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Ex-B&W President Finds New Home at JL Audio

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Doug Henderson

It was only a matter of months ago that Strata-gee broke the news that EVA Automation founder Gideon Yu, the new owner of Bowers and Wilkins (B&W), had dismissed Doug Henderson, President of the B&W Group North America. It was a move that was to send shock waves around the industry and presaged a round of additional staff departures (and additions) as Yu worked to restructure the company.

Now we can report that Henderson is the new Senior Vice President of Home Audio at JL Audio, the scrappy upstart that launched first in the 12-volt business, but has since expanded into the marine, powersports, and home audio segments as well.

See more on this new role for Henderson… [Read more…] about Ex-B&W President Finds New Home at JL Audio

Millson WireFrame – The BMW of Structured Wiring

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Richard Millson and WireFrameAt a recent dealer show, integrator and entrepreneur Richard Millson of Millson Custom Solutions  presented what he called “The BMW of structured wiring panels” to integrators attending the event. Millson’s premise was simple – if you’re going to install a structured wiring panel in your smart home installations, shouldn’t you install a smart panel? It was logic that many found hard to argue…

Learn more about Millson Custom Solutions WireFrame structured wiring panel… [Read more…] about Millson WireFrame – The BMW of Structured Wiring

Options Narrowing as Gibson & KKR Talks Fail

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Photo of Gibson CES promoWe learned last week that talks between Gibson Brands and deal making king KKR Credit Advisors fell apart in a dispute over “the appropriate consideration for the various parties involved,” according to a statement from Gibson Brands. As yet another bail-out opportunity slips by them, Gibson Brands sees their options narrowing, with an August deadline on a required financial restructuring of more than $500 million of debt rapidly approaching.

See more on this dire situation at Gibson Brands… [Read more…] about Options Narrowing as Gibson & KKR Talks Fail

Lutron Partners with SnapAV for OvrC-Enabled RA2 Select

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BREAKING NEWS

Lutron logo on black backgroundSnapAV announced today that it has partnered with lighting kingpin Lutron to offer a special version of their RA2 Select repeater, part of an entire RA2 Select system, that has been natively integrated into SnapAV’s OvrC remote management system. The agreement between the two of them is said to have been taken with the goal of “expanding the market for smart lighting control.”

See more on this new partnership between Lutron and SnapAV… [Read more…] about Lutron Partners with SnapAV for OvrC-Enabled RA2 Select

Newly Flush Sony’s Smart Employee Pay Strategy

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Kaz Hirai and Gary ShapiroBig Raises and Record Bonuses for Sony Employees in 2018

Sony Corp. is said to be planning to raise their employees pay rates by a very substantial 5 percent – and to pay record bonuses, according to a report by the Japan Times. This move is seen as a smart strategy by the company, newly flush with record profits after their successful turnaround by outgoing CEO Kaz Hirai, as it battles to secure top talent in a highly competitive hiring environment.

See more on how Sony is pressing their advantage to attract top talent… [Read more…] about Newly Flush Sony’s Smart Employee Pay Strategy

Far From Legally Dead, Monster Slugs Back at Beats

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Beats Gets More Awarded; But Monster Wins a Key Ruling Too

Photo of Noel LeeWhen we last visited this legal clash of the titans, a jury had just found that Monster must pay Beats nearly $8 million to reimburse them for the legal expenses in fighting the lawsuit that Monster had brought against them in 2015. Now, we have learned that the judge in that case has increased the judgment with an additional “directed” verdict. And in the matter of a separate case, Beats vs. Monster filed late last year, Monster has filed a countersuit and won a key ruling.

This Beats and Monster slugfest goes on… [Read more…] about Far From Legally Dead, Monster Slugs Back at Beats

With A Sharper Focus on Krell, a Blurry Picture Emerges

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Krell logoWe reported last week that Krell Industries owner Rondi D’Agostino vehemently denied reports we had received from various sources that the company was in bankruptcy or considering bankruptcy. D’Agostino said that things may not be perfect, but it’s business as usual at Krell. Even better, she told us, the company is close to finally launching a new model. Sounds good…right?

Since our report was published, the trickle of sources approaching us about Krell…became a torrent. In messages public (in the Comments section below our original article) and private, we heard from more sources, many directly connected with Krell, who told a much different story.

See a more detailed picture of Krell’s situation… [Read more…] about With A Sharper Focus on Krell, a Blurry Picture Emerges

Gibson, After Light Pruning, Plans Global Layoffs

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Hundreds of Employees Facing Pink Slips

Gibson CEO Juszkiewicz
Gibson’s CEO Henry Juszkiewicz

Gibson Brands, a major provider of musical instrument and consumer electronics products, is in the midst of a widely reported liquidity crisis. With more than $500 million dollars in notes coming due late this summer, the company is seeking a knight in shining armor to ride in on a white horse with a big bag of money to refinance the company’s crushing debt.

To make the company appear attractive to a lender or investor, at the end of February the company sold off its shuttered Cakewalk division and laid off about 15 employees from its famous Custom Shop. Now we learn the company is planning more substantial layoffs across the board.

See more on this latest development at Gibson… [Read more…] about Gibson, After Light Pruning, Plans Global Layoffs

Is Krell Out of Business?

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A Krell mono amplifierRecently, we have spoken with multiple sources who have said that Krell Industries, a maker of high-end, high-performance electronics, has fallen on hard financial times. Some suggested the company closed at the end of last week for good. Others told us the company may be already in bankruptcy or in the process of filing for bankruptcy. Is this another Classé situation?

So what is really going on at Krell?… [Read more…] about Is Krell Out of Business?

In Battle with Sonos, D&M Takes Yet Another Blow

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Sonos Seeks Permanent Injunction Against Infringing Products

HEOS logoThe battle rages on between D&M Holdings and Sonos over the patent infringement lawsuit brought by Sonos in 2014 against the HEOS by Denon line, and in which Sonos won the first set of their claims in a bellwether trial that concluded this past December. In retaliation for the Sonos lawsuit, D&M Holdings filed a countersuit that is now heating up, and in which they just lost a major decision from Judge Richard G. Andrews.

See more on D&M’s loss in this ongoing matter… [Read more…] about In Battle with Sonos, D&M Takes Yet Another Blow