NAD amp advertising text strangeness

[Wodgy]

I'm not sure if this is just a case of a lazy product marketing department, or if it suggests something deeper, perhaps a hint that NAD's design strategy for their newer 2 channel gear is to coast on their past successes until 2 channel dies a slow death in the consumer market....

It turns out that the new advertising brochure text for the C272 (a new product for this year) is almost word-for-word the same as their brochure text for the nearly decade-old C214!

From the C272 brochure:
"The all-new NAD C 272 is part of a new range of amplifiers, which will further enhance NAD’s enviable reputation for state of the art products at sensible prices. The key design goals of the new range are PERFORMANCE and RELIABILITY. Both are attained at a very competitive price through efficient innovative design, simple circuitry and meticulous engineering." And then it goes on about Holmgren transformers and other design stuff.

Now, from the nearly decade old C214 brochure:
"The all-new NAD 214 is part of a new range of power amplifiers which will further enhance NAD's enviable reputation for state of the art products at sensible prices. The key design goals of the new range are PERFORMANCE and RELIABILITY. Both are attained at a very competitive price through efficient innovative design, simple circuitry and meticulous engineering." And then it goes on about Holmgren transformers and other design stuff, nearly identical to the text for the C272.

Weird, huh? The key design goals of the new range are the same as the key design goals of two generations ago? Even if that's the case, couldn't they think of anything new to say?

In case anyone's wondering, the brochure for last year's model (the C270) has different text. I wonder why they dug up really old text from before the C270 and used it this year.

 

[davidmiya]

Hmm.. well, you know how the British are

, always trying to cut corners...

edit: (though I must admit, I do like their CDP)

 

[eyeteeth]

Quote:

Originally posted by Wodgy until 2 channel dies a slow death in the consumer market....

That hurts to contemplate.

 

[Wodgy]

Quote:

Originally posted by eyeteeth That hurts to contemplate.

Yeah, I find that disappointing too. It seems the North American market is abandoning stereo really quickly, though the European market is still reasonably into 2-channel. Case in point: Marantz, who made some great integrated amplifiers back in the day, no longer makes any integrated amps for the US market (the last one, the PM7000, seems to have been recently discontinued and isn't listed their website any more), though they still have one model of stereo receiver left. In Europe, though, a newer version of the PM7000, the PM7200, seems to be doing well though, so maybe there's hope there.

 

[chillysalsa]

I don't think 2 channel will EVERY die. There's too many people like us. And it's not just because we don't like change, there's lots of young people that reject the 5.1 idea for real audio. And hey - who is going to go back in time and record the best stuff on in surround?!?

NAD may be cutting corners. They were recently bought, out a year ago maybe, weren't they? The company that is part of PSB now owns them, no? It may the slashed their advertising department as a result!

 

[Wodgy]

In terms of high-end and hobbyiest gear, I'm sure stereo gear won't die. The consumer market (which, unfortunately for NAD, is their market) may very well abandon it. Every 5-channel receiver can be used to run a dual speaker setup, and consumers overwhelmingly want HT gear, so what's the motivation to design 2-channel gear? Especially because the newer technologies for listening to DVDs on two speakers (such as Dolby Virtual Speaker) require a powerful DSP anyway, so even consumers with two speakers may find themselves buying HT receivers to listen to DVDs.

 

[davei]

Quote:

Originally posted by Wodgy In terms of high-end and hobbyiest gear, I'm sure stereo gear won't die. The consumer market (which, unfortunately for NAD, is their market) may very well abandon it. Every 5-channel receiver can be used to run a dual speaker setup, and consumers overwhelmingly want HT gear, so what's the motivation to design 2-channel gear? Especially because the newer technologies for listening to DVDs on two speakers (such as Dolby Virtual Speaker) require a powerful DSP anyway, so even consumers with two speakers may find themselves buying HT receivers to listen to DVDs.

I was looking at boxing day ads today, there are lots of home theatre in a box setups for less than $300, I saw a couple under $200. Obviously crap quality, but most are going to think six for the price of two is a better deal. I wonder where the upgrade cycles are going to come from - likely a piece breaks so you junk the whole thing and buy a new one, rather than 7.1 or higher quality components...

 

[eyeteeth]

Quote:

Originally posted by chillysalsa who is going to go back in time and record the best stuff on in surround?!?

But what if, eventually, all future music releases are multi-channel. But even if this takes place I would think the front two speakers are still going to be the most important. Quality stereo with multi-channel support/suppliment?