NHT Returns to a New Marketplace?


'New Marketplace', Is that our future?

There is an interesting writeup on Stereophile about NHT's return with a new business model that eliminates brick and mortar retailers. On line, their own and some other names will be used. It states that there are only about 40 of these retailers left, so with the fall off in audiophile interest it didn't make sense to use that channel of distribtion. It cites Martin Logan and Gallo as now using the online mode.

So, all you need is good writeups in the audio 'rags' and the orders will be coming in, they think. My quess is no. What do you think.

buconero117
>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.
Sorry Barry, Your wrong !!! Are you saying you would buy goods damaged in transit from the dealer .The dealer won,t offer them and you would be relieved of the problem. Of course shipping is built into the price of anything and has nothing to do with protecting you , just the cost to get it to you in one or numerous peices. If you buy it and it arrives to you damaged , YOU are in the seat for returns , insurance claims, your money tied up and still no product to listen to but paid for.And you would be dealing with the shipping company not the manufacturer for any claim of damage. And there is a disticnt differance in shipping with dealers and direct to you. The dealers product would of been part of a bulk load sent to a warehousing facility centrally located where damaged goods are returned to the manufacturer. Then from a central location sent out to the dealers where if received damaged is refused and sent back. I,m really amazed that people can,t see that, at least until it happens to them then its a different set of veiws they have. I agree that mark ups are the norm but also know that hi end audio would never of advanced as far as it has without the brick and mortar guys that supplied inventoried and backed the products they sell. So under this new model that claims the dealer and the disrtibutors mark up products in the 40 % range then we should expect prices to drop 40 % and quality be maintained. Don,t hold your breath on it!