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  #21  
Old 08-27-2020, 10:33 AM
cleeds cleeds is offline
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Originally Posted by metaphacts View Post
... This move allows both the Mac Group and ARC to focus on their own strengths and paths. IMO, both companies and our industry are better off for the change ...
I'm inclined to very much agree. I'm optimistic about ARC's future, provided its business plan - which would include any debt incurred as part of the acquisition - is realistic and sustainable. We've all seen examples of LBOs where that hasn't been the case, but there's no reason to suspect that has happened here. I don't have access to any inside information about the ARC sale, but base that opinion on the history of the principals involved.

ARC enjoys a unique position in the audio market. Yes, it's a niche market, but if ARC can preserve its DNA in future products, I think it has plenty of room for growth.
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  #22  
Old 08-27-2020, 02:36 PM
djcxxx djcxxx is offline
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I think this will be a tough road ahead for ARC. What direction? Upmarket into the ultra esoteric? Stay the course with some cosmetic changes to the current line? They cannot go downmarket and survive as ARC. The current line up is sonically improved over the immediate predecessor (which I still own), but the build quality is not as robust. Going back to that level of quality will cost money. I personally would redesign the current Ref series cosmetics as a first step and probably get rid of the see through meters. They have already proved to be troublesome in my short experience.
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  #23  
Old 08-27-2020, 02:52 PM
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What direction? Upmarket into the ultra esoteric? Stay the course with some cosmetic changes to the current line? They cannot go downmarket and survive as ARC.

I think these are the same sort of strategic choices faced by most companies in the high end market, and for that matter, faced by many smaller companies in other “luxury brand” markets. I don’t think they’re necessarily related to the change in ownership, nor do I see why the change in ownership should make their current road any tougher. In fact, I think it’s quite the opposite: with dedicated ownership integrated with management, and the right funding of course, they will be able to make strategic decisions that are in their own best interests instead of having to worry about the impact on, and influence of, a bigger parent company.

As for going down market and surviving, I have no idea if that’s in ARC’s strategy, but in some cases that can be the best way to survive. down-market volume can help support the high end luxury products, and, if done right, doesn’t have to damage the brand. Look at Focal, for example: no one could argue that their top-of-the-line speakers are not world-class high end products, yet they are quite successful in the lower end of the market and in car audio.
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Last edited by Antonmb; 08-27-2020 at 03:03 PM.
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  #24  
Old 08-27-2020, 07:13 PM
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George Prentice George Prentice is offline
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I hope this is a good move. Over the last fifty years of pursuing high-end audio and increasing my earning power I have moved step by step towards better and all Audio Research gear. Not at all intentionally... it is just that they have the sound I crave. Clearly, the association with Mac has been good, I am thinking they helped with the automated electronic engineering aspect as well as marketing. From a sound perspective the two companies couldn’t be more different. May Audio Research live long and prosper.
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  #25  
Old 08-27-2020, 07:35 PM
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Originally Posted by triode12 View Post
I am one of the few that dislikes the new faux-retro design language and prefer the previous (note I don't say old) laboratory equipment look. And I hope they return to those aesthetics and also improve the build and parts quality which has fallen in the past 5-6 years.e.g. Replaced the US made meters on the Ref250SE with ones made in China, shorter cheap glossy gold plated binding posts, thin flexible green coloured PCBs, Plastic vol and selector knobs, thin aluminium covers, thin perspex covers.

Having used the Ref5 then Ref5SE and Ref6 now, all I can say is good riddance to the old flick knobs. Hated them. The new rotary dials are sooo much better to use.

And they also swapped sides for the input and volume. Finally. [emoji848]

To me there is nothing retro about them.

And I did love the look of the Galileo series. And I’m glad they retained some of those changes in the Ref6
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  #26  
Old 08-27-2020, 10:04 PM
1KW 1KW is offline
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Originally Posted by metaphacts View Post
Interesting.

I think were you privy to some of the inner workings and sheer demands on the management team of the Group, you might think otherwise. As you will see going forward, the McIntosh Group is moving in a way that would make it difficult for them to keep ARC at the forefront of its niche while also achieving all that the Group are pursuing on the Mac and Sonus faber fronts. This move allows both the Mac Group and ARC to focus on their own strengths and paths. IMO, both companies and our industry are better off for the change.

I have many friends in both places who are very, very happy today.
I am sure you have way more insider information then I . Hopefully I am wrong. My point is that McIntosh and Sonus Faber are great brands to be associated with. Expensive Hi Fi seems to be more popular amount boomers then millennials judging by my own experience and observation. I think the new ARC Mono amps with the see through meters are beautiful but lets face it for what they cost you can buy a car and are a niche product . Maybe ARC with be creative, they will sell online at a lower price like PS audio or offer trade ins, I don’t know ? With not many brick and mortar stores around to see and hear Hi Fi its a challenge to get new customers as the boomers die out. I am happy to see McIntosh and Sonus Faber getting into auto Hi FI

Last edited by 1KW; 08-27-2020 at 10:09 PM.
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  #27  
Old 08-27-2020, 11:34 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1KW View Post
I am sure you have way more insider information then I . Hopefully I am wrong. My point is that McIntosh and Sonus Faber are great brands to be associated with. Expensive Hi Fi seems to be more popular amount boomers then millennials judging by my own experience and observation. I think the new ARC Mono amps with the see through meters are beautiful but lets face it for what they cost you can buy a car and are a niche product . Maybe ARC with be creative, they will sell online at a lower price like PS audio or offer trade ins, I don’t know ? With not many brick and mortar stores around to see and hear Hi Fi its a challenge to get new customers as the boomers die out. I am happy to see McIntosh and Sonus Faber getting into auto Hi FI
Lots to discuss.

Sonus faber benefits far more from the relationship with ARC than vice versa. ARC is an electronics icon celebrating its 50th anniversary, perhaps second only to McIntosh in customer loyalty in high end audio. The new management team will reward that loyalty. Those customers are not locked into one high end speaker brand but more across a who's who of respected high end audio performers. That affords far more exposure than a single speaker maker can bring to ARC.

Knowing the ARC guys as I do, there likely will be fewer dealers with higher customer service expectations than in the recent past. There are more than enough brick and mortar stores that will/do fit that relationship expectation. A real trade-in program (as opposed to a limited time, inflated value trade-in based sales program) is a difficult thing to enact with electronics, but if anyone is in position to do it, it is ARC. The team has a respect for their customers that fits among a handful of high end manufacturers. Certainly the post COVID world will change some things, but I can all but guarantee that ARC will not do anything like what PS Audio is doing, at least not as long as the current team owns ARC. That's just not in their or ARC's DNA.

I truly believe this is a win/win for all involved and am very excited to see all that comes from it.

Last edited by metaphacts; 08-28-2020 at 07:57 AM.
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  #28  
Old 08-28-2020, 06:54 AM
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tdelahanty tdelahanty is offline
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Guarantee???? You cannot guarantee anything.
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  #29  
Old 08-28-2020, 07:56 AM
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Guarantee???? You cannot guarantee anything.
Edited to say "all but guarantee." Better?

Last edited by metaphacts; 08-28-2020 at 08:00 AM.
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  #30  
Old 08-29-2020, 12:59 AM
maharajs maharajs is offline
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I wonder how well the marketing aspect will be now handled given the exit
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