BS Button Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Would you change the offerings or lineup? Maybe develop another speaker altogether (out of void free plywood) and premium veneers? Bring back the Corns, drop something else? BS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Do you REALLY think that's gonna happen? Hire a bunch of people to build the stock, get the sales staff going and line up new dealers? Ship the new stock to the new dealers? Paddle upstream AGAINST market trends? DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnysal Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 maybe bringing back the cornwall is not such a crazy idea...easy cabinet to make and can sell for $1,000 all day long... tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwm Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 I for one would engage in a renewed marketing campaign for Khorns, LaScala etc. In high circulation print media I would have picture ads with a warm upscale living/music room with the latest large 16:9 aspect ratio flat screen TV, high end HT equipment along with easy to recognize (by the audiophile) tube or SS limited edition amps etc. Very visible in the room would be the Khorns/LaScalas and sitting in a nominally good listening position would be a gentlemen with a small Cell phone clipped to his pocket apparently listening raptly to the music etc........The caption would be "SOME THINGS JUST ENDURE".... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 New smoother (Tractix) mid horn to repace the outdated K-400. Klipsch probably sells almost as many Heritage as they want to right now. To ramp up production would entail great expense in wages and benefits and could possibly loose them money. A small skilled, quality motivated production line building to order with back orders and running at 90% of capacity is much more profitable than a large semi-skilled quantity motivated production line building to inventory at 60% due to rework. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Revamp Heritage? Sounds like a contradiction in terms to me. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS Button Posted March 24, 2005 Author Share Posted March 24, 2005 Yes a contradiction to some. But everytime I step into one of those High end home theatre places and there sits B&W, all the friggin time, B&W, B&W, B&W. I'd freak if I saw a Belle or La Scala pair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Well, I was largely kidding. Heritage will never be a factor in home theater, except to those who have higher aspirations for their audio systems. Whilst this would cause a major furor in the home theater forum, "finesse" is simply not an issue for slam-bang-woof movie soundtracks. When somebody is watching Star Wars XII, being able to tell the difference between an Amati and a Strad is really not an issue. B&W will do just fine. As always, no criticism of those things implied or offered. Dave P.S. - I don't know much about the current Klipsch management, but I rather doubt that they consider the Heritage line a significant source of revenue or growth. They are probably right. For the majority of those of us who treasure them, we are going to be just as happy with the turnover of lower cost, perfectly good Heritage speakers passed on by those of us who, well, pass on. Don't expect mine for 20 years or so. Then, you got to fight my children for them. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS Button Posted March 24, 2005 Author Share Posted March 24, 2005 I think that Klipsch, like B&W (Vinyl veneer) has gone a little mainstream to survive, I'm glad. They can still build to order the Heritage line. But B&W seems to dominate the high end masses as well. I've recently invited two buddies over for a listening session. Explaining the horns, efficiencies and the like, build quality, materials, workmanship. One of them is already shopping, for Klipsch, even if he buys something midphile in Klipsch, it's good, but it's Heritage that sold him. Save money on everything else, buy great speakers and you've got 70% of it....I love walking into these places throwing the Klipsch name around...do it all the time, just for fun. One fellow, pulled me aside to tell me about his RF-7's and the home theatre routine, he was a manager in a major audiophile type store, that didn't even carry the line. How rediculous is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klewless Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Hey, That salesman has got a head on his shoulders, and it ain't full of air! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS Button Posted March 24, 2005 Author Share Posted March 24, 2005 Yeah, he's the one that sold me the Denon 2900. Wonder why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champagne taste beer budget Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 I was thinking about upscale marketing for Klipsch when another thread was ramped up, got me to looking at ad rates for Esquire, they do $6,000+ suits, $120+ t-shirts, etc. Think New York, Los Angeles, Chicago. Once I saw that a full page ad was this much , I decided to decline to mention it. $82,000??? I have to assume that's a year, or else I'd be realy, really scared to pay it monthly. I don't know, I'm not a big advertising guy. I don't subscribe to the rag, but my wife occasionally brings me home an old copy from work. Good info, nice stuff, crazy prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott0527 Posted March 25, 2005 Share Posted March 25, 2005 $82K is for a full page, 4 color ad, one time. Advertising ain't cheap. That linked page is kind of fuzzy but looks like if you commit to 24 full page ads in a year, the rate drops to $69K. Those are the published rates, I'm sure they deal a bit. But, I'll say it again, advertising ain't cheap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted March 25, 2005 Share Posted March 25, 2005 If advertising worked for bose, it could work for klipsch any day (heck, when people realize that ads were true just imagine the word of mouth going on too!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted March 25, 2005 Share Posted March 25, 2005 They sell enough to keep it all going, so there isn't much point in adding to their overhead with advertising dollars. People typically want stuff they can easily integrate with their surroundings and decor, which is what made those small Bose systems so popular (it sure as hell wasn't the sound). They make something for everyone, which is pretty cool I think, and the big stuff is still available for the loons if they want it -- so what's the problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted March 25, 2005 Share Posted March 25, 2005 I still say that the way for Klipsch to do this is to have 12-15 stores in the biggest markets, showing off everything Klipsch produces, demonstrated and shown the way that Klipsch products should be. Klipsch could create immediate access for at least 50% of the US population by doing this. What Klipsch needs is a little "buzz". "Buzz" can be created by dropping a few key ads or events here and there, supported by this website. Once the product is available and can be seen.....and then they come HERE....then we got 'em by the boo-boo. How many Heritage salesmen do we have here? TONS. Don't fret the "used" Heritage sales on this forum. Let the used Heritage owners be your salespeople, by allowing us to sell NEW product that is, within reason, readily available. If I could recommend NEW CORNWALLS to customers on this website??? I would be one of your top salespeople, and it wouldn't cost Klipsch a dime......but I would be willing to work/sell in a Klipsch owned store any day of the week EVERY item Klipsch sells should have a little flyer/picture/history of the Klipschorn in the paperwork. Every Synergy, Promedia, and Reference customer should know what a Klipschorn and Heritage speaker IS. It is the best part of Klipsch's history. USE IT. How about bumper stickers/T shirts? Klipsch sells this stuff already - let the fanboys (like me) buy 'em up and be walking Heritage billboards. I also look at the "big/small" argument this way: At what time have more people (at least in the US) had more space/square footage to keep Heritage than NOW?? Look at some of the HUGE suburban homes being built these days - these people DO HAVE ROOM for Heritage - it's just a matter of making them "fashionable" again. The sound sells itself. I do not expect that Heritage sales would return to the sales levels of yesteryear, but I think that there are more would-be Heritage owners out there than you think. Wait a minute - there are DEFINITELY more would be Heritage owners than you think. I've added about a half dozen to that list in the past two years. Klipsch Heritage is one of the few products that truly says what it does and does what it says. A LEGEND IN SOUND. Klipsch doesn't need to update the Heritage speaker line (other than new Cornwalls), they simply need to update the approach to selling them. So when is Klipsch gonna come out with the Cornwall III? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q-Man Posted March 25, 2005 Share Posted March 25, 2005 They were just revamped. Just promote the darn things. Once they are in the main stream again offer them with with better midrange drivers, horns and tweeters as an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boom3 Posted March 25, 2005 Share Posted March 25, 2005 a whole generation has been mis-educated to think that the sound system should be invisible. I love my four Corns but I have the space for them and a spouse who adores the results. Not every spouse wants four boxes that size. Klipsch tried to revamp the Corn (was it the Chorus?) in a slimmer package and you'll notice its no longer in the product line. The HT crowd is running the show, folks, and the people who will pony up $20K or more for a custom HT room want speakers that are invisible. Corns can be built in (as can Klipsch Cinema models) but HT installers will steer customers to purpose-built HT systems, unless the customers demand other wise. Klispch got into HT late and is just now making an impact in the market with some me-too products with horn tweeters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 25, 2005 Share Posted March 25, 2005 The HT crowd ain't heard nothing until they've hear 4 'horns in the corners and a Belle in the center. That's my goal... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted March 25, 2005 Share Posted March 25, 2005 "The HT crowd ain't heard nothing until they've hear 4 'horns in the corners and a Belle in the center. That's my goal..." Yeah, or six Cornwalls. It's kinda funny.....I have a friend whose brother just moved back in town after living in Milwaukee for a time. He recently visited my home, his first visit here since I got the HT. He's all about acousticmess and such, gotta have small, blah blah blah. My friend sold the Bose kit his brother gave him to refurnish some of his pad because I gave him a vintage Luxman and a pair of KG4's as a wedding gift. So I give the brother a dose of "Crosseyed and Painless" from Talking Heads "Stop Making Sense", and tell him that you cannot defy the Laws of Physics. You want REAL natural, effortless sound? Gotta go BIG. Like 10 15" woofers BIG. In HT or any sound application, size does matter. Every attempt to do otherwise results in diminishing returns. Every time I sought sound comparable to a Cornwall in a smaller size/cheaper package resulted in a loss of sound quality. People will buy a three car garage for 2 SUV's but won't have room for Heritage. This will change. I am proof. 3 successful Chorus/Cornwall installations, 1 RF7 install in progress, and the KG4 system in an apartment. Corns for them later. I'm getting all of my friends into Heritage who NEVER would have bought speakers like that before. Hearing is believing. And EVERY person I've "Klipsched" repeatedly thanks me, unprompted, for shoving them over the edge, as daily they experience new levels of enjoyment. They keep on giving and dropping jaws, months and years after install. These people love me for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.