Best Buy going high end?

ken · « **on:** 9 Dec 2005, 04:40 am »

I apologize if this has been brought up or discussed on a previous thread but I just happened to be in my local Best Buy store in Paramus today and was a little surprised to find a fairly new room with several Martin logan models, Vienna Acoustics, Boston acoustics and Def. tech speakers on display. Are all their stores now carrying more upscale speakers now? Previously the best speaker they carried were the Athena models. Just curious if any of the other stores elsewhere have upgraded their lines.

Dan Driscoll · « **Reply #1 on:** 9 Dec 2005, 04:47 am »

Best Buy owns Magnolia Hi-Fi and has begun putting mini-Magnolia sections into some BB stores.

ken · « **Reply #2 on:** 9 Dec 2005, 04:57 am »

Thanks for the reply Dan, I do remember the room being called the Magnolia room and did see a Magnolia Hi-fi truck outside, never heard of them though.

Ken

bubba966 · « **Reply #3 on:** 9 Dec 2005, 05:01 am »

Magnolia Hi-Fi is/was a Seattle area high end shop. Best Buy bought them out a couple of years ago after Magnolia had grown to 20 some odd locations on the West coast.

Papajin · « **Reply #4 on:** 9 Dec 2005, 06:03 am »

Yep they've been sending me postcards about it for a few months now.

Adz523 · « **Reply #5 on:** 9 Dec 2005, 10:11 am »

It seems that they sell/carry only the entry level products from these higher end maunfacturers and have even slightly changed product names on some stuff which implies perhaps that they are being mass produced just for BestBuy. Probably makes sense given the audience they are targeting.

djbnh · « **Reply #6 on:** 9 Dec 2005, 11:58 am »

Quote from: Adz523

It seems that they sell/carry only the entry level products from these higher end maunfacturers and have even slightly changed product names on some stuff which implies perhaps that they are being mass produced just for BestBuy. Probably makes sense given the audience they are targeting.

Hey, we all started somewhere! If it gets persons interested in audio, and it meets a customer's $ and sound quality target levels, why not shop at BB? Not everyone wants, or can afford, or cares about top end gear. Maybe they'd prefer to sink their $ in a bass boat, or their kid's college education, or a home remodel, etc.

Also, do you have anything to back up your comments (sans wiggle words): 1) "they sell/carry only the entry level products from these higher end maunfacturers", and 2) "that they are being mass produced just for BestBuy"? And if you do, what's the downside necessarily? There are some pretty fine entry level or mass produced products out there.

Maybe its the limitations of writing on-line, but your post, to me, had a flavor of, "We voted not to accept the Greens into the country club because they send their kids to public school."

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #7 on:** 9 Dec 2005, 12:38 pm »

I think its a "good thing". A taste of a better sound...with could lead down a path to even "better sounding equipement"....which most of us know about. Keep hope alive....

Dan Driscoll · « **Reply #8 on:** 9 Dec 2005, 03:31 pm »

Quote from: djbnh

Maybe its the limitations of writing on-line, but your post, to me, had a flavor of, "We voted not to accept the Greens into the country club because they send their kids to public school."

I think it's the limitations of on-line correspondence, because I don't see what you saw.

I shop at BB, although I'm generally looking for general electronics (comp card, cameras, etc.), music or movies, not A/V gear. But I've checked out a few of the Magnolia rooms and I saw pretty much what Adz523 saw, entry level mid-fi gear, mainly from better known brands, like the Pioneer Elite DV-45Ai and Denon 1910. But not their better stuff, like the 3910 or 59Ai, both of which are available at the stand-alone Magnolia stores. We have several of both around here, so I've had a chance to check them out several times. I've never seen any higher level brands in a BB Magnolia room, such as Vienna Accoustics Rel or even B&K.

Adz523 · « **Reply #9 on:** 9 Dec 2005, 03:55 pm »

Quote from: djbnh

Hey, we all started somewhere! If it gets persons interested in audio, and it meets a customer's $ and sound quality target levels, why not shop at BB? Not everyone wants, or can afford, or cares about top end gear. Maybe they'd prefer to sink their $ in a bass boat, or their kid's college education, or a home remodel, etc.

Also, do you have anything to back up your comments (sans wiggle words): 1) "they sell/carry only the entry level products from these higher end maunfacturers", and 2) "that they are ...

You misinterpreted my post. It was only a harmless observation, not meant to incite or cause the type of reaction you have posted - your point (1) is a fact at least with respect to the BB by me and point (2) is an educated guess based only on the fact that some of the speakers that I am very familar with are on display but have some completely different numbers designated them. Hmmm...I do agree that "mass-produced" infers a negative connatation, but I really meant somerthing like specially produced just for BEStbuy.

As to why only the entry stuff? It could also be that these higher end companies do not want BB to carry their highest end stuff. Its probably a combination of all the reasons we have come up with. Who knows without talking to both sides directly. By the way, I don't disagree with anything you said and its a great marketing move by BB.

PhilNYC · « **Reply #10 on:** 9 Dec 2005, 04:08 pm »

Quote from: Adz523

It seems that they sell/carry only the entry level products from these higher end maunfacturers and have even slightly changed product names on some stuff which implies perhaps that they are being mass produced just for BestBuy. Probably makes sense given the audience they are targeting.

It's likely that that's all they want to have on the showfloor, but if you wanted higher-end models, you could still buy it from them.

Adz523 · « **Reply #11 on:** 9 Dec 2005, 05:56 pm »

Quote from: PhilNYC

Quote from: Adz523
It seems that they sell/carry only the entry level products from these higher end maunfacturers and have even slightly changed product names on some stuff which implies perhaps that they are being mass produced just for BestBuy. Probably makes sense given the audience they are targeting.

It's likely that that's all they want to have on the showfloor, but if you wanted higher-end models, you could still buy it from them.

Let me clear up the confusion as I just asked them. They don't sell/carry the higher end models of a particular brand BUT they can have them special ordered for someone which requires BestBuy District Manager approval and can take up to as much as 8-12 weeks from the beginning of that process until shipment arrives. I doubt anyone would then also be able to negotiate a discount, but I forgot to ask that.

BillyM · « **Reply #12 on:** 9 Dec 2005, 07:19 pm »

One thing no one is mentioning is the number of young individuals that this could port over to high-end. The employees there (and maybe the rare friend) use their discounts, I can promise you of that. Athena AS-F2's, $289+tx for the pair, yes please! (who would ever say something like that? haha) ...will now become Martin Logans, $400+tx for the pair, yes please!

...this isn't useful for you multi-kilobuck buyers out there, but for that reason I dont see why any of you would need to down-play this. Without new upcoming buyers, you will see a decrease in purchases, and eventually R&D in your favorite highest-end companies. ...those new and upcoming buyers have to start somewhere, and this is just one step closer to pulling these young folks supporting YOUR hobby...

--BillyM