B&W To Be Sold At Best Buy

[anamorphic96]

Came across this bit of news which actually surprised me. It does not look like the 800 series will be sold in Magnolias but primarily the 600 series along with the CM series and there other HT oriented lines.

B&W is hurting like many other companies since many of there dealers have gone out of business. In Southern California they have recently lost Ken Cranes and Anderson's which where there biggest dealers in that area. So it makes sense and hopefully many more people will be exposed to better gear. I just wish the Magnolia stores where more consistent with having truly knowledgeable sales people.

http://www.avrev.com/home-theater-news/speaker-systems-news/b-w-expands-sales-through-magnolia.html

 

[3db]

Came across this bit of news which actually surprised me. It does not look like the 800 series will be sold in Magnolias but primarily the 600 series along with the CM series and there other HT oriented lines.

B&W is hurting like many other companies since many of there dealers have gone out of business. In Southern California they have recently lost Ken Cranes and Anderson's which where there biggest dealers in that area. So it makes sense and hopefully many more people will be exposed to better gear. I just wish the Magnolia stores where more consistent with having truly knowledgeable sales people.

http://www.avrev.com/home-theater-news/speaker-systems-news/b-w-expands-sales-through-magnolia.html

I noticed another line up here in Canada that are being sold by Best Buy ..dam if I can remember them..just looked it up.. Boston Acoustics. Thats new to Best Buy in Canada

 

[markw]

I still think their finest hour was when they sold the Athena Audition series a few years ago. Great performance for the price but the masses were more impressed with the boom and tizz of the competition.

 

[3db]

I still think their finest hour was when they sold the Athena Audition series a few years ago. Great performance for the price but the masses were more impressed with the boom and tizz of the competition.

I agree. And in those horrble environments, it was impossible to sit and do a serious audition.

 

[billy p]

We don't have Magnoila here in Canada. Just wondering if they keep prices close to the vest for their retailers or won't their buying power help pass on the saving to the customer? Another positive from my POV is now you can buy the aforementioned or any speakers, audition them at home without having that stupid 10-15% restocking fee levied if you decide to return them.

 

[chris357]

I auditioned a pair of 803's at a Barretts and the were set up badly and they played MP3 music.. I was not real impressed. then I went to a store who is now out of business and was blown away with a pair of 804d's. the sad part is BB and magnolia will handle them like vienna's and martin logans. and in order to get anything higher end it will be order only with no return policy.

I know these companies have to have a retail outlet but damn BB sucks

 

[FIqbal]

This is an interim solution for high end producers like B&W. Ultimately they and others like Paradigm, PSB, Revel etc will have to go online only. It may be sad for some but inevitable.

 

[3db]

This is an interim solution for high end producers like B&W. Ultimately they and others like Paradigm, PSB, Revel etc will have to go online only. It may be sad for some but inevitable.

I still remembered a dealer here carrying Axiom and the net year he stopped satting that the company is internet only. It maybe cheaper to buy off the net but to me, its worth the extra money to audition then to be foreced to do a repackage, and return if I don't like them.

 

[tom67]

They will have 3 problems.....(at least at our local Magnolia Kiosk at BB)

1. For the most part, the clientle know nothing about audio and their product will be surrounded by cheap speakers....cheap wins in America...witness self service gas stations.They do not always have the most skilled sales force working the floor either

2. They do not equalize speakers for sensitivity, and invariable, speakers like Klipsch shine, because the average consumer perceives louder as better...

3. A lot of the people who would buy their speakers are the type that prefer boutique type stores.....and BB will only hasten their demise.

Like someone else said, they would do better going direct on line and cutting prices a bit--perhaps have a 30 day return policy.

 

[lsiberian]

They will have 3 problems.....(at least at our local Magnolia Kiosk at BB)

1. For the most part, the clientle know nothing about audio and their product will be surrounded by cheap speakers....cheap wins in America...witness self service gas stations.They do not always have the most skilled sales force working the floor either

2. They do not equalize speakers for sensitivity, and invariable, speakers like Klipsch shine, because the average consumer perceives louder as better...

3. A lot of the people who would buy their speakers are the type that prefer boutique type stores.....and BB will only hasten their demise.

Like someone else said, they would do better going direct on line and cutting prices a bit--perhaps have a 30 day return policy.

Well it will give them a fighting chance and I'd imagine that best buy would do their best to push B&W since it really is a quality brand. Furthermore when I am dragged to these stores I will at least have a speaker to listen to in that section.

 

[anamorphic96]

They will have 3 problems.....(at least at our local Magnolia Kiosk at BB)

1. For the most part, the clientle know nothing about audio and their product will be surrounded by cheap speakers....cheap wins in America...witness self service gas stations.They do not always have the most skilled sales force working the floor either

2. They do not equalize speakers for sensitivity, and invariable, speakers like Klipsch shine, because the average consumer perceives louder as better...

3. A lot of the people who would buy their speakers are the type that prefer boutique type stores.....and BB will only hasten their demise.

Like someone else said, they would do better going direct on line and cutting prices a bit--perhaps have a 30 day return policy.

I agree with #1 to some extent. However Magnolia Kiosk/Outlets have been very successful and do very well at most stores. The ones that don't tend to get shut down. So even though the cheap stuff is out on the floor people are buying the better brands. Defintive Technology is there best selling speaker line along with Martin Logan and Vienna. They recently dropped all the upper end Klipsch lines in favor of Energy as the Klipsch was not selling very well.

As far as #2 goes. No dealership I have ever been to equalize there speakers for sensitivity. Yes some people do gravitate towards the louder speakers, but not always. Especially if things are explained correctly to the customer.

None of the high end brand names have been tarnished by Magnolia and all of the speaker companies carried in Magnolia where a boutique brand before being sold at Magnolia. BB will not hasten their demise in any way. If anything more people will get a chance to experience real audio equipment and realize what they have been missing. Not everyone will become a a convert but many will jump ship for real audio equipment. B&W serves to only help this conversion.

 

[adwilk]

Well it will give them a fighting chance and I'd imagine that best buy would do their best to push B&W since it really is a quality brand. Furthermore when I am dragged to these stores I will at least have a speaker to listen to in that section.

I'm certainly not disagreeing with you, but I think best buy couldn't care less about quality products. They are more concerned with margins and add-ons, and the management pushes the staff to sell what looks best on paper.

 

[JJMP50]

Probably just a local concern, but my local BB/Mag is only about a mile away from the high end store Gramophone. They seem to specialize in B&W and Totem, not a lot of other choices there although not bad choices. Wonder how that will effect their relationship with B&W. Ironicly the Tweeter store was located about half way between the two. Of course they're gone now.

Stopped by BB a couple days ago and checked out what they had. Martin Logan, DefTech, Energy, Mirage, Vienna Accoustics for the Mag store. Only Polk and Klipsch on the main floor and cheap lines at that. They had a pair of Vienna Accoustics for sale that were half off but they were beat to death-big chips and scatches. Not in the market, I was just killing time but I haven't made a B&M purchase in years. The internet is the only way now.

 

[tom67]

I meant "hasten their demise" referring to boutique stores, not the brands, but its probably academic since most are on their way out anyway...

 

[annunaki]

Knowing B&W, I would be quite positive that they will have entered into a deal like this very carefully protecting their interests very closely.

I would guess that they will probably send out trainers as well to educate staff on their product.

 

[TjMV3]

They could sell them at Harris Teeter and Food Lion, with a MVP Card member discount ...and I still wouldn't buy them

 

[highfigh]

I'm certainly not disagreeing with you, but I think best buy couldn't care less about quality products. They are more concerned with margins and add-ons, and the management pushes the staff to sell what looks best on paper.

If they make enough on them, they'll be a "push line". If not, they'll find something else. If people think they're too expensive, they'll buy Klipsch or something else.

BTW, Klipsch, who told the people at Jamo that nothing would change, has fired everyone who hadn't already quit. They bought Jamo because Jamo already had worldwide distribution and it takes longer than Klipsch wanted to be able to sell world-wide (CE rating, etc).

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

They could sell them at Harris Teeter and Food Lion, with a MVP Card member discount ...and I still wouldn't buy them

What?

You don't like B&W?

But why not?

I saw some B&W, Bose, & some other desktop speaker systems in an Apple store at the mall. I would buy B&W over the other guys.

 

[TjMV3]

What?

I saw some B&W, Bose, & some other desktop speaker systems in an Apple store at the mall. I would buy B&W over the other guys.

Depends. Is there a gun to my head and a 10" saw-toothed hunting knife to my throat, in this scenario?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Depends. Is there a gun to my head and a 10" saw-toothed hunting knife to my throat, in this scenario?

There is a high-powered watergun to your face and a boxing glove to head.