MartinLogan, well-known in the high-end audio community as a manufacturer of large, expensive electrostatic line source loudspeakers, announced this week that it is entering the headphone market with a new in-ear headphone called the Mikros 70. According to MartinLogan, these in-ear headphones were designed by their engineering team – presumably as compared to other companies who buy off-the-shelf from China and stamp their logos on them.
Manufacturers
Onkyo Jumps Into Streaming
Onkyo announced on Tuesday that they have jumped into streaming big time by upgrading their iOS and Android apps to add high-quality streaming capability via a wireless network to Onkyo network receivers. The company has also announced a Bluetooth USB adapter that allows any Bluetooth enabled device to stream to the consumer’s Onkyo network receiver.
But Onkyo didn’t just add “plain vanilla” streaming, they added quality streaming… [Read more…] about Onkyo Jumps Into Streaming
Rotel Launches the Ultimate Insider’s Guide to High Performance Home Theater
Rotel announced today that is has published an all-new edition of its popular home theater bible, now called Rotel’s Ultimate Insider’s Guide to High Performance Home Theater. This new guide is written by Len Schneider, CEO of TechniCom Corporation and a fairly well-known technical writer in the industry. [Read more…] about Rotel Launches the Ultimate Insider’s Guide to High Performance Home Theater
If You Want Real Unity – You’ve Got to Get Engage[d]
One of the more interesting stops we made during our rounds at last month’s 2012 CEA Line Show was to see a new company with a brand new product not yet on the market…but coming soon. That company, Engage Audio Design, has announced and shown a simplified total home theater package called Unity Home Theater. If the actual shipping product adheres closely to the prototype shown at the show – they just may have a real winner on their hands!
What’s so great about Unity? You’ve got to read on…
[Read more…] about If You Want Real Unity – You’ve Got to Get Engage[d]
Continuing to Ramp-Up, 3vNet Announces Its Pick for Director of U.S. Sales
Director of U.S. Sales, 3vNet
New industry player, 3vNet – formerly known as Colorado vNet – announced today that it has selected a Director of Sales. According to the company, Matt Curtin is the company’s new Director of U.S. Sales, effective immediately, and will take over directing the sales activities of the company’s independent sales representatives. [Read more…] about Continuing to Ramp-Up, 3vNet Announces Its Pick for Director of U.S. Sales
CEA Line Show Next Gen TV Panel Talks Tech, Specialty Retail, and Apple iTV
At last month’s 2012 CEA Line Show in New York City, tucked amongst the many manufacturer’s press conferences was a variety of panels discussing what the CEA purported to be today’s top issues. One such panel, the Next Gen TV panel, talked about…as you might imagine…emerging TV technologies like OLED, 4K resolution, and Internet-enabled TVs. Many in our business would suggest that this is old news. But things got more interesting when the panel strayed from technology topics and veered into a variety of industry issues, such as TV makers technology roll-out strategies, the politics of 4K, and Apple entering the TV business. [Read more…] about CEA Line Show Next Gen TV Panel Talks Tech, Specialty Retail, and Apple iTV
SpeakerCraft Crafts a New Kind of Speaker
At the CEA Line Show last month, we saw a whole spectrum of exhibitors, including: 1) Unknown brands vying to get the attention of the tech press; 2) Well-known brands showing products again that have already been announced and shown; 3) And then there were a couple of surprises – well-known companies showing entirely new products or product categories. SpeakerCraft, a well-known predominantly custom integration supplier, surprised us with a new product in a new category for them…they call it Protegé.
Call it Protegé…but don’t call it a soundbar… [Read more…] about SpeakerCraft Crafts a New Kind of Speaker
Is Pioneer Another Name for Innovator?
Years ago, the step-up component audio world was dominated by the big three: Yamaha, Onkyo, and Denon. Having joined Onkyo in 1985, I got to participate in what some people called the “meat of the market.” These brands hit the optimal “sweet spot” of volume and profitability and literally could be the difference between life-and-death for dealers.
And we knew it. Those were heady times, and often we let our egos run wild – turning our noses up at mass market brands such as Sony, Kenwood, and Pioneer. Well, I’m older and wiser now – the big three aren’t what they used to be – and I recognize smart and savvy moves when I see them…and Pioneer is impressing me. [Read more…] about Is Pioneer Another Name for Innovator?
Monster Announces New Monster, New Partnerships, and Mini-Fashion Show
Monster’s New Global VP of Marketing and Web
At the CEA LineShow last week, Monster put on a press conference that, as usual, was quite a show. And the first surprise was that the event was kicked off by a new Monster – recently appointed Global VP of Marketing and Web Tracy Benson. Benson, a former Senior Director at Best Buy, wasted no time launching into the presentation by reminding reporters that Monster Beats “proved them wrong” when many said consumers would not pay more for a better, more richer listening experience. [Read more…] about Monster Announces New Monster, New Partnerships, and Mini-Fashion Show
Four Weeks Later, The OAC Group and Russound Call Off Agreement
Only weeks after reporting of the triumphant return of Oscar Ciornei to Russound, a company for which he was once COO earlier in his career, news comes to us that the parties have agreed to part company. A swift and surprising development – the company says the reason for the mutually agreed-upon separation was an emerging conflict with an existing client. However, we have received reports that suggest other issues may have also been a factor.
