Housing starts, the measure of new home construction that many in the custom integration industry feel is a leading indicator for the sale of home-making products, such as residential technology systems, jumped nearly 10% in the month of January. This may be yet another indicator of an overall improving economy, although the monthly numbers tend to vacillate up and down on alternating months. Still, the long term trend appears to remain positive.
ISE Sets New Records, Should You Attend?
Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), the joint venture between CEDIA and AVIXA (formerly InfoComm) announced this week that the show held earlier this month set several records, including the number of exhibitors, number of new exhibitors, the number of attendees and the number of first time attendees. While CEDIA struggles to pull in 20,000 attendees, ISE tops 80,000 visitors.
With the growth of ISE, should you consider attending? [Read more…] about ISE Sets New Records, Should You Attend?
The Forgotten Thiel
Strata-gee *EXCLUSIVE* Interview with Tom Thiel
Although Strata-gee has loosely followed Thiel Audio for many years, since 2012, when the company was sold by co-founder Kathy Gornik to a group of Tennessee private equity investors, our coverage intensified. Part of the motivation for devoting more coverage to this stage of Thiel, was a growing interest in the apparent deteriorating state of specialty A/V – but it was also fueled by a wacky, reality-show like, “You’re Fired!” atmosphere as principal owner David B. Griffin routinely dismissed newly constituted management teams. With five different CEOs over a five-year period, some with tenures measured in months, the company’s business suffered from inconsistent fits-and-starts as each team pursued a new direction.
This state of constant turmoil at Thiel caused extreme consternation among – first the Thiel dealer base, and when that disappeared – Thiel end-users, many of whom were huge fans of Jim Thiel. A host of audio forums and bulletin boards had ongoing, passionate postings bemoaning the end of an era: the end of the Kathy Gornik era…and of course, the end of the Jim Thiel era.
Kind of like in Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, when Obi-wan says: “That boy is our last hope.” Yoda replies: “No, there is another…” [Read more…] about The Forgotten Thiel
King Thiel is Dead, Long Live Coherent Source Service
Thiel Owners Celebrate the News of the Rebirth of Thiel Service
The 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
Debt Holders Increasingly Anticipate Bankruptcy Filing
Gibson 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
After a Year of Study, CEDIA Announces Their ‘New’ 3-Year Strategy
After an interminably long wait of around a year, CEDIA finally announced this week their new three-year strategy. This “new” strategy takes us through 2020 and is based on three areas of focus, in summary: 1) education; 2) standards, guidelines & best practices; and 3) engagement with design and build community.
Why did I put the word “new” in quotations? Read on…
CEDIA’s new strategy: It’s as easy as one-two-three… [Read more…] about After a Year of Study, CEDIA Announces Their ‘New’ 3-Year Strategy
Old Pro Bryston Partners with Rookie StormAudio
In 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
So How is Amazon Go…er…Going?
Unless you live under a rock, you most likely have heard about Amazon Go, the experimental grocery store that uses technology to allow shoppers to bypass the checkout counter and simply walk out the door with their purchases. Within minutes of leaving, they receive an email of the items they left with, and the receipt with the charges to a card of their (previously registered) choice. The idea is to eliminate a signficant pain point – standing in line for the sometimes time-consuming checkout process.
But what do consumers think about the idea? You might be surprised… [Read more…] about So How is Amazon Go…er…Going?
Monster Throws a ‘Hail Mary,’ Pays Millions for Super Bowl Ad
Monster, 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
O’Connor Named CEDIA CEO, ‘Status Quo’ Wins the Day
CEDIA announced this week that it was promoting Tabatha O’Connor to permanent CEDIA Global President and CEO. O’Connor, a sixteen-year CEDIA association employee, had recently been serving as the “acting” President and CEO in the wake of the sudden dismissal of former CEO Vin Bruno in 2017.
Unfortunately, what this means is the organization has decided to go back to day-to-day association management of operations, rather than drive growth through a strong, visionary CEO with industry experience and great force-of-will to stem the erosion of the organization’s influence.
