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In Wake of Poor Results, JVC Kenwood Announces Major Cuts to Staff & Compensation

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Photo Showing JVC Kenwood Corporate Vision

Just days after the JVC Kenwood Corp. announced their dismal fiscal first-half results and revealed dramatic revisions to their full-year forecast – including the surprising news that they would lose money this year – the company released a statement saying they would attack their performance shortcomings aggressively. A series of actions were outlined designed to mitigate the company’s projected loss…but they couldn’t say for sure at this time if these actions will have a material effect on the remaining fiscal period’s performance.

See the steps JVC Kenwood’s board of directors outlined to minimize their losses… [Read more…] about In Wake of Poor Results, JVC Kenwood Announces Major Cuts to Staff & Compensation

Nortek Q3 Results: The Road to Success Remains Really, Really Bumpy

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Troubling TidbitsOn Thursday last week, Nortek, Inc. released the financial results for its third quarter (ending September 28, 2013) as well as their nine-month YTD results – and on the following Friday convened a conference call with analysts to discuss them. While management put a positive spin on these results, one didn’t have to look very hard to see some glaring bumps Nortek is experiencing on their challenging road to success through restructuring and reorganization.

You can almost hear it in Michael J. Clarke’s voice when he said: “Nortek’s net sales and underlying operating performance for the third quarter were consistent with our expectations.” Not exactly the rousing proclamation of success we typically hear on their conference call for industry analysts.

What are the “bumps” Nortek’s hitting on the road to success?… [Read more…] about Nortek Q3 Results: The Road to Success Remains Really, Really Bumpy

Wren Sound Systems – This Bird’s Ready to Fly

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Photo of girl bird watchingGovernment data makes a strong case for a sustainable recovery under way – but most people in the consumer electronics industry tell me that this recovery is, at best, mediocre and, at worst, not happening. And as challenging as most are finding the economy, start-up companies tell me the headwinds are more like those of a Category 1 hurricane as they try to launch new products and services – hoping to get traction – in a very hostile start-up environment.

But one new start-up that has caught our attention – Wren Sound Systems – seems to be gaining ground with its new wireless speaker system…a product we find unique and interesting.

See what interests us about Wren below… [Read more…] about Wren Sound Systems – This Bird’s Ready to Fly

Saying Demand is for Digital Distribution, Dish Drops Blockbuster Stores

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Photo of Blockbuster video storeDish Network Corporation said today it will close all remaining Blockbuster video store locations and also dismantle the DVD-by-mail service by early-January 2014. According to the company, consumer demand is clearly for digital distribution of media and physical DVDs just don’t make sense anymore.

See more on this unexpected announcement… [Read more…] about Saying Demand is for Digital Distribution, Dish Drops Blockbuster Stores

Monster Launches a Shaq Attack; Sports Star to Help Market Monster Products

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Photo of Shaquille O'Neal with Monster Products

Monster Products Inc. announced today that it has cut a deal with basketball superstar Shaquille O’Neal to endorse and otherwise market select Monster-branded products. The company says that O’Neal will aid in the marketing of Monster products in multiple categories “from personal audio to headphones and beyond.”

See more on this new celebrity endorsement deal from Monster below… [Read more…] about Monster Launches a Shaq Attack; Sports Star to Help Market Monster Products

Two Great Lakes State Reps Are Now One

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Boyle Davis Sales LogoTwo well-known and established sales representative firms in the state of Michigan have merged their companies into one larger and better resourced entity. Both firms, Boyle Sales and TWC Michigan, have substantial dealer networks throughout the state and represent and support respected lines of top manufacturers in the consumer electronics industry. The new merged organization promises to be one of the top specialty electronics reps in the state.

See more details on this dramatic new development… [Read more…] about Two Great Lakes State Reps Are Now One

Strata-gee’s Editor Appears in Latest Edition of AV Week Webcast

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Graphic of AVWeek logoNot having learned their lesson last time, AV Nation once again invited me to participate in the latest edition of their AV Week webcast to discuss the hot A/V topics of the day. Also appearing in this week’s episode of AV Week was Sam Malik of ASK Proxima and Kevin Iselli of Crestron Electronics. And, of course, AV Week is hosted by the incomparable Tim Albright, founder of AV Nation.

What topics did the guests on AV Week ponder? See more below… [Read more…] about Strata-gee’s Editor Appears in Latest Edition of AV Week Webcast

NY Integrator Makes Unusual Expansion into Retail

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Photo of JD Pro's Jak Daragjati
Jak Daragjati
JD Pro

 

JD Pro, an integrator based in Staten Island, New York, has made what many would consider an unusual step – taking their successful, primarily commercial integration business and expanding it into the consumer retail market space. This step, which many would consider suicidal in the brutal New York Metro consumer electronics retail market, makes perfect sense to JD Pro’s owner – especially when you consider the unique position that their company has held from the day it was founded.

Why would a commercial integrator expand into retail? See more below… [Read more…] about NY Integrator Makes Unusual Expansion into Retail

Lenbrook Hopes This Line Will Make You Blue

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Photo of John Banks at press presentation
Bluesound’s John Banks makes a point

Lenbrook America held a media event last week in Manhattan where they announced the birth of a new brand of multi-room wireless (and wired) music streaming systems called Bluesound. Bluesound is designed to be positioned above brands like Sonos in terms of price and performance…but tuck underneath some of the higher-end solutions such as those offered by NAD and others. The company hopes to create a profitable step-up market for higher priced, better performing solutions in the digital domain – as once existed in the analog realm years back.

Is Bluesound the new holy grail of quality digital music systems? Or will it miss the mark?… [Read more…] about Lenbrook Hopes This Line Will Make You Blue

The Miracle of…Birth – The Birth of the Bluesound Brand

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Bluesound LogoLast week, I witnessed a miracle. The miracle was…a birth. It was a birth like no other, as every proud parent believes is the case with THEIR child. There was a proud Papa…and a large assembled family…brought together to celebrate the event.

This birth, like any birth, was wondrous. And…for the parents…this was an event full of hopes and dreams of what their “bundle of joy” will become. At this joyous event was a group of observers, like me. But not like me.

Was this birth – the birth of Bluesound – truly “miraculous”???… [Read more…] about The Miracle of…Birth – The Birth of the Bluesound Brand