GeeZa Wrote: > Very apt initial point by Jez and I think he is accurate in his > assessment of that industry segment. Traditional audiophiles like > tangibles like boxes and cables and wiring etc. and do probably have a > hard time with concepts like wireless data. Not being condescending, I > just always felt there's a strong traditionalist element in Hifi.
I know what you mean . . when i started in this field, I definitely had an image of the average Hifi shop owner (and their customer) as a balding guy with a beard and an aran jumper with an unnaturally deep appreciation of folk music. Of course I know that's an extreme stereotype and wholly untrue (at least outside the UK). However it wasn't really the person I was thinking of. It's more the custom installer who knowledge (and therefore value) is around the 'old way' of doing things by laying cable everywhere. having said that, at least 50% of the people we spoke to definitely 'got it'. IP and wireless are technologies that a lot of the industry folks see as the future . . even if they don't quite understand them and the possibilities they bring right now. We were very heartened by the response overall as I believe that I'm living proof that old dogs can be taught new tricks if they want to learn ;-) GeeZa Wrote: > I'd like to see Slim perhaps do more co-marketing with the likes of > Meridian and ATC. You know, have some systems to sell at various price > ranges with each manufacturer getting a cut. Maybe even in conjunction > with a small/silent server box maker (like the recent hook-up with the > RAID stuff) to help folks understand how SB works. I think that's still > the biggest barrier to entry for people with CD/Vinyl libraries -- it's > not at all obvious for many what they need to do to make the > transition, or even why they should. The techy/geeky stuff, the stuff > you can't see or feel, probably turns prospective customers away. And > they're often the one's at the upper end of the age bracket who'd > happily blow a grand or so on a CD player. I think you make a valid point and we were extremely proud when people from various respected audiophile brands popped by to say how they had a Squeezebox and loved it! We realise that some customers want a 'complete package' and the interest levels in the bundle with Infrant have emphatically proved that. Sonos certainly believe there's money in offering everything in a simply digestible single package. However we're not so sure we should try to do everything ourselves . . . jack of all trades and master of none, y'know. Hence working with partners is definitely a possibility if they do something we can't and it results in a better overall experience for certain customers. That's why we have resellers - they can put together a bundle of products and services on a personal basis that we would never be able to match. -- Jez Jez Hildred Senior Manager - Sales & Marketing Slim Devices, Inc. http://www.last.fm/user/Kadosh/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jez's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=4300 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=24901 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
