Sonance surprised us at CEDIA Expo 2023 with the launch of an all-new Visual Experience line of architectural loudspeakers. Embodying several true innovations, and available in both Sonance and James versions, the Visual Experience line will supersede the highly successful and award-winning Visual Performance series – a series that was a best-seller for most Sonance integrators.
James Loudspeaker
Jeff Coombs, Founder of James Loudspeaker & Ambisonic Systems, Has Died
Origin Acoustics announced this week that Jeff Coombs, founder of respected brands James Loudspeaker (now owned by Sonance) and Ambisonic Systems (now owned by Origin Acoustics) died on Monday, February 20, 2023. Coombs, age 69, passed away from cancer surrounded by his loving family.
Learn more about Jeff Coombs’ passing
[Read more…] about Jeff Coombs, Founder of James Loudspeaker & Ambisonic Systems, Has DiedSonance Names National Sales Manager for Canada Biz Transition
Sonance announced last week that it was transitioning its business model in Canada from one centered around a distribution model with an in-country partner responsible for all sales and servicing in the country to a new direct one where Sonance HQ will directly handle all sales and service of its products there. This week, we learn that the company has appointed a new National Sales Manager for Canada, responsible for implementing this new business model, building an all-new sales team, and managing their sales operations there.
That new executive is Toronto-based sales professional Brad Middleton.
Learn more about Sonance appointing Brad Middleton
[Read more…] about Sonance Names National Sales Manager for Canada Biz TransitionSonance Residential Biz In Canada to Go From Distributor to Company Direct
Sonance announced this week that it is transitioning its residential business in Canada to a direct model, ending its distributor-led approach that has existed there for several years. Beginning on January 1, 2023, all sales and service of residential products from Sonance, James Loudspeaker, and IPORT will be handled directly by Sonance’s salesforce.
Learn more about this change by Sonance in Canada
[Read more…] about Sonance Residential Biz In Canada to Go From Distributor to Company DirectJames Loudspeaker Launches All Terrain Outdoor Towers at CEDIA Expo
In a press conference at CEDIA Expo Virtual last week, James Loudspeaker showed the gathered press a dramatic new expansion of their all terrain line of outdoor speaker products – new outdoor towers that just might move the earth beneath your feet. The company says that these new All Terrain Outdoor Towers “are designed to deliver concert-level performance outdoors.”
See more on these James Loudspeaker towers
[Read more…] about James Loudspeaker Launches All Terrain Outdoor Towers at CEDIA ExpoMike Park, Key Partner and CTO of James Loudspeaker, Retires
Mike Park, a key partner and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of James Loudspeaker, retired this month due to health issues, the company has announced. It would be hard to overstate Park’s influence in the growth and success of James Loudspeaker. As a key role player in the company for the last 15 years, Park has made many contributions to the company’s technology direction and product development, driving an era of rapid growth that ultimately led to James’ acquisition by Sonance in 2019.
See more on Park’s retirement from James Loudspeaker…
[Read more…] about Mike Park, Key Partner and CTO of James Loudspeaker, RetiresStrata-gee Survey Shows Coronavirus Response Places Supply Chain in Jeopardy
No Need to Panic Now, But Maybe Soon
I received a tip from a tech supplier here in the U.S. that the Coronavirus epidemic impacting China is a big problem getting bigger every day…and that our industry needs to think about – and prepare for – the impact on our supply chain. This week, Strata-gee surveyed several brands to learn their status on product supply…and what their perspective was on the near-term future impact of this epidemic taking place in China.
What top brands say about supply chain risk…
[Read more…] about Strata-gee Survey Shows Coronavirus Response Places Supply Chain in JeopardyReader’s Choice: The Top 10 Strata-gee Stories of 2019
As we hurtle headlong into the a new decade – the 2020s – it’s a good time to pause and take stock of some of the major events of our industry’s recent history by ranking the Top 10 Strata-gee stories of 2019 based on total page views. This ranking shows just what stories drew the most attention of Strata-gee’s eminently intelligent and inquisitive readers.
See which 2019 Strata-gee stories were tops with readers…
[Read more…] about Reader’s Choice: The Top 10 Strata-gee Stories of 2019James Loudspeaker Terminates Reps as Integration into Sonance Progresses
Early last week, a holiday week, sources reached out to relay the news that multiple manufacturer sales representatives were being terminated by James Loudspeaker. Happy Thanksgiving…you’re fired. In chats, I heard of the pain that some those reps felt – for while getting terminated is never a happy circumstance, getting terminated during holidays seems particularly poignant.
James Loudspeaker’s CEO & Sonance’s CSO speak to what is going on…
[Read more…] about James Loudspeaker Terminates Reps as Integration into Sonance ProgressesSonance to Acquire James Loudspeaker
Sonance announced today that they have entered into an agreement to acquire Minden, NV-based James Loudspeaker. This is the first major acquisition by Sonance since the purchase of Sound Advance in 2005, and is truly a marriage of two companies with a strong resonance in their approach to the custom integration industry.