Audio Research in Receivership.

I don't know why their amps look like a cheap Kenmore oven. For this much money, couldn't they look nice(r)?

I know, it's subjective mostly, the sound matters a 50 times more

@Mr_Bill, thanks for the heads up! Indeed, the 50 series looks fascinating and in my opinion the right product to go to market with. Next, great marketing to reach Millennials with extra cash to get their first really nice system. If I was in product development for ARC, I would have included a high quality DAC/ streamer / phono stage for an extra 2k rounding it out to around 5.5k. Its just about affordable enough for younger folks with moderately decent disposable income and would represent a far larger market with which to drive sales. 
 

ARC should not give up, but go all in on this one more time - forget uber high-end focus for the immediate present.

One problem with I50 and some others is you cant tube roll easily. Thats a big knock.  Audio Research had 3 dealers within 30 minutes of me over the last 5 years or so.  They've ALL been stripped of the ARC brand because they didnt sell enough units.  It wasnt the dealers choice to have the brand removed.

The European Brands seem to have a leg up on the iconic American brands when it comes to new technology in 2 channel hi- fi. They are the "innovators"....the Chinese companies on the other hand are the "best bang for the buck" suppliers.......the American companies are the "brands we grew up with" suppliers not necessarily the best innovators or the best "value".........Having said that , it’s good to support American companies but becoming harder and harder as fresh new products are introduced by the Europeans and Chinese that just sound fantastic . I do notice that the show crowds seem to be getting older and older.....not a good sign for 2 channel.

@4afsanakhan 

Example of a successful brand bridging the gap; Technics (by Panasonic).

“I’m going to cross shop Technics, Devialet and Audio Research” said no one, ever. In the history of the world.

Listen, you and I can agree to disagree on the semantics of what is or isn’t high end. ARC products or even pricing wasn’t the problem. Strategic blunders by the most recent leadership, financial mismanagement and a crippling debt load each contributed to a viable business stumbling. ARC will come out the other side just fine and refocus its efforts on what its good at building. I see many here on Audiogon talk about the high end market shrinking….the fact is that the high end has never been better. Companies come and go in every industry.

I also tire of reading how bad the economy is, how there is no disposable income, how every audiophile and audio show is populated by predoninantly old men. But that was true 20 years ago and yet, here we are coming off the two best years high end audio has experienced in a couple of generations. Obviously the older generation continues to be replaced with the next generation of older consumers. There has never been a time in this hobby where there was a broader, deeper and better set of gear from which to choose. Young people today are diving in to vinyl, enjoying the interactive, tactile hifi experience.