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Focal Speakers The Spirit of Sound |
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JM Focal and Naim Merging to Form Focal & Co...
Interesting announcement. The two brands will still be managed separately but both firms will pool resources in R&D (and presumably other non-customer oriented function...think back office, although that is not explicitly mentioned in the article). Makes sense for a lot of high-end brands to join up to gain scale. Industry as it stands is too fragmented and nichey. Here's the article: SuperUniti as Focal and Naim join forces | AVguide
Last edited by cmalak; 08-19-2011 at 03:56 PM. |
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Not many examples of cooperation between frogs and roast beefs ! Way to go !
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There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats Albert Schweitzer |
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Could yield some interesting products down the road for sure.
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Buddy Boulder 1160 Amp, 1110 Pre-Amp Audio Research Ref. 3 Phono-Pre Vivid Audio Giya G2S2 Speakers MSB Reference DAC Innuos Statement w/Next Gen. PS B & W DB1D Subwoofer X2 Audioquest Niagara 5000 Power Conditioner Kronos Pro Turntable w/Kronoscope RS tonearm + SCPS-1 PS + MSL Platinum Cart. VPI HW-40 Turntable w/ Lyra Etna cartridge Jay's Audio CDT3-MK3 CD Transport Schiit Mjolnir 2 HPA + Audeze LCD X headphones Adona Equipment Rack and Amp Stands Furutech Outlets and Plates + NCF Booster Shunyata Cables Synergistic Research Galileo SX Ground Block, FEQ 4, Black Box + Room Acoustic treatments |
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My sense is Focal sees the future in the Life-style segment of the market of modern/clean designs at price points that can be afforded by the well heeled but not in the stratospheric high end zip code. So partnership with Naim will give them integrated solution (think one-box integrated with DAC that can stream music wirelessly to speakers or a preamp/DAC that can stream wirelessly to active speaker with on-board DAC). I think Focal introduced such a new product line recently and I read an interview with the head of Marketing recently where he proclaims the age of companies focused on one product segment over. I don't think they will abandon the super high-end because they have strong interest at the very top end in Asia and selectively in the US and Europe but I think the focus will be in the life-style segment. That's my take on this combination.
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Another perspective on this from Stereophile: Focal & Naim to Merge Operations | Stereophile.com
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WTF. Julian would be turning in his grave !!!
Here's hoping it works in a similar arrangement to B&W & Classe |
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An interesting commentary by none other than Roy Gregory
The Audio Beat - Focal and Naim: The Beginning of the End?; Focal-Naim merger |
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A refreshing perspective from RG. Jim |
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a quote from above article (BTW...THX for posting) "-- the mantra is clear: if you want a new generation of customers to buy your products, then you need to make those products relevant to those customers. They need to deliver the functionality those customers seek and do it at a price that fits within their budgets." A strategy, McIntosh seems to have missed by several lightyears. |
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