Klipsch Group Aquires API

[wheelman]

http://www.stereophile.com/news/082106klipsch/

Klipsch Group Acquires API

By Wes Phillips

August 20, 2006 On August 15, Klipsch Group, Inc. announced the acquisition of Canadian firm Audio Products International Corp. (API), one of the largest speaker manufacturers in the world. API, which makes loudspeakers under the Mirage, Energy, Spherez, Sound Dynamics, and Athena Technologies brands, was founded in 1973 and is sold in over 50 countries worldwide. Klipsch, which makes speakers under the Klipsch marque as well as Jamo, was founded in 1946 by legendary speaker designer Paul W. Klipsch and has become "the largest stand-alone speaker manufacturer in the US."

Fred Klipsch, the Klipsch Group's CEO, said, "We are excited about the acquisition of API. The acquisition will strengthen both brands without diluting the heritage and quality that both companies are renowned for worldwide. API will continue to develop and deliver added-value offerings to all of our customers in the audio products industry."

That's standard press release happy-talk, of course, but even Klipsch's competitors see the move as one that benefits both companies. "Klipsch has been going blockbusters in the specialty audio business for the last 10 years," the sales manager of a competing loudspeaker company confided to Stereophile. "They've been so successful that they really have only two strategies for continued growth: sell speakers that don't have the name Klipsch on them, and sell speakers outside the US. The API acquisition allows them to do bothwithout diluting either brand or sacrificing core values of quality and performance."

API also offers Klipsch access to its R&D facilities (and those of Canada's National Research Council), a not-inconsiderable benefit for the technology-driven loudspeaker company. Klipsch's acquisition press release alludes to that, saying, "Klipsch, Jamo, and API brand teams will work in a cooperative fashion to develop global technology platforms and product strategies that leverage investments in R&D, insuring the Klipsch group of brands stay on the cutting edge of product, technology, and brand development."

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I always thought API designed some great stuff. Probally the biggest competition towards Klipsch, dollar for dollar.

[jt1stcav]

Well, I'll be...Klipsch Group is becoming more and more like Harmon International. Hope this is a good thing.

I've got a friend who owns a pair of older Mirage towers; don't recall the model but they're huge at over 5' tall and cloth covered...very dynamic and revealing with his TOTL Adcom amp and B&K pre/processor, Pioneer Elite universal player and Music Hall 'table...his Mirage sub kicks *** as well! And I've owned a pair of Athena's flagship AS-F2 towers that really impressed me! Hope API, like Jamo, continues to be very successful in the hands of the newly-named Klipsch Group.

[wheelman]

Yeah I really liked what Athena used to offer. I still got the sub that matched up with the AS-F2. It doesn't have the biggest impact, but man it just dissapears goes low and is really musical for the money. I had a mirage sub that was very musical and had good slam. I wish I never parted with that.

I remember about 2 years ago people would be gettin kind of worked up to hear of something like this. I guess when things start to go in motion people eventually go with the flow, or leave. Klipsch has been growing pretty quickly in the past few years. So probally it's no surprise to anyone anymore for another merger, or buy out ( whatever their calling it nowadays). I see the heretage line for sale now in the online magazine ONE Call ( no reference though that seems a bit odd). Personally i dont' care what Klipsch does as long as the quality stays the same from all the Klipsch owned speakers. Actually I wished I had stock in Klipsch 4 years ago. I really do like the idea of being able to buy heresy's, or Klipschorn's if I wanted them by phone. I remember when I couldn't even get the synergy line over the phone. It drove me mad. I got my synergys before best buy started selling them, and they were tough to aquire in rural America. Does that make them more collectable now?[] By the way I still LOVE my synergys.