Strata-gee.com

Strategy in TECH...

You are here: Home / Archives for Manufacturers

Manufacturers

King Thiel is Dead, Long Live Coherent Source Service

by

Thiel Owners Celebrate the News of the Rebirth of Thiel Service

New Thiel Audio logoThe rumors have been swirling around various audio blogs and forums for a couple of weeks now and Strata-gee has confirmed that the service department of Thiel Audio, the only part of the Nashville-based company that remains in Lexington, KY, has been split off from the company and purchased by long time head of service, Rob Gillum. The development is incredibly good news for Thiel owners everywhere, many of whom were crushed to hear the brand was closing down.

Rob Gillum talks to Strata-gee… [Read more…] about King Thiel is Dead, Long Live Coherent Source Service

Gibson Makes Coupon Payment; CFO is Out

by Leave a Comment

Debt Holders Increasingly Anticipate Bankruptcy Filing

Logo for Gibson BrandsGibson Brands announced at the end of last week that it had successfully completed a $16.6 million coupon payment to holders of its $375 million 8.875% senior secured notes due 2018. This news, a seemingly positive development for the company, really only means that they get to march forward towards their mid-year debt maturities – the big event. But, for the moment at least, they are stayin’ alive.

However, Gibson’s CFO has left the company… [Read more…] about Gibson Makes Coupon Payment; CFO is Out

Old Pro Bryston Partners with Rookie StormAudio

by Leave a Comment

Bryston's logoIn sort of a cross-technology sharing agreement, Bryston says it has partnered with relative newcomer StormAudio to create new products that will embody shared technologies from the two premium companies. According to the announcement, the agreement will enable “both companies to leverage their respective design and manufacturing expertise in an array of new product offerings.”

See more on this interesting Bryston – StormAudio partnership… [Read more…] about Old Pro Bryston Partners with Rookie StormAudio

Monster Throws a ‘Hail Mary,’ Pays Millions for Super Bowl Ad

by 6 Comments

Monster logoMonster, Inc. (formerly Monster Cable) announced this week that it is launching its first ever television ad during the NBC broadcast of Super Bowl LII this Sunday, February 4. Usually the biggest TV event of the year, Super Bowl commands a king’s ransom in fees for advertisers, reportedly $5 million for a 30-second spot according to Sports Illustrated. Monsters ad? A full 60-second spot.

See more on Monster’s super expensive Super Bowl ad… [Read more…] about Monster Throws a ‘Hail Mary,’ Pays Millions for Super Bowl Ad

Yet Another Investor Sues Gibson Over Soured Deal

by 6 Comments

The Plot Thickens in This Sales Triangle

Logo for Gibson BrandsJust last week, we learned that real estate investment company Somera Road filed a lawsuit in the Davidson County Chancery Court in Nashville, alleging that Gibson Brands had reneged on a deal to sell them a property known as the Valley Arts building. Now, in a report from the Nashville Post, we’ve learned that another party has sued Gibson over the same property.

See what we know about this mess Gibson finds themselves in… [Read more…] about Yet Another Investor Sues Gibson Over Soured Deal

From James Loudspeaker – Not Your Father’s Soundbar

by Leave a Comment

James Loudspeaker logoJames Loudspeaker, the scrappy, custom creation-centric speaker manufacturer, announced this week a new series of 2.1 soundbars. By 2.1, they mean the soundbar reproduces left-channel audio, right channel audio, and deep bass via an included subwoofer…all in one. Because of this unique configuration, James calls it their LR-S soundbar.

Learn more about this remarkable James soundbar… [Read more…] about From James Loudspeaker – Not Your Father’s Soundbar

Thiel is Toast, Specialty Audio Takes Another Hit

by Leave a Comment

New Thiel logo black backgroundAfter a tumultuous five-year period, which began in 2012 when Thiel was sold to Tennessee private investor David B. Griffin, we can now confirm that Thiel Audio has been closed for good. Failing some kind of 11th hour rescue, another great American audio brand will be relegated to the dustbin of history.

See what we know of the closing of Thiel Audio… [Read more…] about Thiel is Toast, Specialty Audio Takes Another Hit

Gibson Stuns Again; Pulls Out of NAMM Show

by Leave a Comment

Photo of Gibson's Tokyo Showroom

A little more than a month ago, Gibson stunned the music world by abruptly shutting down Cakewalk, a music software company it had acquired in 2013. Now the music industry is abuzz again, after an announcement from Gibson Brands that it has decided to pull out of the NAMM show – the biggest music industry tradeshow, taking place at the Anaheim Convention Center January 25-28. Gibson Guitars is one of the top guitar manufacturers in the world, and the thought of a major music industry tradeshow without their representation has tongues wagging throughout the industry, with plenty of speculation about the “real” reason Gibson chose to pull out.

See more on this surprising news by Gibson… [Read more…] about Gibson Stuns Again; Pulls Out of NAMM Show

Classé Rises Again as Part of Sound United

by Leave a Comment

Sound United logoSound United announced yesterday it had completed the acquisition of shuttered high-end brand Classé Audio from former owner Bowers & Wilkins. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The announcement confirms the deal of which Strata-gee reported last month when Sound United quietly entered negotiations to buy the brand.

See more on this news which breathes new life into Classé… [Read more…] about Classé Rises Again as Part of Sound United

Surprise! Sound United Makes Bid to Acquire Classé

by Leave a Comment

BREAKING NEWS

Will High-End Classé Represent Sound United’s Crown Jewel?

Classe logoJust when you thought it was all over, Strata-gee has learned that a new suitor – Vista, CA-based Sound United – has emerged to make a bid to acquire Classé Audio from current owner B&W Group. Classé was shut down by B&W on October 6th, as we reported at the time. However, because the company was still sitting on a relatively significant level of inventory – and was considering producing an additional small run of certain models to balance out their inventory to facilitate liquidation – B&W executives often maintained it was still in business.

When deals with three previously interested parties failed to come to fruition, B&W made the decision to close Classé’s Montreal headquarters, dismiss all Classé staff, and turned over service and support functions to B&W facilities.

See more on this surprising development for Classé… [Read more…] about Surprise! Sound United Makes Bid to Acquire Classé