According to exit research of products shipped from distributors to resellers and specialist installers the market for receivers and related 5.1 home theatre systems has been steadily climbing with several distributors claiming that the demand is being driven by the lowing in price of flat panel TV's and manufacturers building in iPod connectivity and other key video and sound capability into the receivers.
However according to GFK the 7.1 home theatre market has declined over 56% since 2006.
Among the brands to be benefiting from the growth are Yamaha, Marantz Harmon Kardon Pioneer and Sony with some of these brands now tipping further growth as flat panel manufacturer's move to a new generation of thin flat screens?
Distributors also believe that as vendors launch a new generation of flat screens some as thin as 6mm that they will struggle to incorporate quality sound into the TV's.
Ralph Grundl the Marketing Manager at Qualifi the distributor of Marantz home theatre kits said "The market for receiver based 5.1 and 7.1 channel home theatre kits has defiantly grown. Our researchers are saying that in the last 12 exit research from manufacturer and distributor to reseller reveals around 10% growth".
