Parent Company of Paradigm and MartinLogan Buys GoldenEar From Audioquest

[gene]

Five years ago, GoldenEar Technology founder Sandy Gross announced his well-earned retirement from the audio business, alongside the bombshell revelation that he had sold his respected loudspeaker manufacturing firm to The Quest Group, parent company to Audioquest. Now GoldenEar has changed hands yet again, this time finding a home with PML Sound International, the parent company of Paradigm, Anthem, and MartinLogan. Effective January 1, 2025, GoldenEar will operate under its new identity as GoldenEar Studio Inc. According to PML, GoldenEar will continue its legacy of delivering premium audio experiences while benefiting from PML’s expertise in innovation, engineering, and manufacturing.

A loudspeaker company should be run by a group with expertise in designing and manufacturing loudspeakers, not a company selling exotic cables with questionable marketing claims. I'm very pleased to see the acquisition of GoldenEar by a very research and engineering driven firm like PML and look forward to seeing how their products evolve in the future as a result of this acquisition.

Will engineering-focused leadership unlock GoldenEar's full potential post-AudioQuest?

Read: Parent Company of Paradigm and MartinLogan Buys GoldenEar From Audioquest

 

[Cos]

Golden Ear has been stagnate for a while, they really have not released any new products outside of the T66 and some subs. This could be a good opportunity to move ahead "beyond the socks" and speakers as tall as me. I am curious if they will move manufacturing back to Canada. That would be a huge plus.

 

[Parag]

Unique market positioning for the Golden Ear brand will be key. They will have a different customer than Paradigm or ML. I like the idea of adding ARC and streaming to the GE lineup. Go tech-forward and leave the audiophile purist for the other lines. Compete with Sonos and Klipsch but higher end. Get the customers who appreciate B&O but don't want to spend that much. Eliminate the need for an AVR and all that furniture and cables and offer the modern/younger customer a clean hi-tech solution.

 

[Cos]

Unique market positioning for the Golden Ear brand will be key. They will have a different customer than Paradigm or ML. I like the idea of adding ARC and streaming to the GE lineup. Go tech-forward and leave the audiophile purist for the other lines. Compete with Sonos and Klipsch but higher end. Get the customers who appreciate B&O but don't want to spend that much. Eliminate the need for an AVR and all that furniture and cables and offer the modern/younger customer a clean hi-tech solution.

They could also go the powered route. When I spoke to Sandy at a CES a few years back the BRX were supposed to be wireless powered speakers, if I remember correctly. Could differentiate itself in their lineup.

 

[Golfx]

Unique market positioning for the Golden Ear brand will be key. They will have a different customer than Paradigm or ML. I like the idea of adding ARC and streaming to the GE lineup. Go tech-forward and leave the audiophile purist for the other lines. Compete with Sonos and Klipsch but higher end. Get the customers who appreciate B&O but don't want to spend that much. Eliminate the need for an AVR and all that furniture and cables and offer the modern/younger customer a clean hi-tech solution.

? AVRs and all that furniture and cables. Still need power. Still need source(S). Still need furniture. Still need cables.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I like the idea of adding ARC and streaming to the GE lineup.

You mean adding ARC Room Correction INTO the Golden Ear speaker BUILT-IN with power amps?

That could attract a certain group who wants all speakers to have built-in amps/EQ/DSP.

 

[Cos]

You mean adding ARC Room Correction INTO the Golden Ear speaker BUILT-IN with power amps?

That could attract a certain group who wants all speakers to have built-in amps/EQ/DSP.

Like a KEF LS60 with room correction, if that is technically possible, it was be an "Easy(Easier) Mode" 2 channel setup for those that don't want to invest the $$$ in all the separates and technically obsess over every single detail. Easier for gen Z to adopt . Less cables, HDMI and Ethernet and power. Easier to integrate into a room than having space for all the equipment and higher WAF.

 

[Golfx]

Like a KEF LS60 with room correction, if that is technically possible, it was be an "Easy(Easier) Mode" 2 channel setup for those that don't want to invest the $$$ in all the separates and technically obsess over every single detail. Easier for gen Z to adopt . Less cables, HDMI and Ethernet and power. Easier to integrate into a room than having space for all the equipment and higher WAF.

Sounds like optimistic excuses. Until an amp fails. Uh oh

 

[Trell]

You mean adding ARC Room Correction INTO the Golden Ear speaker BUILT-IN with power amps?

That could attract a certain group who wants all speakers to have built-in amps/EQ/DSP.

My two Genelec 2.1 setups have built-in amps/EQ/DSP in each monitor and subwoofer.

As they are for desktop usage that is very handy for me not having to run EQ software on the PC, except during calibration and setup. Not inexpensive, though.

 

[Trell]

Sounds like optimistic excuses. Until an amp fails. Uh oh

Just like for subwoofers that for the most part have their own amplification, but it was a concern when buying fairly expensive (for me) active monitors. Genelec has a good reputation for quality and support, along with supporting their products for a long time.

 

[Golfx]

Just like for subwoofers that for the most part have their own amplification, but it was a concern when buying fairly expensive (for me) active monitors. Genelec has a good reputation for quality and support, along with supporting their products for a long time.

Same with Dutch and Dutch. Also good speakers and reputation

 

[Cos]

Sounds like optimistic excuses. Until an amp fails. Uh oh

Optimistic Excuses makes no sense. Yes you run the risk of amps going bad, but probably much less heat generated than your typical AVR.

 

[Golfx]

Optimistic Excuses makes no sense. Yes you run the risk of amps going bad, but probably much less heat generated than your typical AVR.

Only makes “no sense” to your brain. Class D amps give off less heat. Probably what is inside active speakers.

At one time long ago I was going to go active speakers—until I realized each speaker would need an ac power source. So no speaker cables but an ac outlet. Hmmm not that practical for surround and atmos speakers.

 

[Cos]

Only makes “no sense” to your brain. Class D amps give off less heat. Probably what is inside active speakers.

At one time long ago I was going to go active speakers—until I realized each speaker would need an ac power source. So no speaker cables but an ac outlet. Hmmm not that practical for surround and atmos speakers.

Not just my brain, your reply doesn't make sense based on my post.

• To your point: AVRs still get hot with 11 channels of amps in them, even class D
• To my point: I stated 2 channel I didn't discuss it in regard to an atmos solution, please read.
• Two wall outlets, so inconvenient? comparing it to what? a Receiver or Pre/Pro & Separate amps, speaker wire from avr to the speakers.

If I am in a townhome or smaller home with limited space, powered speakers make a lot sense then trying to jam in all the extra equipment, hence my comment about Gen Z. So Yes, less cables, no furniture/space needed for your AVR. In the case of GE speakers with integrated Subs, saves space there too. That was my point.

 

[Verdinut]

Not just my brain, your reply doesn't make sense based on my post.

• To your point: AVRs still get hot with 11 channels of amps in them, even class D
• To my point: I stated 2 channel I didn't discuss it in regard to an atmos solution, please read.
• Two wall outlets, so inconvenient? comparing it to what? a Receiver or Pre/Pro & Separate amps, speaker wire from avr to the speakers.

If I am in a townhome or smaller home with limited space, powered speakers make a lot sense then trying to jam in all the extra equipment, hence my comment about Gen Z. So Yes, less cables, no furniture/space needed for your AVR. In the case of GE speakers with integrated Subs, saves space there too. That was my point.

Less speaker cables but possibly more AC power cords hanging around if you don't have outlets close to each powered speaker.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

.
At one time long ago I was going to go active speakers—until I realized each speaker would need an ac power source. So no speaker cables but an ac outlet.

It’s you and me against @TLS Guy and the fans of internal-Amp/EQ/DSP-speakers.

The argument goes on and on. Both sides have their points, especially THEORETICALLY. In the end, both are good options because both types of systems can ACTUALLY sound equally good.

It makes sense to me to not put any electronics inside speakers and subs - to not rely on the electronics inside the speakers/subs when the electronics can be external, making them easier to replace or service.

I think there is a good reason why some speakers/subs have a 10YR warranty, but their internal amps/electronics only have a 1 - 3 Yr warranty. There is a reason why Bryston offers a 25YR warranty on their analog class AB amps, but only 5YR warranty on their DIGITAL electronics- the more digital and electronics you put inside a component (including speakers and subs), the higher the risk of malfunction (I have a friend who already needed service on his two $5K Perlisten sub-amps in less than 1YR).

But if people want to put amps/DSP/EQ inside everything and hope these electronics never fail inside the speakers/subs, that’s okay with me too because it’s their choices. We all have to live with our choices.

As I’ve said many times, at the end of the day, we all have to be 100% HAPPY with our choices. If we are 100% happy with our choices, then it is the CORRECT decision no matter what the reasons are and what other people say.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

So there is a MARKET for both camps - internally-powered speakers/subs AND externally-powered speakers/subs.

We CAN all just get along.

 

[Cos]

I am not against either, but as ADTG stated each have their purpose. If powered speakers like this existed when I was living in my townhome 17 years ago, I probably would have gone that route for 2-Channel. My loft area was too small for the 7.1 setup I had it in back in the day, but that didn't stop me.

If I were going to build a 11.4.X Atmos setup, powered speakers don't make sense.

Amps, no matter who makes them have the risk of going bad. I have a Paradigm Seismic 12 Sub that still works from 2004 and I am still using. I have had the ATI Amp have minor issues after a little over a year. Warranty issue is a big piece of the solution as is the ability to repair the units.

GE has a decent warranty on their speakers (5 Defects 3yr Electronics). It is not going to be Bryston long, nor Bryston Expensive, but that is better than a lot of other manufacturers