Strategy in TECH...
Well, another CEDIA Expo is in the books and we return to our daily duties and launch into a new Fall season full of promise…and concerns. What were the big stories of this year’s edition of Emerald’s (a public, for-profit company that owns the show) CEDIA Expo? Well, I’ve scanned several summations from others in the media and it almost seems like we attended different Expos. Here’s what I think they are…
Lenbrook Corporation, a Canadian company that holds a portfolio of premium specialty brands, announced this morning it has acquired the assets of MQA, ltd., the U.K.-based company behind the Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) high-resolution audio encoding system in a transaction it hopes will breathe new life into the technology that had fallen into a form of receivership upon the loss of its major financial backer. Terms of the deal were not disclosed as part of this announcement.
Ellipsys Commercial Technology Group, part of the Nationwide Marketing Group family of dealer buying groups, announced ahead of CEDIA Expo 2023 that it has sealed a big deal with industry leader Sonance as a founding vendor partner for the new group. The news will surely provide a big boost to the young, rapidly growing, commercial integrator buying group.
AudioControl Pro (AudioControl) is launching some interesting new products at CEDIA Expo 2023, including new min-chassis audio/video receivers (AVRs) and adding Dante network connectivity to a popular multichannel amplifier. In both cases, these products open up new opportunities and capabilities for integrators – a role the company has enjoyed for several years now.
Historic Hi-Fi brand Marantz has been gracing the homes of appreciative audiophiles for many, many years. Actually, for seven decades after its founding by Saul Marantz in 1953…for those of you who are counting. To celebrate – the company is offering a unique opportunity for audio lovers everywhere to step up their audio gear game with a special, limited-time trade-in program for the latest Marantz gear.
The only way to truly know the performance of a screen is through a detailed and rigorous testing routine. For that, you need a sophisticated testing laboratory space with specialized testing gear – known as an imaging lab. Not all screen companies have one, but Draper’s TecVision does and the company graciously treated me – and via this story, you – for a visit to the impressive TecVision Imaging Lab.
High-end audio electronics and loudspeaker manufacturer Bryston announced this week the launch of an all-new preamplifier called the BP-19. Calling it an ultra-high-performance analog preamplifier, the company says it leverages years of R&D and design innovations from the development of its BR-20 preamplifier, a model that is said to have won multiple awards.
Earlier this week, I had a consequential visit with Crestron Electronics Corp. in which company executives talked about the overall business environment, supply chain issues, several new products, and their strategy going forward. It was quite revealing not only in content…but in tone.
It quickly became clear to me that after a period of playing defense, Crestron is going on offense…
Crestron Electronics Corp. (Crestron), one of the largest and most popular custom integration control brands delivering literally thousands of products to both the commercial and residential smart home channels, announced today the launch of Crestron Home OS 4. This exciting new update brings much to the party, not only a more polished and graphically appealing look and feel but also a more intuitive end-user operability. Oh, and not to mention, some exciting new functionalities.
All of which, I got to see for myself in the company’s completely renovated residential-specific showroom. This company is on the move…
Last week, Snap One Holdings Corp. (Nasdaq: SNPO) released its financial results for the second quarter of fiscal 2023, the 13-week period ending June 30, 2023. The company reported mixed results with a continuing sales decline but with a reduced net loss in the quarter.
