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January 2, 2020, 10:45 PM #1
Golden Ear Technologies joins Quest Group (AudioQuest)
I just received this email from Bill Low:
I’m delighted to welcome GoldenEar into the heart of The Quest Group’s performance-oriented audio business.
Below you’ll find the letter that Sandy sent to his dealers earlier today. It says it all—including the important fact that I am acquiring GoldenEar Technology because nothing is broken and nothing needs to be fixed. The businesses of GoldenEar and AudioQuest are simply complementary and compatible to a degree seldom seen when an investment business buys companies.
I have always been certain that I would only ever want to be involved with business activities that I initiated, from my stores in Portland, OR, and Santa Monica, on to AudioQuest cables, Niagara and PowerQuest power products, and the DragonFly series of portable DACs—but the opportunity to work with Sandy and share in the growth of GoldenEar is simply irresistible.
Everyone who knows Sandy has witnessed someone doing what he loves—I hope the same is obvious to those who know me. Sandy and I will now be practicing our favorite “pastime” under the same umbrella.
Sincerely, Bill
William E. Low
CEO/Founder
The Quest Group
dba AudioQuest
I have some very exciting news to share with you: Our industry has seen a remarkable series of mergers and acquisitions over the past few years. Now I am pleased to announce that The Quest Group, the owner of AudioQuest, has acquired GoldenEar Technology. Owned by Bill Low, an ardent audiophile, The Quest Group, best known as the creator and supplier of the AudioQuest brand, has defined how a focus on audiophile performance can combine with market savvy and understanding, marketing excellence and operational excellence, to achieve exceptional business success. All of these positives mirror what GoldenEar is about, but with greater strength, resources, and capabilities.
Don Givogue, Bob Johnston, and I started GoldenEar ten years ago with the vision of creating an American classic: a strong, performance-oriented high-end audio company that would take a leading position on the world stage. We have created superb products that are unmatched in their combination of performance and value. Through our hard-hitting marketing, advertising, and fantastic reviews, we have become a well-established force in the loudspeaker marketplace. We have established a much-envied distribution network in North America through the best brick & mortar dealers. And in the international markets, with distributors in 35 countries, we have begun to establish an equally enviable worldwide presence.
When Don approached me several years ago to let me know that he wanted to retire, he tasked me with the challenge of finding the right business partner with which to join GoldenEar—one who understands who we are, what we do, and how we do it. The choice was clear: I have known Bill Low for almost 50 years, dating back to my first trip around the country to set up Polk distribution. Back then, Bill had a small high-end audio store in Portland, Oregon, and, as two fanatical audiophiles, we immediately hit it off and have been friends ever since. So, I enthusiastically approached Bill with the concept of bringing GoldenEar into The Quest Group, joining AudioQuest, and here we are today announcing that combination.
I very much want to continue with my lifelong work of creating great loudspeakers and bringing them to market. Don was the operational side of the business, and I believe that the operational strength within The Quest Group will be more than able to pick up the ball and charge ahead. I think that TQG’s capabilities will help us to create and structure an even more effective market presence, and, with their help and backing, I am confident that our sales team will grow and be able to offer even greater support to you, our dealers, distributors, and to your teams.
Internationally, from a logistical standpoint, The Quest Group is way ahead of anything that we have ever had. Their strong presence on the ground in Europe includes full warehousing and a growing sales-support structure. Their excellent Asia-Pacific team will help our current vendor interface team, as well as provide in-person sales support. Combined, these assets will be a tremendous help for GoldenEar and our distributors toward achieving growth and taking a much stronger international position. Our engineering team, strengthened by the addition of new head Benjamin Seaman, who has tremendous experience organizing and running effective engineering teams in the aerospace industry, remains in place and is busy working on new projects to help me achieve my product dreams. And our sales team of Dave Kakenmaster, Chris Volk, and Michael Grover are also in place and in gear. In addition, our in-house sales team of Anne Conaway and Mary Conaway are here and busy as always working with you and helping to make everything run smoothly and efficiently.
Of course, GoldenEar will continue to slowly and methodically pursue its own unique and independent distribution strategy. At present, about one hundred of GoldenEar’s approximately two hundred North American dealers are also AudioQuest dealers. Over time, more AudioQuest dealers might become GoldenEar dealers, though only when and where appropriate. Under no circumstances will GoldenEar become available to all AudioQuest dealers. Of course, AudioQuest is hoping that it might be appropriate for more of the GoldenEar dealer community to become AudioQuest dealers, but there is no mandate for either community to merge with the other.
I look forward to working together with you on this new chapter in the history, development, and success of GoldenEar.
Onward and Upward,
President
GoldenEar Technology
Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkMy Systems: http://www.audioshark.org/showthread...481#post158481
"We can hear everything we measure, but we can't measure everything we hear. Let your ears be your guide."
Dealer for: Aqua Hi-Fi, Aurender, AudioQuest Cables & Power Products, Berkeley Audio, Block Audio (distributor), Boulder Amplifiers, Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), Bryston, Clarisys Audio Loudspeakers (distributor), Classe’ Audio, Degritter Record Cleaning Machines, Esoteric, Finite Elemente, FirstWatt, Focal Loudspeakers and Headphones, GigaFoil, Harbeth Loudspeakers, Hegel, HiFi Man, Innuos, ISO Acoustics, Keces Power Supplies, Kharma Loudspeakers and Electronics, Kuzma Turntables, Lumin, Luxman, Magico Loudspeakers, MBL Speakers & Electronics, MSB Technologies, MySonicLabs Phono Cartridges, Nordost Cables, Ortofon, Pass Labs, Quadraspire, Rega Turntables and Electronics, Shunyata Research, STAX, Stein Music Products, Stillpoints, Soulution, VAC, Vicoustics, Viva Audio, VPI Industries, WireWorld Cables.
https://suncoastaudio.com/
Phone: 941-932-0282
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Suncoast-Au...1105178279194/
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January 3, 2020, 10:09 AM #2
Re: AudioQuest acquires Golden Ear Technologies
Mike, will you be adding them to your lineup?
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Brian
Main System - Rotel RCD-1572 / Rega P3 > Luxman 505UX Mark II > Fyne Audio F502SPs > Synergistic Cables
Secondary - OPPO 93 > VAC CLA 1 MKII Pre > Odyssey Stratos > Dynaudio Audience 82s > Tara Labs Cables
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January 3, 2020, 10:28 AM #3
AudioQuest acquires Golden Ear Technologies
My Systems: http://www.audioshark.org/showthread...481#post158481
"We can hear everything we measure, but we can't measure everything we hear. Let your ears be your guide."
Dealer for: Aqua Hi-Fi, Aurender, AudioQuest Cables & Power Products, Berkeley Audio, Block Audio (distributor), Boulder Amplifiers, Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), Bryston, Clarisys Audio Loudspeakers (distributor), Classe’ Audio, Degritter Record Cleaning Machines, Esoteric, Finite Elemente, FirstWatt, Focal Loudspeakers and Headphones, GigaFoil, Harbeth Loudspeakers, Hegel, HiFi Man, Innuos, ISO Acoustics, Keces Power Supplies, Kharma Loudspeakers and Electronics, Kuzma Turntables, Lumin, Luxman, Magico Loudspeakers, MBL Speakers & Electronics, MSB Technologies, MySonicLabs Phono Cartridges, Nordost Cables, Ortofon, Pass Labs, Quadraspire, Rega Turntables and Electronics, Shunyata Research, STAX, Stein Music Products, Stillpoints, Soulution, VAC, Vicoustics, Viva Audio, VPI Industries, WireWorld Cables.
https://suncoastaudio.com/
Phone: 941-932-0282
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Suncoast-Au...1105178279194/
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January 4, 2020, 10:27 PM #4
Re: AudioQuest acquires Golden Ear Technologies
Never heard of Golden Ear....
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January 4, 2020, 10:39 PM #5
- Join Date
- Nov 2013
- Location
- St. Louis, MO, USA
- Posts
- 3,067
Re: AudioQuest acquires Golden Ear Technologies
Aurender ACS10 w/Audioquest Diamond USB, Esoteric N05xd
Mark Levinson #526, 534 & JBL 4367's
Clearaudio Performance DC w/Maestro cart
Clarus Concerto & their Crimson cables
HT: Marantz AV8003, Linn 5125, JBL SAM3ha, Revel s30,
SVS PC13 Ultra
Transparent, Analysis Plus & Tributaries. PS Audio filtering
Sony XBR-75X940D & BDP
Parasound P6, MBL 8006b, Artisan speakers/subwoofer
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January 9, 2020, 12:02 PM #6
Re: Golden Ear Technologies joins Quest Group (AudioQuest)
Golden Ear speakers have received great reviews. Hmmmm, they don’t need a ton of power either.
Fleetwood Deville by Oswald Mills Audio, Vienna Acoustics Haydn Jubilee, Wharfedale Linton w/ stands, Klipsch RB-75, Klipsch RP-160M.
Job INTegrated. Luxman L-595aSE
NAD C 658 streamer.
First Watt SIT-3, Job 250 Monos, NuForce STA200, AkitikA GT-102 amp, ASL Wave monos, Dennis Had 45 monos. Absolute Audio Labs PCF 25 amp (improved First Watt F7 super clone)
Topping D90, RME Audio ADI-2 DAC FS, ModWright Ultimate Sony XA-5400ES.
Burmester 948, McIntosh MCLK12, Kimber Kable, Siltech, Cardas, Avanti Audio cables.
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January 9, 2020, 06:19 PM #7
Re: Golden Ear Technologies joins Quest Group (AudioQuest)
Have heard them on one occasion.
Their top model.
I think they were set up wrong, because they sound incredibly, terribly awful.
Though 100K of electronics drove them.Vivid Audio - Burmester - Hegel - Marantz - Oppo - Pioneer 60" - Wireworld
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January 9, 2020, 11:18 PM #8
- Join Date
- Nov 2013
- Location
- Minnesota
- Posts
- 1,369
Re: Golden Ear Technologies joins Quest Group (AudioQuest)
I have found them to sound mid fi.
My Gear- Mains System-Pass X250 amp, BAT VK-51se preamp, Luxman DA-06 DAC, Magnepan 1.6's, Thorens TD-145 TT, Dual Martin Logan Subs, Vintage Luxman T-110 Tuner, Cables-WW Platinum 7 USB, Cardas Parsec XLR, AQ Columbia DBS 72v XLR, Belden 8402 XLR.
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January 9, 2020, 11:29 PM #9
- Join Date
- Jun 2017
- Location
- Kansas
- Posts
- 176
Re: Golden Ear Technologies joins Quest Group (AudioQuest)
I've always wanted to like the Golden Ear products, but found exactly the same result that you did on more than one occasion. In my case it was "only" $20k of gear driving them. I too attribute it to poor setup, but you're not the only other I've run into that's had this experience. Not sure what would make such a seemingly forgiving speaker with an arguably decent tweeter sound like that.
Jeff
Main System
Streamer/Server: Aurender N100H; Disc Player: Oppo UDP-205; DAC: Topping D90SE; Preamp: Wyred 4 Sound STP-SE Stage 2; Power Amp: ATI AT542NC; Speakers: Focal Sopra No. 3; Cables: Wireworld, Kimber, Cullin; Power: Ansuz Mainz8 X-TC, PS Audio Dectet, Furutech outlets
Basement Media Room
Streamer/Server: Aurender N100SC; Disc Player: Panasonic DB-UP9000; Surround Pre/Pro: Monoprice Monolith HTP-1; Power Amps: Apollon NC1200SL (custom 3-channel w/Sparkos SS2590 op amps), Apollon AS3600 6-channel; Speakers: Focal Kanta No. 3, Kanta Center, 300 ICW8 (x6); Subwoofer: Rythmik F18SE (x2); Cables: Wireworld, BlueJeans; Power: Torus RM20, Furman Elite 20PFi; Room Correction: Dirac Live w/ Bass Control; Video: Sony 77" A9G OLED
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January 10, 2020, 01:23 AM #10
- Join Date
- May 2013
- Location
- Tallahassee, Florida/Greenville, SC
- Posts
- 3,242
Re: Golden Ear Technologies joins Quest Group (AudioQuest)
One thing about setting up Golden Ear speakers is the relationship between ear height and that tweeter much like is the case with Vandersteen speakers. Most dealers don't probably take the time to explore that and it really should be included in the manual just as it is as part of the initial setup for Vandersteen speakers. I had a set of the passive Triton 5's when they first came out and I agree just setup normally they sounded bad, thin and bright. As a twenty year Vandersteen owner I decided to try setting them up as you would a Vandersteen speaker like the Model 1, 2 or 3. Already knowing my seating ear height from setting up the last pair of Vandersteen's the Treo I measure from the center of the ribbon tweeter to the top made the measurement adjustment on the opposing wall and mounted a piece of printer paper with a large x in the middle for the target. Then using a laser level adjusted the rear spikes until the laser hit the X. Problem solved the brightness and thinness was gone and the bass came back. This may not be as important in a Golden Ear 5.1 setup which is what their original target audience was and what the vast majority of their dealers sell the most of. So chances are good that if you walk in to your average dealer they will sound like shit no matter how much the supporting gear cost.
Main - JVC QL-Y7/Denon DL-301 Mk II, Gold Note PH-10, Jays CDT3 Mk3 , Auralic Aries G2.2, Holo May KTE, Supratek Cabernet, Kinki Studio EX-B7 monoblocks, Verity Audio Otello, (2) Rythmik F12SE, Audio Envy IC, SC & PC's, Triode Wire Lab PC's, Inakustik USB and I2S, (2) Puritan Audio Labs PSM-156 with Groundmaster City, Timbernation rack
Family Room - Oppo UDP-203, Auralic Aries, Aqua La Voce S3, Kinki Studio EX-M1+, Nola KO, (2) Rythmik F-12G, Wireworld SC & IC's, Neotech PC's, SurgeX SA-1810
Greenville, SC- Jays CDT2 Mk 3, Auralic Aries G1, Holo Spring 3 KTE, Supratek Chardonnay, Odyssey Audio Kismet Reference, Rosso Fiorentino Volterra 2, (2) RSL Speedwoofers, iFi Audio Power Station, Wireworld IC's, Inakustik USB and I2s, Triode Wire Lab SC, Triode Wire Lab PC's, Furutech NCF Clear Line, Timbernation rack.
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AudioShark forum is a leading forum site for High End Audio Discussion, Stereo System Discussion, Home Theater System Discussion, Best Home Stereo System Discussion, Home Theater Installation Discussion etc.
The AudioShark forum was created for sharing the passion of high-end Audio. We have Audiophiles from all over the world participating and sharing their knowledge. From novice to experts, you will find a friendly environment for discussing about High End Audio, Stereo System, Home Theater System, Home Stereo System, Home Theater Installation, Amplifiers, Speakers, Subwoofers, Integrated System, Acoustic treatments & Digital Room Corrections and many more.
At AudioShark, we also have incorporated an exciting Marketplace where members can peruse terrific buys on used gear, as well as meet dealers and discuss the purchase of new gear.
We are as crazy about this hobby as you are! So come on in and join us! Audioshark.org the Friendliest Audio Forum!
Industry Participation Disclosure : The owner and administrator of Audioshark is the owner of Suncoast Audio LLC in Sarasota Florida. Suncoast Audio has a full brick and mortar presence in Sarasota with several great show rooms with many world class brands. More information can be found at http://www.suncoastaudio.com
Audioshark is a community of like minded individuals. Audioshark welcomes participation from all manufacturers and owners of all brands and products. It is our belief that online forums provide a community of like minded audiophiles and music lovers to encourage the growth of this wonderful hobby.
Sincerely,
The Audioshark.org Team
The new Clarisys Piccolo’s stole the thunder from the Minuets…and everything else. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
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