Phillips was a world leader and I recall that our first colour TV was Grundig, who were big enough to have their own retail stores in the UK at that time, in the 1970s. NL has a long tradition in research, Groningen for example has a world class university and research community.
The UK has been dominated by the BBC, who have pioneered and invented much of radio and TV broadcasting, spawned many commercial operations, still producing a vast amount of content and things like the Proms. Alan Blumein at the newly formed EMI invented stereo and the ultra-linear amplifier, and Decca created full frequency recording.
You then had people like Peter Walker (Quad) who was a singular pioneering genius, often working with the BBC, based in Huntingdon, which became the audio centre of the UK. Huntingdon is the nearest industrial zone to Cambridge, a leading research centre. People like dCS are based there, a research based company that originated in the UK’s large aerospace industry. John Franks, the Chief Engineer of our leading company Chord, worked his way up to Board level in the aerospace industry, where their core technology was developed. It was first applied commercially in audio for the BBC and then other broadcasters, and they were then able to maker affordable consumer products.
So success seems to originate mainly on the strength of extensive and expensive research, quite a lot from outside the audio industry, and the demands of state funded broadcasting.
How developments get into the market varies. Putzeys has been very clever by setting his own companies and licensing his technology to other companies.
Let me know how you like the AES output from the Matrix alone. I am using a Roon N+, Matrix , DSD, Oppomd 203 , BKH preamp then XLR’s to the 8c. I needed a HP amp and also wanted the ability to play CD’s.
Problem is the call for ever lower cost production, trying to sell it for a premium till you find out that the competition sells the same quality for half the price due to transparency of facts and smarter sales principles.
Indeed PS Audio is innovative as well as their approach to speaker design, I do like the AN3 design very much.
PS Audio has excellent customer and sales approach in the US.
In Europe and probably other continents not so much:
no direct buying possible;
no 30 day free trial in your own home possible;
no common price policy, huge price differences between European dealers which results in issues where buyers, who waited weeks for delivery, paying the price that was agreed at order, to find out that all at sudden the price at other dealers dropped hundreds of Euro’s below the price they paid;
European prices with unprecedented mark ups compared to US prices, so the quality cost ratio is much worse in Europe, PS Audio tries to hide US on line prices from internet browsers that have EU IP addresses, but if you Google US Dealer prices or travel in the US you can see how much lower the prices in the US are;
apparent technical issues with 230 V rated equipment that can not be reproduced by the technical team in the US leaving the owners of that equipment to local dealer return policies. The dealers obviously do not feel compelled to pay the price for manufacturer design flaws, leaving the EU customer to call upon EU law in order to get some refund for the equipment that does not work as advertised
The above is probably true and unavoidable for many smaller companies on both sides of the pond. PS Audio’s capability to export their excellent sounding products to Europe requires a healthy dose of entrepreneurial efforts, indeed big kudos to PS Audio for that.
But you mentioned Apple. I disagree with your statement that they are not customers orientated.
Apple has:
common sales and price policies globally sorted, no dealer is allowed to deviate;
their European prices, compared to US prices, are marked up much less, than what the PS Audios EU dealer network marks up;
on their expensive equipment Apple provides true global repair and warranty service, repairs happened within a week, through their dealer network.
Unfortunately in Europe, PS Audio’s customer service is not remotely at the level of Apple. Hope that PS Audio gets a chance to improve that in the near future.
Thank you Steven, interesting background, really nice to know.
PS Audio and all other companies we talked about contribute a lot to provide us with great options to enjoy our music, glad the market and quality of products has picked up again.
There are of course companies like Naim and Cambridge Audio, making excellent products at a price point, but I would not call them particularly innovative.
With regard to the comments above, PS Audio does have a problem because if I’m going to spend £8,000 on a power amplifier that weighs 30kg, I’d rather buy it from a company that makes it 50 miles away (Chord) than one 5,000 miles away (PS Audio). Local companies are always going to have a big advantage, even if they manufacture in China.
This is, of course, a problem/challenge for every manufacturer which desires to sell outside of its geographic area. It becomes particularly difficult once the company sells overseas - whether the company is based in Europe, the States, Australia, or elsewhere.
Canada also sucks for purchasing internet orders from the U.S. UNLESS you live close to the U.S. Border. In which case, you just order your stuff online, have it arrive at the Courier of your, pay a small fee and Voila’…good to go. Canada Customs don’t care what the amount is. They’ll just ask you for a receipt and never even look at the amount (in my experience anyways). Cause if you don’t declare, then they can be real “Dicks”, pull you over, and take your Nexus Card away from you (another story for another day). I’d bought several things from all the usual suspects an never paid any Duty. So happy to be living and working in the U.S. again. While I’m no fan of Agent Orange, I do believe in “Buy American”. Yes, it will cost you a bit more but it keeps people here employed and of course quality control is not an issue (but shit happens - to me not a big deal). And if I’m gonna finance a purchase, it’s good to know that my monthly payments are for U.S. made goods.
A close childhood friend of mine ordered a Geddy Signature effects pedal from Sweetwater and had it delivered to me. I turned around and shipped it to him in Canada for $30. Told him not to PayPal it to me and buy something nice for his Son (my Wife’s orders) ! Canada Customs NEVER dinged him because it was a “personal” item. Had it bore a Sweetwater label, they would charged him the extra because again, they are “Dicks”. Customs fees and shipping.
I grew up near Detroit and lived near the Great Lakes for most of my life, so Canada was always close and fun to visit. But, jeez, if anyone things us Yanks are being unreasonable about our Southern border, they should try a business trip to Canada, some time.
Before retiring I worked for a company in Upstate NY and we had a number of customers in Canada - mostly in Toronto and Montreal. Loved making those trips - great cities. But a colleague of mine once made the mistake telling the nice folks at the border she was traveling to do a product demonstration for a customer. She was refused entry because “…a Canadian could do that work…” That was 10 years before I joined the company, but every time we traveled to Canada as a pair we were pulled over at the border, car searched, and were detained 45 minutes or so while the customs office called ahead to our customers to verify that we were there only for a “sales call.” This never happened to me traveling solo.
After this happened a few times, I asked the agent searching my car if there was a legal process by which my colleague could get her name off of the naughty list. The agent apologetically told us that that would not be possible- that she was flagged for life.
After that, when I was making solo trips, my reason for visiting Canada was always “on vacation.”
I bought tires at the Wal Mart in Ogdensburg, NY while attending my Son’s Sunday Hockey Game at the Dome. I forgot to Armor All the tires and never thought about declaring them and subject to pay Duty in top of that. That’s when Canada Customs busted me and interrogated both my Wife & I. They took my Nexus Card and my Son was laughing at my Stupidy. My Wife was not. This is an old trick we used to do in Southern Ontario crossing the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge. I’ve actually attached U.S. bought Car Speakers and just threw them into the existing hole I’d made previously in the car and they never questioned. Same goes for buying CD’s/SACD’s/Boxed Set. Etc.
Since then I am always stopped when entering “my home and Native land”.
Pearson Airport in Toronto I’m also flagged for life in Terminal 3 for not declaring Transportation of Commercial Goods on a Passenger. Purely my Boss’ fault at at the time. I told EVERYONE that day to pay the extra and do UPS or FedEx and nope. Here comes “Kumar” with the loaded Pelican case full of Through The Earth wireless equipment.
One time back in my Single days. A close friend & I did a typical trip into Niagara Falls, NY and he a few drinks more than I did (was the Designated Driver and he the Designated Drunk). COming back to Canada the Lady Customs Agent asked “any Alchohol or Tobacco to Declare” ? I answered “yes, the alcohol in my friends body”. The Agent wasn’t amused and let us go.
Then there was the time the same friend & I did a trip across using the same border crossing on the way back and HIS car got searched. I bought a six pack and he bought a two -four, neither of us declared them. While the Female Agent was ripping his back seat apart, he comment rather loudly, “that the first time I’ve had a Chick in the backseat of my new car”. Again, the agent wasn’t amused.
UK Customs charge sales tax and duty on everything, even if its $100. You can pay online, it’s all quite simple, but hifi from USA will cost you 23% to clear.
When I sent badbeef a pair of Harbeth speakers from the UK to Chicago he didn’t get charged anything by US Customs. I was amazed, and they got there in under 2 days.
There’s a $200 exemption for “personal and household goods” goods coming into the US.
Also used household items are duty-free, which probably explains how Beef got the Harby’s duty-free. From the website of our stalwart Customs and (most) Border(s) Protection branch of Homeland Security:
"Household Effects & Personal Effects - Customs Duty Guidance
Household effects conditionally included are duty-free. These include such items as furniture, carpets, paintings, tableware, stereos, linens, and similar household furnishings; tools of the trade, professional books, implements, and instruments.
You may import household effects you acquired abroad duty-free if:
You used them abroad for no less than one year.
They are not intended for any other person or for sale.
For Customs purposes, clothing, jewelry, photography equipment, portable radios, and vehicles are considered personal effects and cannot be brought in duty-free as household effects. However, duty is usually waived on personal effects more than one year of age. All vehicles are dutiable."
On more than one occasion, I’ve had duties waived by agents on items that would otherwise be dutiable simply because they didn’t want to deal with it. The problems start if you try to sneak it across or if the cute doggie sits down next to your suitcase in the customs hall.
That was crazy. Plus the fact that UPS wanted to charge me something like $850, whereas shipping was, what, $250 from you? That was really interesting, as well as a head-scratcher. Maybe its simply “importing” vs. “sending someone something” : )
Edit: Sorry Howard, hadn’t read your subsequent post.
There is a shipping company in the UK who do lots of audio and basically offer customers commercial contract rates plus a small profit margin for them. It goes by DHL, UPS etc., but far less than if you booked direct online, and insurance is a load cheaper as well.
Like I said, not for the likes of Apple, Sony, Yamaha, Bose and others, but I agree with you, for smaller companies it is very difficult. I looked at the sales prices for the T+A high end equipment from Germany, I am afraid audiophiles having desire to buy that across the pond should also realize that they are bamboozled by importers, tax collectors and transport companies and who knows who else are involved or claim to be required for the process. This is probably another reason why people prefer to buy on line. PS Audio offers direct sales in the US, Canton in Germany started selling direct, on line and guess what, are able to offer products at a much higher quality / price ratio than their regular sales channel products.
Direct delivery to home, trial and return, even for a little cost, etc. I picked up my Stellar Gain Cell DAC at a dealer, glad he advised me on very good cables, not expensive, very good for a “reasonable” price. Unpacked and tested the unit, made it ready for a good demo etc. But I needed to drive their, 2h each way, parking at the shop not possible, so I had to haul all the stuff by hand through the shopping street (got help) from the dealer. There are some maybe a little closer by, one allowed me to have a listen to a lot of speakers and equipment and is very knowledgeable. But PS Audio in neither cases belonged to there core brand portfolio. So by their grace the product was ordered for a price not as high as the EU list price but still considerably higher than in the US and they were happy to deliver, but Like I said the are not at all interested in being a part in solving hardware/firmware issues, should those occur. Whereas they would with brands in their regular portfolio.
So from that perspective, having to pay such a high premium becomes questionable. While with direct sales you’d get the unit delivered at home, and like with PS Audio in the US try it and return if you wouldn’t like it.
My wife ran an Amazon business for several years. If anyone knows how unbelievably cheap and efficient FBA (Fulfilment By Amazon) is, independent distributors just have so much more cost and hassle.
This is a fact and every company handles it differently. The B and W guys out of the UK raise their local prices to more closely match their export prices (at least they used to and I suppose they still do), which is the opposite of what eventually happens
with our goods. Where the US retail is the lowest. Obviously it costs more money to sell a product away from the home market. Increased shipping and customs charges are higher than buying them next door.
Hi Paul, it seems you are taking a lot of “heat” from folks who may never purchase one of your proposed loudspeakers. I for one look forward to your designs in whatever incarnation they may take. The vast majority of loudspeaker manufacturers would not put up with some of the nonsense posted here, I commend you for allowing that AND allowing this post. I really like the fact you are revisiting servo woofer voice coil / magnet configurations as a fundamental revision. When the final designs are ready for “prime time”, then I will decide whether they are worth candidates for inclusion in my next audio system. Until that time, please remain true to Mr. Nudell’s original and your current visions. Both are relevant.
Hello Paul,
Often the increased cost far outweigh those considerations; we are seeing prices in the EU which are twice as high as the USA price + shipping + VAT. Normally in the EU, Germany enjoys the cheapest prices, they are, however, still quite higher than just USA price + shipping + VAT.
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