Is it over?

[ToppingSMSL]

It's in the article. ''Only three years ago, US medical company Masimo acquired those eight audio brands from high-end audio business Sound United for $1.025bn, although for over a year the writing was on the wall that it was looking to sell them on.''

Cheap Audio Man on YouTube did a video about it a few months back. I better not post it though.

 

[manicm]

Cheap Audio Man on YouTube did a video about it a few months back. I better not post it though.

I saw it, and he was exaggerating somewhat. He gets it wrong sometimes too - he predicted the demise of Sonos for example. And of-course Sonos has bounced back and is thriving.

 

[ToppingSMSL]

I saw it, and he was exaggerating somewhat. He gets it wrong sometimes too - he predicted the demise of Sonos for example. And of-course Sonos has bounced back and is thriving.

Yes he gets things wrong a lot. He goes on about "opamp rolling" etc. It's mainly entertainment with some reality mixed in.

 

[RJW232]

It is the future of Hifi (and present). Many brands would not survive on their own were they not part of a larger group.

Bose took over Macintosh, IAG successfully took over established old names. Some bemoan the 'loss of heritage' but I do not really care were stuff is made as long as it is good.

IAG did it how it should be done: keep the guts of the company where they came from and produce in cheaper countries. All the IAG gear is still developed in the UK (or other countries of origin) by the same people who worked for the original companies. It's the same with Volvo: Geely kept HQ and design team in Gothenburg, Sweden to keep de Swedish DNA). The owner of MG on the other hand....

 

[RJW232]

I think it's better now it's owned by an audio company instead of a medical systems company that only bought the brands as part of a package deal with a company that owned some medical patents.

 

[SenseiKofi]

good. Masimo was a terrible owner

 

[davidf]

IAG did it how it should be done: keep the guts of the company where they came from and produce in cheaper countries. All the IAG gear is still developed in the UK (or other countries of origin) by the same people who worked for the original companies. It's the same with Volvo: Geely kept HQ and design team in Gothenburg, Sweden to keep de Swedish DNA). The owner of MG on the other hand....

And at least they're not owned by some venture capitalist who flogs everything off when the whole thing doesn't hit a specified return, or when they get bored and want to invest in something else.

 

[Jasonovich]

WHF has comments on the main article, some overlapping.

Might be a good idea to merge with Samsung(!) no, join the two threads together to avoid repetition?

 

[manicm]

And at least they're not owned by some venture capitalist who flogs everything off when the whole thing doesn't hit a specified return, or when they get bored and want to invest in something else.

It doesn't matter what kind of company owns the brands. It's totally immaterial. McIntosh proved that - when Bose took it over everyone and their dog pretended to care and thought the sky was falling - but that was the FIFTH time McIntosh has been bought over.

Also, while under Masimo, B&W still released new speakers and products to acclaim - no-one can argue with their Mk3 600 and 700 series speakers, and their new PX7 S3 headphones are being met with great enthusiasm as well. Admittedly they have failed with their soundbar and wireless speaker range - but that was of their own doing, and had nothing to do with ownership.

There's been attrition within Harman itself too. Boston Acoustics is dead, but again, that was their own fault for lacking in new products, and retaining hopelessly ageing and mediocre speakers.

For example, I will almost never buy a Sony AV product. The way their TVs and disc players handle Dolby Atmos is atrocious - needing almost always manual intervention to switch.

You also talk about IAG, well their latest releases have been very mediocre as well - the Quad 33 and 303 is little more than a misguided exercise in nostalgia. Audiolab, who otherwise make excellent products, have decided at the 11th hour to revive pre/power seperates. And from what I've read you're just better off getting the 9000A integrated instead of the 9000Q and 9000P combo, and save a few bob too.

 

[DCarmi]

It doesn't matter what kind of company owns the brands.

I do disagree with this. Masimo had no background in Audio nor AV manufacturing. They clearly did not understand the business otherwise they would not have sold it for a third of what they paid for it.

Harman do have this background and Samsung keep at arms length from the running of Harman, which is headquartered in the US and not South Korea.

No doubt Harman will rationalise the businesses they own. But they do now have a strong presence in home audio and AV, in addition to car infotainment and professional audio.

 

[manicm]

I do disagree with this. Masimo had no background in Audio nor AV manufacturing. They clearly did not understand the business otherwise they would not have sold it for a third of what they paid for it.

Harman do have this background and Samsung keep at arms length from the running of Harman, which is headquartered in the US and not South Korea.

No doubt Harman will rationalise the businesses they own. But they do now have a strong presence in home audio and AV, in addition to car infotainment and professional audio.

Masimo did not hurt any of the brands though, which still retained autonomy.

 

[jjbomber]

and the guy in charge ended up getting sacked a few years later.

Joe Kiani, founder of Masimo, hi-fi enthusiast. Stepped down last September.

 

[plastic penguin]

It's the same with cars. Everyone seems to be taking over all brands.

Stellantis has taken ownership of Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Maserati, Peugeot, Lancia, Abarth, Citroën, Vauxhall, Opel....

 

[Jasonovich]

It's the same with cars. Everyone seems to be taking over all brands.

Stellantis has taken ownership of Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Maserati, Peugeot, Lancia, Abarth, Citroën, Vauxhall, Opel....

I thought it was just the Peugeot Citroen group but as you've mentioned, they're massive.
Fiat was a surprise, I thought they were still in bed with Chrysler.

Ah I see from the list, Chrysler is owned by them also!

Google Image Result for https://www.stellantis-careers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Stellantis-Background-uai-1170x658.jpg

 

[jjbomber]

I thought it was just the Peugeot Citroen group but as you've mentioned, they're massive.
Fiat was a surprise, I thought they were still in bed with Chrysler.

Ah I see from the list, Chrysler is owned by them also!

2014 Fiat-Chrysler merger
2021 PSA formed by a merger, so Chrysler are part owner of Stellantis, rather than being owned by them.

 

[manicm]

2014 Fiat-Chrysler merger
2021 PSA formed by a merger, so Chrysler are part owner of Stellantis, rather than being owned by them.

No, Stellantis as entity wholly owns all the brands including Chrysler. The latter is not a co-owner. Stellantis was formed when the Fiat group took over Vauxhall/Opel/Citroen/Peugeot, Chrysler was always a subsidiary.

Yes the group was previously called FCA - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, but the fact is back then Fiat acquired 58% of Chrysler, so it was never a merger of equals. And Stellantis put paid to that once and for all.

 

[plastic penguin]

2014 Fiat-Chrysler merger
2021 PSA formed by a merger, so Chrysler are part owner of Stellantis, rather than being owned by them.

All swallowed up under the Stellantis umbrella.

 

[plastic penguin]

I thought it was just the Peugeot Citroen group but as you've mentioned, they're massive.
Fiat was a surprise, I thought they were still in bed with Chrysler.

Ah I see from the list, Chrysler is owned by them also!

Google Image Result for https://www.stellantis-careers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Stellantis-Background-uai-1170x658.jpg

View attachment 9095

Yup, pretty sad.

All the forthcoming Alfas will probably be powered by a Peugeot engine. Not good.

The only saving grace is the Giulia will be left alone, with an electric or hybrid version coming in 2026 (possibly).

Unlike most other cars the Giulia had no corporate involvement. It was a small team of 6 or 7 that came up with iconic design of the Giulia and Stelvio.

Anyway, back on hi-fi.

 

[Jasonovich]

Yup, pretty sad.

All the forthcoming Alfas will probably be powered by a Peugeot engine. Not good.

The only saving grace is the Giulia will be left alone, with an electric or hybrid version coming in 2026 (possibly).

Unlike most other cars the Giulia had no corporate involvement. It was a small team of 6 or 7 that came up with iconic design of the Giulia and Stelvio.

Anyway, back on hi-fi.

It's a nightmare, French engines in all their cars!

 

[plastic penguin]

It's a nightmare, French engines in all their cars!

Tell me about it. My daughter's BMW Mini Cooper has a Peugeot engine. It's been constant aggro.

 

[GroeneLeeuw]

Peugeot engines are alright historically.
The Puretech engines gave them a bad rap (and the owners of the vehicules a lot of headaches) but from what I hear the major issues are solved.