More Bad News AT Thiel

They made the decision a few years ago that lifestyle speakers were the future. That is consistent w/the current CEO in charge. They are in a show this weekend in Nashville. Thiel is the only electronics rep. Other vendors include upscale foot ware,  custom hats, trendy Jewlery and a business called Otis James they're known for making custom tweed bow ties. The one positive was whiskey tasting will also be there. So if your in the area get a Thiel Aurora Home for the reduced price of $675 a tweed bow tie to wear and a bottle of premium whiskey while listening to some tunes. 

So I went to their website for the first time ever - having only a passing experience with Thiel. What struck me most was its sparseness and lack of any depth. Huge emphasis on the small bluetooth monitors; large emphasis on merchandise and swag; not a lot of anything on the speakers I knew. I'm not sure if they're just assuming this is where audio is heading - bluetooth monitors designed to look like anonymous household items marketed to well-off suburban women - but there's nothing on that site that would make me want to buy its products any more than any other audio website. And I'm not sure if their "lifestyle" products are marketed enough to differentiate from the Bose saturation.

Agree.

It’s not only that they are not selling anything like the actual Thiel speakers: what they even are selling just leaves you scratching your head. Like "who needs yet another bland me-too wireless speaker?"
There’s just nothing compelling about the site or brand on any level at this point, even to differentiate it from competitors selling the same products. I get a palpable sense of folks who are confused about what to do with the brand. Can’t see it lasting much longer.

The 4th Quarter is the most critical time in retail. The results should reveal what is going to happen w/this company.

Take a look at their "3rd Avenue Collection" in the Shop section of the web site.  These are the speakers that were developed post-acquisition, prior to their recent pivot into life-style and blue-tooth.  They are already referring to the 3rd Avenue Collection as "legacy" models.  What's left of audiophile in the company smells like burned toast.