BobG:

Dhtman, that's very cool and I wish you all the best at the show and beyond.  I've been to that show a number of times as a visitor and always wanted to find a way to expose the audience to the Klipsch sound.  We've had a tough go in the UK but things are starting to shake loose and we may finally get some Klipsch into the market.  That the showgoers had a chance to experience the Jubilee is very special. 

Thanks again and let us know how the rest of the show goes.

Thanks for your support Bob.  I've posted here previously that I was blown away by the La Scalas I heard at the Heathrow show about 30 years ago.  UK audiophiles were very insular back then and there is less resistance to "foreign" manufacturers now.

Having worked in several US-owned corporations (and consulted to a few more) I can understand how Klipsch found it tough to break into this market. Just because we speak the same language (almost) the psychology is quite different.  You would never be successful here by replicating your home market business model in the UK! 

If someone at Klipsch wants to discuss my thoughts and ideas, I would be very happy to engage.  I'm a real fan of the Klipsch brand and would love to see the company build more of a presence in the UK hi fi market. 

dhtman:

...Just because we speak the same language (almost) the psychology is quite different.  You would never be successful here by replicating your home market business model in the UK!

For instance, U.S. speaker buyers tend to compromise sound based on size of the speakers (i.e., smaller is better), and pour a lot of money into electronic gear and turntables instead of balancing their investments first based on traditional weak links - speakers and room acoustics.  Additionally, many U.S. audiophiles tend to prefer a certain "audiophile sound" that doesn't necessarily replicate itself in live performances.  We’ve discussed on this forum that subwoofer harmonic distortion, e.g., driver compression, is actually preferred over clean low-distortion reproducers like Jubilees.

Branding is an interesting subject, too.  Some audio equipment manufacturers are avoided here due to past “low end market” association while other brands that may only be known to audiophiles seem to sell equipment regardless of price or demonstrated capability – instead marketed based on product features/looks with sometimes outrageous prices.

Does any of this enter into the U.K. marketing picture.  What is different?  Is it the same across Europe?

Chris A.