Sonus Faber, China & the future

[vintage_tube]

Originally Posted by btf1980

Why can't you listen to it at the small store?

They won't be available at Best Buy nor at the 380+ Magnolia Home Theatre stor within Best Buy.

In the USA, Magnolia Design Centers will be the only Magnolias where you can buy Venere. This should come as no surprise as Magnolia Design Centers currently sell up through Elipsa in most locations, and through Homage in their original 2 locations in Washington. They have been Sonus dealers in those stores since many years before Best Buy acquired Magnolia. Those Magnolia's typically have veteran, trained, commissioned sales people (the 380+ MHT store within the Best Buy stores do not).

There are about 20 of these type stores currently and there could be about 50 of them nationwide by the end of 2014 (that's an estimated number).

Therefore, it doesn't come across as Venere will be subject to mass production to me.

Bob

[metaphacts]

Originally Posted by btf1980

Why can't you listen to it at the small store?

You can listen and buy at either. Your choice.

[Parabellum]

First post here. I would like to voice my comment about this.

I am Canadian but for the moment, I am living in Shanghai, China. As strange as it is, the new rising educated middle class (counting also the "nouveau riches") people in China are asking for "foreign" quality brands, while in the west, all we do is outsourcing in China. My wife is Chinese and she was pretty proud to say to me that her Sony she bought camera was imported straight from Japan, and the toothpaste she buys is "made in Japan" too, because she believes (rightly so) that Japan makes products of better quality (healthier too...).

About the Sonus Faber case... I guess this is business. I was aiming at the Cremona M as my next purchase mainly because of the craftmanship and prestige associated to the brand. Now, I am not sure sure I would do that. In my opinion, the brand will loose some prestige going mainstream. But on the other hands, may gain new customers and more market share. I just wonder how a Ferrari owner would feel if Ferrari would start producing entry level cars "made in China". Regarless of the quality, I believe that what would be affected is the pride of ownership, which think that is what (among many other qualities) makes a Ferrari, a Ferrari.

[dteam702]

Originally Posted by vintage_tube

They won't be available at Best Buy nor at the 380+ Magnolia Home Theatre stor within Best Buy.

In the USA, Magnolia Design Centers will be the only Magnolias where you can buy Venere. This should come as no surprise as Magnolia Design Centers currently sell up through Elipsa in most locations, and through Homage in their original 2 locations in Washington. They have been Sonus dealers in those stores since many years before Best Buy acquired Magnolia. Those Magnolia's typically have veteran, trained, commissioned sales people (the 380+ MHT store within the Best Buy stores do not).

There are about 20 of these type stores currently and there could be about 50 of them nationwide by the end of 2014 (that's an estimated number).

Therefore, it doesn't come across as Venere will be subject to mass production to me.

Bob

Bob,

You are a very wise man

[sandbites]

I would not trade away my Italian Grand Pianos for the China made Sonus speakers. However, if they sound similar and cost considerably less then i look it as an opportunity to create a 2nd Sonus Faber based system that i would otherwise not make because of the Italian Sonus' present price. I'm kinda intrigued at how close the China made speakers would sound with the Italian made Sonus

[btf1980]

Originally Posted by vintage_tube

They won't be available at Best Buy nor at the 380+ Magnolia Home Theatre stor within Best Buy.

In the USA, Magnolia Design Centers will be the only Magnolias where you can buy Venere. This should come as no surprise as Magnolia Design Centers currently sell up through Elipsa in most locations, and through Homage in their original 2 locations in Washington. They have been Sonus dealers in those stores since many years before Best Buy acquired Magnolia. Those Magnolia's typically have veteran, trained, commissioned sales people (the 380+ MHT store within the Best Buy stores do not).

There are about 20 of these type stores currently and there could be about 50 of them nationwide by the end of 2014 (that's an estimated number).

Therefore, it doesn't come across as Venere will be subject to mass production to me.

Bob

Bob, that's a relief. The standalone Magnolia stores are a step above (understatement) the Best Buys with the Magnolia Home Theaters within them, that's for certain. I had nightmares about Sonus Faber after seeing what is going on with B&W speakers at Best Buy at the moment. Thanks for the info.

As an aside on an unrelated topic, it makes me wonder whether B&W is unaware that their speakers are being presented in a horrible manner at many Best Buys, or whether they don't care since I'm sure sales volume has increased for them.

[btf1980]

Originally Posted by metaphacts

You can listen and buy at either. Your choice.

Certainly. To be clear, his recommendation of listening at Magnolia, then going to purchase it at a small store doesn't seem like a great thing to do imo, which is why I asked why one would skip listening at the small store if you had plans of buying the speakers there anyway. Seems like a waste of time not only the buyer, but for the Magnolia staff. Like a gentler version of tire kicking. To me, it's like the buyers who audition gear at shops who have no intention of buying anything, because they plan on going online to buy the gear. That seems wrong to me. Just my humble opinion.

Cheers,

[vintage_tube]

Originally Posted by dteam702

Bob,

You are a very wise man

I can't take the credit -- the info came from emails with Bill after his return from Italy as I had some questions, especially with all the rumors and speculations floating around.

I wanted to set the record straight based on that information & to squash any further ones from formulating.

Kudos again to Bill for taking the time with the emails shortly after his return. Another example of him being a stand up guy, who is very personable, and one I regard as a friend.:th umbsup:

Bob

[turntable]

Originally Posted by new order

This is a difficult discussion.I have been a Sonus Faber fan for a long time,but this has for me been hard to accept.I do rather agree with another favourite Hifi brand that I have.They say everything I want to say in this video.Provenance - YouTube

Absolutely brilliant and agree 100%

[turntable]

Originally Posted by vintage_tube

They won't be available at Best Buy nor at the 380+ Magnolia Home Theatre stor within Best Buy.

In the USA, Magnolia Design Centers will be the only Magnolias where you can buy Venere. This should come as no surprise as Magnolia Design Centers currently sell up through Elipsa in most locations, and through Homage in their original 2 locations in Washington. They have been Sonus dealers in those stores since many years before Best Buy acquired Magnolia. Those Magnolia's typically have veteran, trained, commissioned sales people (the 380+ MHT store within the Best Buy stores do not).

There are about 20 of these type stores currently and there could be about 50 of them nationwide by the end of 2014 (that's an estimated number).

Therefore, it doesn't come across as Venere will be subject to mass production to me.

Bob

So why offshore at all?

Is it for higher profit margins or lower cost for the consumer?