Thiel Audio announced this week that it will introduce a new loudspeaker system – the TT1 – at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January. Calling it an “ultimate performance three-way loudspeaker,” the announcement is the first major launch since the current management team was put in place earlier this year.
Here Are Affluents’ Holiday Shopping Plans
If you are like many of our readers, you are either a custom integrator or specialty AV retailer who serve the Affluent ($75,000 per year income and up) market. Two new pieces of market research provide colorful illumination of the holiday shopping plans of Affluents for this coming holiday season.
And the results of this research may give you pause… [Read more…] about Here Are Affluents’ Holiday Shopping Plans
ProSource Adds Origin Acoustics to Its Mix
ProSource, a retail buying group that describes themselves as the biggest integration, audio, and video buying group in the country, said this week that it has added Origin Acoustics – an all-new company – to its product line-up. According to ProSource, Origin has chosen them as its “exclusive buying group.”
See why ProSource hails this relationship… [Read more…] about ProSource Adds Origin Acoustics to Its Mix
Economy Falling into Recession, Moody’s Cuts Japan’s Credit Rating
Saying that there is “rising uncertainty” with regards to the country’s debt situation, Moody’s has cut Japan’s credit rating. Yet another indicator of fundamental problems in one of the world’s most powerful economies, Japan’s problems go well beyond its dramatically changing TECH industry.
See more on this surprising downgrade and what it means… [Read more…] about Economy Falling into Recession, Moody’s Cuts Japan’s Credit Rating
One Week Later, DOW Electronics Expands CI Assortment with Select Lutron Products
About a week ago, we told you that DOW Electronics announced it was expanding its custom integration-oriented (CI) offerings by adding Logitech’s Harmony remote control line. Now, just one week later, the Southeast-region distributor announces new a partnership with CI cornerstone line Lutron on its wireless Caséta line.
See more on yet another CI-line acquisition by DOW… [Read more…] about One Week Later, DOW Electronics Expands CI Assortment with Select Lutron Products
Holiday Wishes
ICE Cable Selects EMI to Represent Brand in Michigan
Specialty cable manufacturer ICE Cable Systems announced this week that it has selected veteran Michigan sales representative company Electrical Materials, Inc. (EMI) to represent its line in Michigan, the Great Lakes State. EMI, a unique mixture of electrical component distribution and custom integration AV sales representative company, is well known throughout the region.
See more on this new partnership… [Read more…] about ICE Cable Selects EMI to Represent Brand in Michigan
‘Showrooming’ is in Decline, ‘Webrooming’ on the Rise – Favoring Brick & Mortar Retailers
New data from GfK’s annual FutureBuy survey of shoppers shows a dramatic turn in the effect of “showrooming” (shoppers looking at/picking items in stores, then buying them online) with a decided edge going to brick-and-mortar retailers. The survey tracks omni-channel shoppers – both those engaged in showrooming and those that conduct “webrooming” (shopping an item online, but then buying it in a retail store) – in 17 countries and across 15 product segments…including consumer electronics.
See the surprising results showing a significant swing in favor of retailers… [Read more…] about ‘Showrooming’ is in Decline, ‘Webrooming’ on the Rise – Favoring Brick & Mortar Retailers
Having Dumped Everything Else, Pioneer Makes Plans to Dominate Car Electronics
About the AV biz? Hoping Onkyo Keeps the Pioneer Name…
Pioneer Corporation
In a revealing interview with the Nikkei in Tokyo, Pioneer Corp. President Susumu Kotani said that Pioneer – after spending several months selling off all of its divisions other than automotive – is considering resorting to acquisitions in order to build a dominant position within its chosen market. A radical shift after months of divestiture, he makes clear that the company is preparing to move to offense, in order to build a new – and expanded – future.
See more on the company’s plans – including just what areas Pioneer is considering entering… [Read more…] about Having Dumped Everything Else, Pioneer Makes Plans to Dominate Car Electronics
Sennheiser Launches Its Own Retail Stores, At Least Temporarily
The Sennheiser Group, a well-known manufacturer of headphones, microphones and wireless transmission systems, launched two “pop-up” stores – one in New York and another in San Francisco – this past weekend. Their purpose? To showcase Sennheiser products and to highlight its “efforts to increase consumer awareness on the benefits of premium sound.”
