Posted by: renov8r
Here's products that Outlaw should NEVER offer... - 04/19/13 12:29 PM
I saw the announcement of two of the least up-to-date "new" AV receivers from what I believe is the last North American based publicly traded AV manufacturer:
http://www.harmankardon.com/estore/hk/us...ularProductOnly
http://www.harmankardon.com/estore/hk/us...ularProductOnly
With sad products like this it is should not be a shock to any investor that while the Dow has been on a tear, Harman International has been following a bumpy roller coaster to AV irrelevance. What kind of management would move forward with products that are not just ridiculously over priced, but bring no interesting features to the table, and perpetuate the antiquated styling / function of receivers that have been around since it was a "rare treat" to hear low-static music on FM radio...
Are there really enough clueless consumers out there that would willing fork over anything close to the $799 MSRP of the "lesser" receiver that does not even have pre-amp outputs or phono level inputs. In an era where every other manufacturer seems to have raced toward including every conceivable content source the hopelessly isolated leadership of HK thinks so little of "internet readiness" that they still force all connections through their own portal at www.radioharmankardon.com !
Check this out -- I wonder if they'll update the shipping date on their "cutting edge for five years ago" Bluetooth connectivity option: http://www.harmankardon.com/estore/hk/us/products/BTA-10/BTA%2010_HK_US?skuId=BTA%2010-UJ_HK_US
It is 2013.
Feature like high resolution auto-EQ have been widely available for going on seven years. http://www.audyssey.com/about/company-timeline
Time-domain audio shifting technologies like Trinnov that can digitally "reposition" speakers were available for 4+ years and would VASTLY improve the functionality of a behemoth type AV receiver and might help justify something that fewer and fewer people have any clue about how they stack up against junk from Sam's Club or Costco ...
Is it laziness, incompetence or conspiracy that keeps systems that incorporate / extend these technologies from being more widely available / far more value oriented -- I am not taking out a mortgage to get stuff like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyngdorf#RoomPerfect
I certainly hope Peter is cooking up something that will justify keeping the flame alive here and I hope the naysayers see how bone-headed even the largest AV manufacturers often look when they stick with features that are uninspiring...
http://www.harmankardon.com/estore/hk/us...ularProductOnly
http://www.harmankardon.com/estore/hk/us...ularProductOnly
With sad products like this it is should not be a shock to any investor that while the Dow has been on a tear, Harman International has been following a bumpy roller coaster to AV irrelevance. What kind of management would move forward with products that are not just ridiculously over priced, but bring no interesting features to the table, and perpetuate the antiquated styling / function of receivers that have been around since it was a "rare treat" to hear low-static music on FM radio...
Are there really enough clueless consumers out there that would willing fork over anything close to the $799 MSRP of the "lesser" receiver that does not even have pre-amp outputs or phono level inputs. In an era where every other manufacturer seems to have raced toward including every conceivable content source the hopelessly isolated leadership of HK thinks so little of "internet readiness" that they still force all connections through their own portal at www.radioharmankardon.com !
Check this out -- I wonder if they'll update the shipping date on their "cutting edge for five years ago" Bluetooth connectivity option: http://www.harmankardon.com/estore/hk/us/products/BTA-10/BTA%2010_HK_US?skuId=BTA%2010-UJ_HK_US
It is 2013.
Feature like high resolution auto-EQ have been widely available for going on seven years. http://www.audyssey.com/about/company-timeline
Time-domain audio shifting technologies like Trinnov that can digitally "reposition" speakers were available for 4+ years and would VASTLY improve the functionality of a behemoth type AV receiver and might help justify something that fewer and fewer people have any clue about how they stack up against junk from Sam's Club or Costco ...
Is it laziness, incompetence or conspiracy that keeps systems that incorporate / extend these technologies from being more widely available / far more value oriented -- I am not taking out a mortgage to get stuff like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyngdorf#RoomPerfect
I certainly hope Peter is cooking up something that will justify keeping the flame alive here and I hope the naysayers see how bone-headed even the largest AV manufacturers often look when they stick with features that are uninspiring...