NHT Returns to a New Marketplace?

I'd guess that a lot of the speakers that change hands on Audiogon are purchased "blind" ("deaf"?). If NHT's on-line distribution allows value unavailable from bricks and mortar (i.e. remove the retail mark-up), they'll find some market share. A fair number of high end buyers seem to know what they want, even if they've never actually heard it.

Marty

>So even knowing how good of a product they did make and could make , I still would not buy without being able to evaluate a products performance to my tastes , needs and expectations. My fear is the reality that this will soon be the "norm". Cheers....

You don't have to move very far up the food chain to where it becomes more economical to fly to audition speakers (perhaps to a showroom, perhaps to a show) than to cover brick-and-mortar markups.

In high-end territory the savings almost cover a nice three year old car plus you're getting a made-to-order product with potentially unlimited materials/finish options.

My favorite example is Siegfried Linkwitz's designs.

His Audio Artistry Beethoven Elite (with the merely bi-amplified version declared 1998 Stereophile Loudspeaker of the Year) sold for $37,500 in 1998 dollars through retail channels.

He said that his Orion is superior in all areas but maximum output at low frequencies; where a pair of Thors fix that deficiency.

The Orion starts around $6500 a pair without amplification ordered direct and built by an American furniture maker in your choice of hardwoods+veneers. Thors add $2150.

Hmmm...

I just read the Stereophile article

http://www.stereophile.com/news/nht_returns_to_a_new_marketplace/

and then went to "www.amazon.com" and searched "anthony gallo speakers",

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=anthony+gallo+speakers&x=13&y=22

I got no results that pertained to "Anthony Gallo Speakers", but Martin Logan did come up. I'm not sure where the additional info came from(?)

Yes Herman there is no less than a half a dozen high end retailers within a 2 hour drive for me. Even still though the brand or model may not be sold by any of them. I can,t argue with any of the points made here regarding speakers being bought blind on the gon or Drew's point of the cost savings. The logistics of shipping and the costs and risks of doing so have to be thought of as well. If warantee or service is required how will that be done? Will there still be authorized service offered outside the manufacturer themselves to reduce transit costs and time. I do however think that most people would prefer to see and hear a products performance over blind but those days as some have stated are going, going, gon ! If this new model of business still has the customer themselves in the equation and not just the dollars and sales it would be good for all, except the brick and mortar guys. I realise this is going to be the future for alot of business but It does not mean I have to not have concerns about it as the consumer. Cheers

Has2be,

In your response, you mention shipping as a negative aspect of the direct model. Fact is, the product needs to be shipped to your dealer, and there really isn't any difference in how the packages are handled, whether they're shipped to you or your dealer. The costs of that shipping are also built into the price you pay at the dealer, that's one reason that products sold direct are advertised at lower cost, shipping is usually added on at the end, rather than bundled into the initial price.