AR 2007 CES report

[Steve F]

I just returned from the annual CES show in Vegas. I had the chance to stop by AR’s display at the show, and I was quite disappointed.

They are not really a speaker company anymore—instead, the emphasis is on accessories, AV cables, video processors and the like. There were a few speakers on display—a couple of models in their “Excuse me, I’m ashamed to be a speaker” line (where the subwoofer-satellites are oh-so-cleverly disguised as "objects d’art" or hidden in empty ‘book’ spines), and one non-descript tower with side-facing woofers and an MTM array in a modest-sized black enclosure. The speakers didn’t even have identifying labels with model numbers and suggested retail pricing.

It’s interesting (actually, it’s incomprehensible) that the parent company is using the name ACOUSTIC Research to market a line of VIDEO accessories.

AR has been gone for many years now. This year’s CES only confirmed it again.

Steve F.

[Carlspeak]

Brand identity is a very powerful thing in the marketplace, AR not withstanding. They are not the only ones to ride the coat-tails of a prior innovation.

It's all about the music

Carl

Carl's Custom Loudspeakers

[Steve F]

>Brand identity is a very powerful thing in the marketplace,

>AR not withstanding. They are not the only ones to ride the

>coat-tails of a prior innovation.

>

>It's all about the music

>

>Carl

>Carl's Custom Loudspeakers

Agreed--but only if the brand name has relevant value (like, say, Sony or Nike or Coke).

The AR "brand" means absolutely NOTHING to most of today's 25-40-year-old consumers--and that's who's buying the majority of the stuff these days.

Steve F.

[tysontom]

>I just returned from the annual CES show in Vegas. I had the

>chance to stop by AR’s display at the show, and I was quite

>disappointed.

>

>They are not really a speaker company anymore—instead, the

>emphasis is on accessories, AV cables, video processors and

>the like. There were a few speakers on display—a couple of

>models in their “Excuse me, I’m ashamed to be a speaker” line

>(where the subwoofer-satellites are oh-so-cleverly disguised

>as "objects d’art" or hidden in empty ‘book’

>spines), and one non-descript tower with side-facing woofers

>and an MTM array in a modest-sized black enclosure. The

>speakers didn’t even have identifying labels with model

>numbers and suggested retail pricing.

>

>It’s interesting (actually, it’s incomprehensible) that the

>parent company is using the name ACOUSTIC Research to market a

>line of VIDEO accessories.

>

>AR has been gone for many years now. This year’s CES only

>confirmed it again.

>

>Steve F.

>

That's great information, Steve! It further reinforces the changes in the industry in general as well as the virtual demise of the AR brand in audio. I believe it is delusional for any company to think that the glorious days of audio are still anywhere around -- they appear to be gone forever; on the other hand, when a company (Audiovox) has the branding of a once-famous company in loudspeakers, you would think that at least a few well-designed products might bear that proud name. Maybe they should dismiss their marketing director and replace him/her with someone familiar with the industry.

Does this sort of realization also reinforce the importance of perpetuating the proud name ("AR") in audio by preserving and restoring the old stuff? Beyond the pleasure of simply owning and listening to a good pair of AR speakers is the proof that collecting them can be financially rewarding. The value of old AR equipment on the used market has skyrocketed in recent years and appears to be catching up with some other names in the industry, such as JBL, Altec Lansing and Western Electric.

--Tom Tyson

[soundminded]

Except for those who own their own business and treat it at least in part as a hobby, sentiment has no place in business decisions. Those who think otherwise go broke. Those who think all they have to do is build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to their door also go broke. So do those who rest on their laurels, living on past achievement. The world moves on. Empires rise and fall and whatever it took to create them, the arrogance which comes from dominance and a feeling of invulnerability is usually all it takes to assure their decline and demise. Bill Gates knows that. We are custodians of history. The sun set on the British Empire, on ancient Greece and Rome, on Persia, and on Acoustic Research. They have their stone monuments, we have our AR speakers. I for one would not trade.