New Martin Logan retailers? (1 Viewer)

[Matt Jesty]

READ on another Forum that a nat'l chain may pick-up M-L....
it didn't mention who though...anybody ?

 

[Matt Gordon]

Ultimate Electronics, which is a small national chain that's rapidly expanding, carries them.
Personally, I'd rather the national chains didn't carry them. It's too easy to overexpose a brand these days, and I think it dilutes the strength of the name if you can get 'em around the corner from anywhere. I'm not trying to come off as sounding eletist here, but one of the strengths of ML is the uniquness of design. Most people never see a speaker that resembles the ML "look." If the brand is overexposed, people will pay less attention to them when they see them instead of sitting up and taking notice.
Additionally, I've never seen Ultimate display these speakers in a way that allows the shopper to experience the things that make them great -- soundstage, detail, etc. At 2 of the St. Louis area locations, they share a display room with a variety of Sony speakers. Not to demean Sony, but I honestly think we're talking about 2 different worlds here. I don't think most consumers are standing around scratching their heads saying, "hmm, let's see here... Martin Logan or Sony... uh... hon, what do you think?"

 

[Doug_B]

Additionally, I've never seen Ultimate display these speakers in a way that allows the shopper to experience the things that make them great -- soundstage, detail, etc.

My experience with higher end speakers set up in custom/specialty shops, including setups for ML in a particular shop, leans more toward poor than good. I have seen and heard good setups, but it's disappointing that this has been the exception rather than the rule. Of course, there are varying levels of poor setup; some can be improved on the spot (e.g., speaker placement), while others are too comprehensive to adjust "on the fly" (poor electronics, room issues). My $.02.

Doug

 

[Matt Jesty]

Conflicted?
Larger retailer may bring good pricing but at the risk of Joe 6pk being overly familiar (and less impressed) with your speakers..OH,NO!
As far as the lack of quality set-ups are concerned, I agree. Even in my own store, I don't ussually have items set-up the way I would like them to be .That situation is easily remedied when people need it to be...Imagine dozens of differant people (ony a few of which know what they're doing) touching and changing the settings/system constantly !!! Besides ,as salespeople we want customers to need us for something!HA-HA

 

[Dave Crigna]

The retailer is tweeter. I was there the other day and the sales guy said they will have them soon in there showroom.

 

[Jason Harbaugh]

I've seen them for at least the last two years at Ultimate Electronics, otherwise known as SoundTrack. I think there are around 7 of them in the Denver Metro area. Very nice store, although sometimes hard to find a good deal. They have had some very nice ML demo rooms though.(The larger of the stores)

 

[Matt Gordon]

Conflicted?

Nope!
I'm pretty clear on the subject, or so I thought.
It has nothing to do with J6P being less "impressed" (your word, not mine) with ML's. As I said, if the brand becomes overexposed, it will warrant the brand less attention, not more.
Less attention = fewer sales of ML speakers.
Fewer sales of ML speakers = Less money for ML
Less money for ML = Gayle Sanders can't buy another Porsche
Well, okay, strike that last equation. What I mean is that overexposure may not be good for the brand itself (not my ego, which doesn't ride on what J6P thinks of my HT), which in the long run has to do with marketing a brand correctly to maximize sales. Sometimes less really is more. People are more likely to give the brand a try if they perceive them as something very different. If they've seen ML in stores all over, the speakers will eventually blend into the landscape like so many other brands.
As far as a larger retailer bringing "good pricing?" Doubt it. ML's prices have been steadily rising over the past few years, and I don't think that Ultimate, for one, is selling very many ML speakers. Certainly not enough to drive down prices. I can't even get an Ultimate salesman to approach me when I'm in the ML room.
Let me be clear: I want more people to buy these speakers. That way, when I can upgrade, ML will still be around!

 

[Matt Jesty]

Like Bose of course which doesn't sell because it "blends into the landscape"

 

[Jason_Me]

Obviously ML has aspirations to be one of the most successful speaker companies.

How can exposure be bad for business? How can the opportunity to sell products to people who have never heard, nor would ever hear of your company be bad business?

Its so apparent that mainstream brands are looked down upon on the Internet. Most "audiophiles" wont consider stuff like Polk, Energy, or Klipsch. They would rather order some obscure speaker like the Rockets, just because they average person has never heard of them (to all rocket owners who didn't beta test, you couldn't even audition the speaker, so don't deny it).

This is even more apparent in the high-end market. Stop being an elitists, just be happy other people have a chance to hear these great speakers.

 

[Gil D]

Tweeter is experimenting with the ML line. I also don't see how more exposure to ML products will be bad. The smaller (more narrow) rooms at the typical Tweeter is probably an advantage for the ML narrower dispersion.

 

[Gil D]

Most "audiophiles" wont consider stuff like Polk...

I bet most audiophiles are considering the Polk LSi line. At least those on a budget. I am also sure the Rockets will be quite interesting as well.

In fact the last two pairs of speakers I have purchased unheard and have been very pleased with - Sonus faber Signum and Polk LSi9. Both of which were not available for an audition at a local dealer. I did this based on experience with characteristics of similar Sonus and reviews and comparisons to speakers I am familiar with from members here and on other forums.

 

[Brad Jay]

I think Jason_ME has hit it on a great point that a lot of audiophiles would never admit. I'v seen this first hand many times. People complain about hi level stores saying how high and mighty the store is, but on the other hand brands like Jason mentioned get "downgraded" by the same people because they are readilly available.

You could probably throw in a half a dozen more brands to go along with that rule. I think that is part of the alure of Paradigm. It's a good speaker that is very popular here and it is not too over exposed to be seen an mainstream. I think they are overrated personally because of this but that is just my opinion.

It's possible that I was just expecting too much after hearing the continous glowing remarks so when I went and listened I was dissapointed.

 

[Matt Gordon]

I've never been in a Tweeter's store, but have been in multiple Ultimate locations. In those stores, the ML's sit in a room where I've never seen a salesman venture, and I've never seen a customer in there auditioning them. So the ML's are unheard and unsold. Sorry, but I can't agree that's good for a brand.
Not being "an elitists" here, just citing a simple fact of marketing; which is why you can't compare Bose to ML. People will walk in having heard something about Bose (usually that it's the best and most technologically advanced gear on earth), but they probably haven't heard of ML. Bose is heavily marketed in a variety of avenues that hit the general public. ML is not.
Also, what is ML doing to the smaller stores that have built what success ML has had? You know, the places in town where the guys know your name and what kind of equipment you have when you return. They can't compete with the variety and size of the huge product line that the big chain retailers have. Look forward to seeing the "Wal-Mart Effect" as larger chain retailers pick up the brand and smaller stores drop it.
Like I said, I would be happy if more and more people made decisions to purchase ML (the converse of the definition of an eletist, I believe), and I'm sure ML would be happy about that too, but I just don't think this is the way to do it.

 

[Jason_Me]

People will walk in having heard something about Bose (usually that it's the best and most technologically advanced gear on earth), but they probably haven't heard of ML. Bose is heavily marketed in a variety of avenues that hit the general public. ML is not.

That comparison is true of virtually all speakers. Bose is the most recognized speaker brand in this country by a large margin.
If audiophiles want Logan's they will buy them from Tweeter. Sells should not be decreased. Its also the salesman's job to get customers to audition the Logan's. You think if someone listens to Martin Logan's after listening to Bose they wont want the Logan's?

 

[Matt Gordon]

Jason --
I hope they would!
You bring up a good point, because at the price point which Bose sells, you're getting into ML pricing territory. That's my main complaint about Martin Logan; although their speakers are sounding better than they did, say, five years ago, they are also cost substantially more.
But there are those with a lot of money who want postage stamp sized speakers that visitors won't notice. They would not choose ML over Bose. I can't relate to those people, but I understand they're out there. And for them, Bose is an option. Maybe not a good one, but I digress...

Its also the salesman's job to get customers to audition the Logan's.

...I hope they start doing that, but at this point, I don't see that happening.
Peace,
Matt

 

[Carl Gaff]

I live in the Los Angeles area and was in a Tweeters store the other day talking to the manager. He told me that Tweeters will start handling Martin Logans by the endof this year.

 

[Matt Jesty]

I regard it as a personal challenge to overcome the "Bose predisposition" ...When the wife says "I want bose", what she is really saying is "I have a room decorated to the nines with $30,000 in rugs and window treatments, $6,000 in Yadro figurines, and a $12,000 chandelier so don't suggest that I drop a pair of KLF20's in the middle of the room"...So my response is to show her what Italian craftsmanship means...Sonus faber!!!! You wouldn't believe how quickly they start running their hands over th speakers and "Ooohing and aahing"......