Music Direct is now a McIntosh dealer

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Tullman, May 18, 2016.

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  1. krlpuretone

    krlpuretone Forum Resident

    Location:
    Grantham, NH
    At some point, state sales tax is going to become obsolete, as it is in forward-thinking states like NH, Delaware and Oregon (and Alaska and Montana, which I did not know)
     
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  2. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    That's cool. All the stations I listened to in Boston back in the day have totally changed. Nothing but repetitive music with endless commercials and DJ chatter. We're talking about FM radio correct? The only "radio" I'd listen to now is Sirius/XM but that's a premium service that is not free. With the limited time I have to listen to music at home I'd prefer to choose the music I listen to not someone else's choice. Most of us here have large music collections why not take advantage of them.

    Bill
     
    Last edited: May 25, 2016
  3. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Boston MA
    There are many stations on HD radio (which you ain't gonna get in your car) without commercials, which the McIntosh does a great job receiving and playing,.
     
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  4. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    That's excellent. Are those HD radio channels free? I was thinking more about FM radio when I posted earlier. I'd still prefer to listen to the music from my own collection but to each his own :).

    Bill
     
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  5. Billion$Baby

    Billion$Baby Forum Resident

    Location:
    IM AT WKRP

    Wonder how much they charged for this Barometer?? Anybody know what year this thing is from???

    [​IMG]
     
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  6. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Some people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.....
     
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  7. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Boston MA
    The tuner can do FM and HD radio at the same time. Yes, the channels are free. I pick them up on my roof antenna. WZLX has an HD 2 station that plays blues with no commercials.
     
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  8. Doubt that but if those state who delete it find another way. Washington state has no income tax but sales a property taxes keep increases. In in Seattle so I guess if I ever decide to buy a Mac I can drive to Portland.
     
  9. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Boston MA
    As was said earlier in this thread, there is no free lunch.
     
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  10. jea48

    jea48 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Midwest, USA
    How is the tourism in those states?

    How would it compare to states like Florida, California, Arizona, and others?
     
  11. jea48

    jea48 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Midwest, USA
    No one has really answered the question why WOM management decided to expand the sale of McIntosh equipment to another on line mail order business like MD.

    I am pretty sure it had nothing to with MD's no interest or 60 day return policy.
     
  12. Millington

    Millington Forum Resident

    Well played, Mazzy. Where there is a will there is way!
     
  13. Lester Best

    Lester Best Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Bklyn NY
    This would have made a nifty T/T mat, in tandem with the T/T meters.
     
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  14. 62caddy

    62caddy Forum Resident

    Location:
    PA
    While it's true that McIntosh was owned by Japanese interests of one sort or another from late 1990 until fairly recently, neither Clarion nor D & M Holdings sought to alter the McIntosh mission in any material way. Management & engineering staffs for the most part retained with headquarters and manufacturing facilities remaining they always had been on 2 Chambers St, Binghamton NY. In fact Clarion exerted very minimal interference and influence over Mc for the most part.

    It is also ironic that the one issue on which Clarion insisted upon was that the front glass panel design was to remain on McIntosh products. This had come as a surprise to me; I had naturally assumed the half-glass, half metal fronted units found on the C31, C37, MR7083 and others was as a direct result of the Clarion takeover. However as it turns out this is not the case; the new styling was as a result of McIntosh's own initiative, the beginnings of which took place as early as 1987 on the new MAC4200, a full three years before the Clarion takeover.

    Many others were also guilty of making the same connection - with the timing being so close, it was a logical assumption under the circumstances.

    The second irony is the the decision to re manufacture the legendary MC275 chassis style tube amplifier also came directly from Clarion as well; Gordon Gow was adamantly opposed to the idea when the suggestion to resume the production of tube equipment in the late '80s. Additionally, the primary market for the MC275 reissue was Japan which had been the tube amplifier's most vocal proponent, without which the reissue 275 would never have been built, nor any of the subsequent McIntosh tube gear in all probability.

    So as it turns out, were it not for Japanese influence who were far more concerned (and directly responsible) for keeping the "Mac" in McIntosh than McIntosh itself which is the biggest irony of all.
     
    Last edited: May 25, 2016
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  15. krlpuretone

    krlpuretone Forum Resident

    Location:
    Grantham, NH
    And how is the skiing industry in Florida, California and Arizona?

    I mean apples and oranges. There are plenty of places in California that don't see the tourism revenue that Napa does., for example. And there is plenty of tourist revenue that is not apparent to a casual observer.

    New Hampshire's state liquor stores generated $626M last year in revenue, mostly by location, being tax-free and proximity to interstates. This year it's going to be $700M.

    Music Direct is selling McIntosh and McIntosh is going thru Music Direct because they believe they can move a lot of units and make it more profitable than selling brick and mortar.

    On luxury consumer goods as Mac defines itself, customers are twice as likely to buy online, both for savings and convenience.

    Why wouldn't a customer from New York City, for example, want to save $577 in sales tax on a $6500 MAC6700 and also get free shipping?

    If I was a Mac dealer in a high tax area, I'd be more than a little annoyed...
     
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  16. jh901

    jh901 Forum Resident

    Location:
    PARRISH FL USA
    The NH drug abuse epidemic must be related to "forward-thinking". Frankly, one might suggest that a sales tax could replace income tax. Forward!
     
  17. jea48

    jea48 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Midwest, USA
    I may not have made my point clear. States like Florida, California, Arizona, and others, use a higher sales tax coupled with a hotel/motel tax to get added taxes revenues from tourists visiting the states. I doubt any of those states are going to eliminate that tax revenue cash cow anytime soon.

    Edit:
    I should add many states allow cities and counties to set their own local sales tax levy under State guidelines.
     
    Last edited: May 26, 2016
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  18. jea48

    jea48 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Midwest, USA
    I am not sure if this had anything to do with the management of the recently new owners of the old Fine Sounds Company.

    Quote from Link below:

    Mauro Grange, CEO of Fine Sounds SpA, and Charlie Randall, longtime President of McIntosh Laboratory, Inc., have announced their plans for a management buyout of Fine Sounds Group in partnership with LBO France and Yarpa. The acquisition will facilitate greater opportunities for global collaborations amongst the product development, marketing, distribution and finance teams of each of the Group’s portfolio of brands, which includes Sonus Faber, Audio Research Corporation, Wadia Digital, Sumiko and McIntosh.

    Grange, Randall, LBO France and Yarpa are purchasing Fine Sounds Group from Milan-based investment firm Quadrivio, which has owned the Group since 2008. The company headquarters will subsequently relocate to New York City, with Grange serving as Group CEO and Randall serving as Group COO and President of McIntosh concurrently.




    “The brands under the Group umbrella are some of the most respected in the high-end audio industry,” said Yarpa CEO Roberto D’Angelo. LBO France Director Philippe Guérin added “With Mauro and Charlie at the helm, we are confident the company is going to be a great success and are thrilled to be partners in this exciting acquisition.”

    Grange and Randall Lead Management Buyout of Fine Sounds Group »

    Just a guess but I think Charlie Randall, the now COO of the company, is in control of the nuts and bolts operation of WOM. Just a guess that includes ARC and all the rest of the companies under the WOM umbrella. The WOM name says it all.
     
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  19. 62caddy

    62caddy Forum Resident

    Location:
    PA
    The only relevant point about the sales tax is it places the buyer's local B & M dealer at an unfair disadvantage with the internet seller. (Unless the buyer happens to reside in a non-sales tax state)

    Obviously another serious consequence of internet sales, unintended as it might be. Some internet sellers are required to collect (and remit) sales tax for the state of destination; I suspect it will not be long before the practice becomes a requirement of all entities conducting business out of state. When that happens, it will help to level the field for all sellers.
     
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  20. Technically a buyer who saves on a sales tax purpose from out of state is required to pay that tax to their state if their state has sales tax. But of course hardly anyone ever does.
     
  21. jh901

    jh901 Forum Resident

    Location:
    PARRISH FL USA
    All State laws are different, but I'd guess that most, if not all, do require the sort of self-reporting you reference.

    So, are long time Mc dealers up in arms over internet sales? Should they be? Seems to me that brick & mortar dealers could have been given some concessions such as discounted wholesale pricing, financing arrangement assistance for customers (maybe help them qualify with Synchrony), etc. Anything to keep them loyal. Else, the competition can take business. I doubt every "doctor & lawyer" is completely married to Mc. There's other pretty, well made gear out there.
     
  22. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Why don't you come up to NH and straighten everything out ;). Or course there's no drug abuse problems down in Pittsburgh or anywhere in PA. I'm sure your expertise in finance would be much appreciated in NH and the rest of the country :).

    Bill
     
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  23. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Boston MA
    I know, all they have to do is look at what's left of their pay check.
     
  24. 62caddy

    62caddy Forum Resident

    Location:
    PA
    Years back, McIntosh undertook a demographic study of its customer base and determined 40% of its customer base was male between 25 and 40 years old of relatively modest income levels. Conversely, "professional classes" comprised of a much smaller portion of new McIntosh ownership than McIntosh itself even imagined.

    I can post the full reference to the study if interest is indicated here.

    It is hoped at any rate we can dispense with the "doctors & lawyers" stereotype of McIntosh buyers nonsense - for it is just plain wrong.
     
    Last edited: May 26, 2016
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  25. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Boston MA
    This is just a way for jealous d**** to insult McIntosh owners and make themselves feel better.
     
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