D&M (Denon and Marantz) up for sale

[Chris Gerhard]

I guess the prospects for the upcoming Blu-ray products and continued high-end DVD-A/SACD players isn't enough to keep D&M going. I like the products and although I wasn't aware the holding company for these high profile old brand names was going on the market, this shouldn't surprise us. Making a profit by selling DVD players and other audio video products has to be next to impossible.

http://www.audioholics.com/news/industry-news/denon-up-for-sale-best-buy-and-kenwood-bidding

Best Buy bidding? I hope it goes to a worthy consumer audio video company.

Chris

 

[soundboy]

The perfect choice would be Klipsch. However, it just recently acquired Canada's API (maker of Mirage, Energy, and Athena Technologies speakers).

 

[JonUrban]

UGH! This is not good news, one would think.........

 

[Chris Gerhard]

UGH! This is not good news, one would think.........

I don't think so either but I guess it depends on what company buys it and what is done with it. I don't think the company is much in terms of manufacturing now, the products are made by other companies most of the time, although I don't know where for the most part. I do know I have a couple of budget Denon universal SACD/DVD-A players made by Funai. I have seen Marantz products made by JVC and others. Who knows where McIntosh products are made? Across the product lines overall, I think the products are among the best, although often overpriced compared to the competition.

Chris

 

[QuadraTOMic]

Look what D&M did to Boston Acoustics.

 

[chuckflhp]

McIntosh are made in Binghamton, New York.

 

[ClarkNovak]

Although they're not much of a force in the consumer field anymore, both Denon and Marantz have very robust professional lines that are very well regarded. Denon has long been the choice for pro broadcast CD players, and Marantz has a line of Flash-drive and cassette-based portable recording units that have been staples of mobile newsgathering for over 20 years. They will find a good home, but I wouldn't be surprised if the new owners withdrew from the consumer market to focus more on prosumer sales.