News

For any audio company to be successful, it needs to cover what my business school teachers used to call the "Four Ps": Product, Price, Promotion, and Place. In other words, success will follow if a company can slice up its resources to properly promote the right product at the right price and make it available in the right places.

But some manufacturers have trouble keeping all four bases covered, often developing a great product while struggling to find the right distribution. Such has been the case for New Zealand's critically acclaimed high-end manufacturer Perreaux in its quest to reach American audiophiles.

That difficulty will soon come to an end, according to Perreaux's Martin van Rooyen, who purchased the New Zealand company in 1999, and Wayne Schuurman of Audio Advisor. AA and Perreaux say they have inked a new arrangement for the mail-order company to become the exclusive US distributor of Perreaux hi-fi components starting in 2002.

The company was founded by Peter Perreaux in 1974. During the 1980s and early 1990s, Perreaux products, including the critically acclaimed 2150B power amp, 5150B power amp, and SM-2 preamp, were distributed in the US by Techport. Audiophile Systems of Indianapolis succeeded Techport beginning in the mid 1990s, distributing Perreaux's Classic and Professional series amps, preamps, and tuners.

Audio Advisor says it is now carrying Perreaux's brand-new E-Series components. According to an AA press release, "Thanks to its combination of mature technology and innovation, the E-Series represents the company's most affordable offerings ever." Perreaux's current product line consists of the E160i integrated amp, E160 power amp, EP preamp, ECD2 CD player, and ETR AM/FM tuner.

Audio Advisor's Schuurman sums up his company's interest in Perreaux, claiming that the manufacturer's reputation for designing "bulletproof" high-end gear with "extraordinary sound at affordable prices" is unmatched in the industry. "We are very excited about our partnership with Perreaux and look forward to bringing an increasing number of their products on board in 2002."