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After 62 Years, New Jersey’s M. Rothman & Company Sold to Z. Reiss

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>BREAKING NEWS<

M. Rothman & Co. Headquarters BuildingIn news that is likely yet another indicator of the depths of the struggles of the consumer electronics industry, M. Rothman & Company, Inc. – a large consumer electronics distributor based in Ramsey, New Jersey and a one-time powerhouse supplier of a wide variety of electronics and appliances for the entire New York Metropolitan marketplace, has been sold to Z. Reiss & Associates. While rumors have been circulating about Rothman for some weeks – we have only now been able to confirm the company is in fact been sold to another New York-based distributor. [Read more…] about After 62 Years, New Jersey’s M. Rothman & Company Sold to Z. Reiss

Does the Headphone Market Know No Bounds? MartinLogan Joins the Fun with New Earbuds

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Photo of Martin Logan's New Mikros 70 In-Ear HeadphonesMartinLogan, 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.

If its MartinLogan, you know it must be different…and it is… [Read more…] about Does the Headphone Market Know No Bounds? MartinLogan Joins the Fun with New Earbuds

Onkyo Jumps Into Streaming

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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

June Housing Starts are Up Again, Is it Time for the ‘R’ Word Yet?

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The Commerce Department released today new housing starts data for the month of June, and we may be close to using that long sought after “R” word – Recovery. Largely positive  – housing starts overall for June reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 760,000 units or 6.9% over May’s revised rate of 711,000 units. Still, the picture for single-family starts – an economic driver for our industry – while still positive, is a little more moderate.

Can housing now be a bright spot in an otherwise cooling economy? [Read more…] about June Housing Starts are Up Again, Is it Time for the ‘R’ Word Yet?

Eli Harary, Ex-D&M, Launches AudioXperts

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Photo of Eli Harary

Well-known industry personality Eli Harary, formerly with D&M’s Boston Acoustics division (which he left in June 2011), announced today that he is forming a new company called AudioXperts. AudioXperts will offer a “collection of unique designer/consumer-friendly high performance audio solutions.” Harary, the new company’s President, has assembled a team of…presumably…audio experts, to assist him in this endeavor.

Joining Harary at AudioXperts…

[Read more…] about Eli Harary, Ex-D&M, Launches AudioXperts

High-End Electronics Retail Innovator Mike Kay Dies

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UPDATED 7/17/12: New family wishes (see below)

Lyric Hi Fi & Video LogoYou can’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been – and, to this day, our industry stands on the shoulders of giants such as Avery Fisher, Saul Marantz, and Sidney Harman. But even these industry greats couldn’t do it alone. If it weren’t for their retail partners…pioneers in their own right…no one would have purchased their marvelous inventions. And that’s why our roster of most prominent industry heroes must include people like Michael Kakadelis…better known as Mike Kay…owner of Manhattan’s Lyric Hi Fi & Video, who passed away last Saturday. [Read more…] about High-End Electronics Retail Innovator Mike Kay Dies

Rotel Launches the Ultimate Insider’s Guide to High Performance Home Theater

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Photo of Rotel Website Promo of BookRotel 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]

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Photo of Unity Home Theater GirlOne 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

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Photo of Matt Curtin, Director of U.S. Sales, 3vNet
Matt Curtin
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

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Photo Showing Next Gen TV Panel from 2012 CEA Line ShowAt 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