to show something else.
He built a new, larger "factory" to keep up with demand. He also has moved his one-person digital operation from one of the Baltic states to Croatia. I'm not sure the former is still around. Maybe you know. The R-2-R DAC/digital stuff will be made in Croatia.
The subsidy has nothing to do with building new plants. He's just trying to keep them alive. I remember when the DK shop was mostly AN and Sugden. Now the dealer carries equipment from a much larger number of mfrs. and in a wider number of price ranges, from Marantz-up.
Observe, before you think. Think before you open your yap. Act on the basis of experience.
That's the reality - dealers are forced to sell the likes of Marantz and get with home theater - the volume sales is there and they have to keep their lights on. Soundhounds in Victoria BC has been there 40 years and has probably a low locked in rent so they can afford to take up space selling what they love rather than JUST selling what sells well. Although they sell some lines they don't particularly like but that are in demand and you gotta keep your lights on after all.
Presumably there is a recession in the UK like most western countries so perhaps helping the dealers ride it out is sensible. They seem to sell a LOT of M9 and M10 preamps in Asia and other level 5+ stuff here - those sales could help subsidize elsewhere. But this is quite speculative.
I want to try the new DAC. I have had my eye on the Dac 3.1X Balanced but have put it from next on the list to last on the list of future upgrades. Hurry up Peter - LOL. Heck I've been waiting for that SET powered Subwoofer for 8 years now. Even if it's not perfect - I just want to SEE a SET powered subwoofer.
Perhaps there's status and cachet attached to that for buyers in Asia. I don't think there's much wrong with the product. I think that British audiophiles are 'skint' (sic). The glamorous high end in the UK is alive and well - but that's misleading as frankly, like much else in the luxury sector, it's a global (read Asian) market now.
As Audio Note UK's current products mature, how do they continue to position themselves as relevant (and do some decent trade) in the 'instant-sale' market at home without a new, mid-line of product which is readily available (and which I assume is coming on the back of the fabled new DACs)?
Just a thought...
Big J
"... only a very few individuals understand as yet that personal salvation is a contradiction in terms."
They don't bother.
What do you call mid-line. I think of that as their level 3 equipment, the upper end of which is about $12-$15K.
Observe, before you think. Think before you open your yap. Act on the basis of experience.
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