Bose buys McIntosh and Sonus Faber

[Hari Iyer]

But that’s mere speculation. What’s the reasoning for it?

If you read Bose audio philosophy then they are not for big sized amplifiers leave alone tube amplifiers like McIntosh and large speaker like Sonus Faber. Selling these speakers means deviation from their own philosophy. It's like cheating their existing customer base where they have spent millions of dollar telling everyone else is wrong.

If I was a Bose speaker customer, I will feel cheated now for having wasted my audio life listening to those puny cube speakers If they go hammer and tong selling Sonus Fabers. Hence they sacrifice either of the one model If they want to retain their design philosophy. They will never tell they were wrong about the cube speakers.

 

[prem]

Just as any multinational will have various brands catering to different market segments, Bose too is having different brands catering to different segments. It’s as simple as that. They must have wanted to enter the high end market and figured the best way is to acquire established brands. It’s a normal company strategy looking to expand its market base.

 

[Hari Iyer]

It will be interesting to read what Bose new design philosophy will be. Certainly they can't now say that large speakers are not the right approach with the SF around.

 

[prem]

Bose is more of a lifestyle brand. They will continue doing what they are doing. They are a USD 3 billion brand. They will not put that in jeopardy.

SF and Mcintosh will continue serving the high end market. There will be no change in philosophy.

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

If you read Bose audio philosophy then they are not for big sized amplifiers leave alone tube amplifiers like McIntosh and large speaker like Sonus Faber. Selling these speakers means deviation from their own philosophy. It's like cheating their existing customer base where they have spent millions of dollar telling everyone else is wrong.

If I was a Bose speaker customer, I will feel cheated now for having wasted my audio life listening to those puny cube speakers If they go hammer and tong selling Sonus Fabers. Hence they sacrifice either of the one model If they want to retain their design philosophy. They will never tell they were wrong about the cube speakers.

That would matter if they rebranded Sonus and McIntosh products as Bose. But I doubt they’d do that. Design philosophy is related to a brand, not a corporate group. Otherwise, with the same logic, Tata small car owners would have felt cheated that they acquired Jaguar and Land Rover. That doesn’t happen.

If at all, some current and prospective McIntosh and Sonus Faber buyers could be wary and watch if Bose tampers with the design philosophy or strategy of these two brands and if so, whether they can still relate with them to extend their custom. One doubts a marketing savvy company like Bose would do anything detrimental to the brands. What’s more likely (as far as home systems go) is them leveraging their existing distribution strength to increase the penetration of these brands.