News

An expanded alliance between one of the High End's most respected speaker manufacturers and one of the most aggressive upscale retailers should bode well for both partners—and for music lovers nationwide.

On September 18, Lawrence, KS–based electrostatic loudspeaker maker MartinLogan announced an expansion of its marketing agreement with the Tweeter Home Entertainment Group, whose continuing merger-and-acquisition program has gathered many successful local retail chains under its corporate umbrella. The deal will put MartinLogan's strikingly-designed, transparent "curvilinear line source" (CLS) electrostatic speakers in at least 100 new locations within a few months. By the end of 2003, MartinLogan products will be in 178 Tweeter Home Entertainment Group locations, including HiFi Buys, Hillcrest High Fidelity, Showcase Home Entertainment, Sound Advice, and Tweeter stores.

MartinLogan entered its relationship with the Tweeter Group through the "back door," as a brand carried by several retailers acquired by Tweeter over the past four years, including Dallas/Houston–based Home Entertainment, Florida's Sound Advice, and Charlotte, NC's Audio Video Systems. All but Sound Advice have since become Tweeter-badged stores.

"Through the years, we have noticed the high quality of service that Tweeter has maintained, even as the company expanded in size," said Gayle Sanders, MartinLogan's president and founder. "Now is the right time for MartinLogan and Tweeter to come together and bring high performance audio to the next generation of music lovers. Both companies have a strong desire to grow in a way that supports and enhances the existing quality membership of the MartinLogan distribution group."

Most Tweeter stores will carry MartinLogan's entry-level products, with the company's premier loudspeaker systems reserved for "select Tweeter locations in key markets," according to the announcement. The expanded marketing campaign should offer many music lovers their first experience of electrostatic speakers. As anyone who has ever worked in an audio store can attest, such first experiences typically involve a customer walking around the speaker in wonder, asking, "How does it make sound?" Presumably, Tweeter sales folk will be prepared to answer that question.

"We are confident that these products will excite our sales team, and our customers will appreciate the superb product and the unique style that MartinLogan so successfully delivers," said Tweeter Group's director of audio merchandising Dave Malin. "Tweeter is proud to feature the MartinLogan line of loudspeakers in our stores. We believe that the passion that both companies bring to their respective brands will enhance the image of both in the specialty consumer electronics marketplace."

The expansion will be carried out in phases, beginning in November 2002 and running through May 2003. The Tweeter Group operates 165 stores nationwide, with plans to open an additional 20 by the end of next year. MartinLogan's full line, which ranges from $995/pair to $90,000/pair, will continue to be carried by its network of independent retailers.