One of the industry’s most successful luxury high-end audio shows, T.H.E. Show Anaheim, will take place at the Hilton Anaheim next month on September 22-to-24. Known to be a strong draw for audiophiles and other aficionados of luxury entertainment products, T.H.E. Show (The Home Entertainment Show) is a great place to see the best and the latest luxury high-end A/V and associated gear.
News
Jeannette Howe Joins Transformative Engineering as VP of Sales
BREAKING NEWS
Specialty design and engineering firm Transformative Engineering has appointed Jeannette Howe to the newly created role of Vice President of Sales. The company notes that Howe’s background, including stints at “National Buying Groups, Trade Associations, and major retailers,” uniquely qualifies her for this role, which is an expansion of their existing sales team.
See more on this new appointment at Transformative Engineering… [Read more…] about Jeannette Howe Joins Transformative Engineering as VP of Sales
ATI Acquires Datasat Digital Entertainment
BREAKING NEWS
American amplifier manufacturer ATI (Amplifier Technologies Inc.) has acquired Datasat Digital Entertainment, a leading provider of digital surround sound technology for commercial cinemas and luxury home theaters, according to multiple sources. In a deal that sources tell us closed on Wednesday, ATI will take over and stay committed to both of Datasat’s primary market segments – commercial and residential.
See more of what we know on the ATI and Datasat deal… [Read more…] about ATI Acquires Datasat Digital Entertainment
Layoffs Hit Linear Subsidiary GTO Access Systems
One Out of Every Three Employees to Lose Job
GTO Access Systems LLC, a division of Linear LLC, itself part of Nortek, Inc. is planning to lay off fully 33% of its workforce, according to a report in the Tallahassee Democrat. The company says all layoffs should be completed by September 20th. This is the first significant layoff of any company associated with Nortek’s Security & Control Solutions segment of which we are aware.
Learn more about this significant layoff at GTO… [Read more…] about Layoffs Hit Linear Subsidiary GTO Access Systems
Creator of ‘Affordable Audiophile’ Gear, Marty Borish Dies
We learned late last week of the passing of yet another audio industry pioneer, Martin L. (Marty) Borish. Borish passed away July 11 from cancer. Although lesser known than some, Borish was instrumental in driving industry adoption and growth of the affordable audiophile products segment, both directly with NAD – the electronics company he founded – and indirectly with many other companies that competed with them.
See more on the remarkable story of Marty Borish… [Read more…] about Creator of ‘Affordable Audiophile’ Gear, Marty Borish Dies
In Letter to Dealers: Status of Classé is Still Mysterious
The mysterious circumstances enveloping high-end electronics manufacturer Classé, part of the B&W Group, that we first reported on last week appear to be continuing. There has been a new development – a new communication about the matter to Classé dealers by owner B&W Group. But imprecise wording – perhaps done intentionally – only serves to keep the situation unclear…and dealers debating…
See what the letter to Classé dealers says about the company’s status… [Read more…] about In Letter to Dealers: Status of Classé is Still Mysterious
Are Amazon Geeks Geekier than Best Buy’s?
Amazon Tests In-Home Installations
Recode is reporting that Amazon is testing an installation service for smart home products in several key test markets – in direct competition with Best Buy’s Geek Squad. While these two giants battle over the rights to install smart home solutions into the home, where does this leave the independent integrator?
See more of what we learned from Recode… [Read more…] about Are Amazon Geeks Geekier than Best Buy’s?
New Mystery: Has Classé Closed?
Fact? or Fiction?
Less than a week after we reported that B&W Group President Doug Henderson had been summarily dismissed from the company he has been a key executive at for more than a decade, the rumor mill has fired up again with word that Classé has been closed down. Classé, like B&W Loudspeakers, is owned and distributed by B&W Group Ltd., a company recently acquired by EVA Automation. Multiple sources are suggesting that EVA owner Gideon Yu has decided to cease operations at the high end manufacturer of audio electronics.
See what we found out from B&W Group about Classé… [Read more…] about New Mystery: Has Classé Closed?
Bowers & Wilkins Notifies Dealers of Henderson’s Departure
STORY UPDATE
Shortly after we published our BREAKING NEWS report on the Bowers & Wilkins dismissal of President Doug Henderson, we obtained a copy of an email that was apparently sent by the company to all B&W dealers explaining the situation. We’d like to be able to say this note answered all questions surrounding the upheaval their actions caused, but it raised as many questions as it answered.
See the email Bowers & Wilkins sent to their dealers on Henderson’s departure… [Read more…] about Bowers & Wilkins Notifies Dealers of Henderson’s Departure
Bowers & Wilkins Dismisses President Doug Henderson
BREAKING NEWS
We have learned that Doug Henderson, President of B&W Group North America, was dismissed from the company earlier this week. There has been no official announcement from the company and B&W executives and employees have been unusually tight-lipped about the matter.
