Is M&K Gone?

[tubesaregood]

Maybe one of you could e-mail Ken Kreisel if you're that interested? Just a thought.

 

[Seth=L]

Maybe one of you could e-mail Ken Kreisel if you're that interested? Just a thought.

I already have, twice actually. I emailed him asking about the company and then I emailed him again to see if he would be kind enough to get a schematic for the MX-100 I have.

 

[tubesaregood]

What'd he say about the company, or have you not heard back? Now I'm getting curious although I have no investment or prior interest in the company.

 

[gcmarshall]

the way the web page is worded, along with the fact that they are introducing new products, seems to indicate that the company is still operating. i agree with an earlier post - it seems the factory is closing, but there is no mention of the compny closing; thus, my guess would be that they are going to contract with an overseas factory, likely in asia, india, etc.? i can't confirm that, but if the company were closing, i think they would have said so very clearly.

 

[Jack Hammer]

It's hard to guess what they are doing. I sent an email asking if the were still in business and how this change would affect my warranty. I haven't heard back yet, but kind of expect it to take a week or so. I imagine Ken Kreisel is fairly busy at the moment. I really like their stuff. I hope they manage to work through whatever problems they are having.

Jack

 

[jsantos615]

They never seemed to really take on the consumer market as strongly as I would have thought they could have.

M&K was the first powered sub I ever listened to...and it blew me away! However Clint is right, as a consumer, I was really disappointed with their customer service and thus bought Monitor Audio speakers instead. It's sad, really...aside from the sound, part of what made me consider M&K was that I could get a great speaker, made in the US, for a reasonable price. Hopefully the employees of the factory will fare well.

I also found this article:

http://www.cepro.com/news/editorial/17789.html

My first pair of new 'real' speakers about 13 years ago: Boston Acoustics HD-9s, which are still in the family to this day. BA just wasn't the same after they started offshoring. If M&K does start offshore manufacturing, I hope they find a way to keep their identity.

 

[Dolby CP-200]

My heart has sank, I really feel puke like now. I blame SVS!

Maybe they are just taking a breather. God I hope that is what it is.

M&K was a good contributor to the home cinema market place during the 1990’s and now they have gone into liquidation! SVS suck!

 

[Tex-amp]

HOLY CRAP! I don't think they are going out of business just yet. They are making changes on the format of the site. I don't know why they would waste time doing that if they were going out of business.

You know, maybe they just had a private sale. Someone might have purchased M&K and is moving the operation to a more cost effective location as David said, that might be a possibility.

Dave Fabrikant of Ascend Acoustics, who is a former M&K engineer/designer, posted some about it on the Ascend forum.

I think this is the key statement of his-

"It is my understanding that they are completely shut down and every employee (including the sales force) has been let go."


http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showthread.php?p=21233#post21233

 

[Seth=L]

They keep changing the site at M&K sound, I am not sure what to think.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

I used to see M&K ads every time I picked up an audio-related magazine. I hardly ever see them anymore. Never heard their speakers, but they had a good reputation.

 

[pbarach1]

They keep changing the site at M&K sound, I am not sure what to think.

What's changed? This site has looked exactly the same as it did three or four days ago when the factory closure announcement was posted. Also, I wrote to Ken Kreisel and never got a response.

 

[Seth=L]

What's changed? This site has looked exactly the same as it did three or four days ago when the factory closure announcement was posted. Also, I wrote to Ken Kreisel and never got a response.

They had changed the format of the site, but now it appears they reverted it and added a few more items to there listing. I am not sure what to think though because the store was closed a few days ago and no it has the same message as the opening page on it. The probably are closed, just someone jacking around with it I guess.

 

[Seth=L]

Dope, nevermind.

http://www.cepro.com/news/editorial/17789.html

This sucks!

 

[abboudc]

Just got a reply from Ken...looks like they are out of business, but ken alludes to staying in audio:

Chris,

Thank you for your very kind words.

I am sorry it took me so long to send you a reply but I'm getting hundreds of emails every day from all over the world from M&K and Ken Kreisel fans like yourself.

Unfortunately, we have decided to close the M&K business.

Hopefully I will have more general answers for you in a few weeks, as well as information about orders, repairs, and parts and will email you with more details as soon as possible.

Rest assured, my love and passion has always been and will continue to be to design and build the world's best loudspeakers.

My new direct email address is: **EDITED**. I apologize in advance if any future email from you is not answered immediately by me due to the very large volume of emails I am receiving at this time.

In the meantime,

Good Sound To You.....Always,

KEN KREISEL

 

[RandyChicago]

I feel like I've lost a family member with M&K closing! I already have a MX-7000 and a pair of S-85s for my video-editing suite, and my parents bought all M&K speakers for their new house, at my prompting...they picked up (9) SW-49 in-walls, a MX-2500SF, a MPS-5410, (6) S-150s, and (4) small white M&Ks for patio use. I was hoping to sell my Dahlquists this summer and switch to all S-150s as well!

I spoke with Barry Ober last Wednesday, who didn't want to discuss it (I don't blame him) and told me to write Ken directly. I wrote Ken, and he replied, literally eight minutes later.

Randy

_______________________________________________
Date: 2/28/2007 5:52:24 P.M. Central Standard Time

Randy,

Thank you so much for your very kind email and for all the M&K speakers you have purchases. I continue to receive hundreds of emails like yours and have not started to reply yet due to my schedule at the moment. I also want to wait a few days and let the "smoke settle" so I can write a little more as to why I closed M&K.

Your email, which just came in, is the first response I have sent to anyone.

Again, I should be emailing you soon with more detailed information.

In the meantime,

GOOD SOUND TO YOU.....ALWAYS,

KEN KREISEL

 

[Sheep]

The second one of you guys gets a reason, please post it.

SheepStar

 

[Chuck V]

Does not look good at all:

http://www.stereophile.com/news/030507kreisel/

 

[Chuck V]

New Owners to Re-Vitalize US Loudspeaker Brand Miller & Kreisel

Interesting news.

I have no clue where this is going for those that are wondering about warranty and other issues. Time will tell.

New Owners to Re-Vitalize US Loudspeaker Brand Miller & Kreisel

August 1, 2007 – Leading American loudspeaker manufacturer Miller & Kreisel have announced that effective immediately, new ownership and management are in place, taking control of the Miller & Kreisel brand and all associated intellectual property.

“The transition will be smooth and completely transparent to M&K distributors, dealers and owners worldwide,” announced new co-owner Per Becher. “Three decades as a thriving, innovative enterprise under the guidance of the original founder is a remarkable achievement and, naturally, we are taking an ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach in our efforts to re-vitalize the popular and acclaimed Miller & Kreisel product line.”

The influx of fresh capital will also ensure timely delivery and consistent availability of M&K products, as the new management team gears up to meet increasing global demand for Miller & Kreisel.

Continuity in product development and marketing is assured by the presence of co-owner Asger Bak, a key figure in the expansion of Miller & Kreisel beyond the US market since 2000.

“The brand has a truly unique heritage and a strong market presence that transcends the traditional boundaries between professional and consumer audio,” Asger Bak explains. “Our plan is to build on that solid foundation and ensure the continued growth of Miller & Kreisel, both commercially and in terms of the high regard in which the brand and its products are held by the audio press, the film and music industries as well as consumers.”

Asger Bak and Per Becher will be available for meetings during the IFA show in Berlin in late August and early September.

/Chuck

 

[Tex-amp]

They actioned off all of M&K's stuff, including the IP which has been reported to include the name, last month. I believe I read a Danish company bought the IP(intellectual property).

 

[abboudc]

I'm not sure how continuity will be possible without Ken Kreisel. I'm also betting the new company wish eschew some of the things that made M&K what it was, like testing every single speaker that left the factory as these things surely subtract from the bottom line. Personally, i'm not holding my breath.

Ken said he'd be continuing on in audio, not sure if he meant he'd start a new company.