audio research sells out good or bad ?

Audio Research will not be hurt by this transaction ... if anything, it will be bettered by the input of more financial capital. All the personnel will remain and Terry Dorn, who has been the number two man behind Bill Johnson for several years, is now the president. Bill Johnson is "honorary chairman of the board." And, as he has always done, he will still be active in designing and refining ARC products. Even though he is 80 years of age, he is still in good health and still has those golden ears. He still spends part of the year in Minnesota and goes into the office regularly, and the other part of the year he works out of his home office in California. The quality of the ARC product will still be in the tradition of what William Zane Johnson has established over the past 30 odd years. He would never have allowed his company to be bought out if the quality of the product or his personnel were going to suffer. You can bet on that. I have enjoyed so many of the ARC products over the years, and I know I will continue to enjoy the music that ARC makes possible. I have on order now an LS26 preamp and the new VS115 power amp ... I can hardly wait to drive my Merlin VSM-MXe's with those glowing tubes!

Return On Investment is the driving force behind many problems in our economy. We have decided as a people that money is the most important thing in the world and the product or service is just a way to get some. Quality of product and service is just a B.S. slogan for far too many companies.

I just retired from Allstate Insurance after 30 years. When they went public 12 years ago they were number 6 in the top 12 insurance companies as regards measured customer service. Today they are number 11 - one more point drop and Allstate is the worst customer service provider in the business. But their profits have been huge and the stock is doing great, thank you. The company has substantially reduced staffing in all departments (especially claims) and profits have risen accordingly. Even though that company provides one of the worst products in the business, they are only concerned about short term profits and are continuing to gut the company to provide them.

I've always gotten a different impression from high end audio companies. I once was told by Nelson Pass (by phone) that he didn't think I, as a tube guy, would be happy with one of his amps. He sounded genuine and this is what makes me wants to actually buy a product from him. I had a similar experience with a high end speaker company. The company rep told me their speakers tend toward the lean and detail end of the spectrum. Advised me not to buy if I liked what he called "The middle body of the note". This is a company who builds products the old fashioned way - to their vision and the best way they know how and someone I'd like to do business with.

Who knows if they will still be producing the same quality components? From what I have read, William Z. Johnson was not sitting in an armchair directing the company. He was still designing many of those great reference pieces.

I guess the one yardstick that should be used here to measure the future of ARC is: What has happened at Sonus Faber since they were bought out. Are they now produced in China? I really don't think that the new owners won't try to fix what isn't broken. Remember years ago what happen with Nakamichi? Where is that name plate now? I doubt that investors would risk a few short years of spurt sales hanging on the reputation of a brand like ARC or Sonus Faber. As mentioned McIntosh has actually improved with the influx of money for R&D. They have a broader product catalog than ever before, and still mostly build or finished in Binghamton NY. Hey maybe we will see a ARC Turntable again? I have plans to buy ARC preamp later this years and this doesn't change my plans. I think that they will be around for the forseeable future and continue to held on a High End platform in the audiophile world.
All just one man's opinion of course.

I can say one thing from my job perspective.
I have worked at the job I am at now for 18 years.
When I started here, the company was headed up and run by 2 brothers and they traveled from state to state and country to country to keep there FAMILY buisness thriving.
They took risks and invested in People, the bottom line was impoertant< but the people who worked for them were just as important, over the last 7 yearsmy place of imployment has changed, 7 years ago the brothers retired, they gave the reins to the Family, and in turn the family brought in people who's only interest was $$$$$$.
Our quality has gone down as has the pride and worth of the Associates. so from what I have sen the PASSION of the brother sis GONE, and the only thing now is the $$$$$$.