Audio Research assigns assets to third party firm for liquidation

Audio Systems
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On April 4, Audio Research assigned assets to Lighthouse Management Group, a turnaround firm, for liquidation to pay creditors.

This looks to be the end of one of the best known long-term names in high-end audio. :cry:

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Unbelievable story. Looks like the revenues of the business are very low.

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Update from ARC’s Dave Gordon.

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The price of tubes is ridiculous now. The only reason I didn’t buy a pair of 160M’s last year is the cost of replacement KT150’s.

Since we have a 2-chan/HT, I calculated we’d need to replace tubes every 14-15 months. It’s one thing to buy expensive cables that have an indefinite utilization, it’s another to spend this much for a consumable.

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Based on the current limited availability there’s probably very little stock for a repair depot to buy. Getting one fixed at this point is going to be difficult.

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Such a shame seeing one of the GOATs of audio go down this route. Hopefully they will find a new owner who will be able to restructure the business but it won’t be easy and in any case it will require some time.

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Isnt’ audio research under the umbrella of Sonus Faber and some other WW audio companies?

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To be fair, the fact that most tubes are made in Russia doesn’t help.

Still, ARC has a supply for new products and replacements are pricy but available.

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Their revenues are really, really tiny. It’s not only on the cost side.

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My comment was addressing the “tubes are expensive” comment.

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No. They had been spun off from the group in connection with a management buyout.

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ah, thx! didn’t know that.

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Yeah, Trent Suggs - who is now out - bought Audio Research in 2020.

What Hi-Fi? - Audio Research sold by McIntosh Group to former sales director

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