There are a multitude of reasons (or any combination thereof) why a company can choose to close the doors, halt production and/or go out of business - willingly or unwillingly. What a company discloses for public consumption may or maynot encapsulate the entire situation.
Opening a business is a huge hurdle… staying in business is never easy.
I feel a deep loss when companies or dealers close - competitors or not. I agree this Industry narrowed over the years where some are saying High-End Audio lacks younger blood, however we are seeing and hearing from more youthful audiences who are becoming aware of good, better and higher levels of sonic and musical qualities that are available, just like a lot of us discovered in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.
After spending my lifetime in audio, music and live sound, I remain an optimist. Based on my experience, people who love music, sound, video, entertainment and the live performance will continue to repopulate the High-End Audio marketplace and for the same reasons we all share in common.
Regards to the statements made here concerning much lesser priced electronics costing in the low hundreds; if cheaper $200 components could “consistently outperform” those offerings from many companies costing tens of thousands of dollars… would everyone of us require a new set of ears or better yet - exactly the same hearing standard? Would the acceptance of this phenomena also include a new mindset to deal with our failed investments and years of working on our systems getting them to sound more musical and closer to the live performance? That $120 amplifier should be in every household, studio, theater, etc… please someone contact marketing!
To say High End Audio is declining or dead is rubbish. The marketplace is just getting much tougher. Any one can observe the multitude of new name brands being presented along with the many historics we have come to know overtime. From our company’s standpoint business has never been better. There was a boom in the nineties, then a loss followed by recession but that’s the way business trends. What goes up will come down and vise versa especially over time and there will always be companies that come and go.
Heck, I’m in my mid-sixties and just getting started. Long live audio and hoping to see all of you in Chicago this weekend.
Robert - Star Sound