EXCLUSIVE: D+M Brands, the Japanese owners of the popular Boston Acoustics brand, have dumped struggling consumer electronics distributor Ambertech after just 12 months. No announcement has been made to the ASX.The new distributor for the Boston Acoustics range of sound gear is Audio Products Australia who already distributes the Loewe TV, Denon and Nile brands in Australia.
SmartHouse has been told several distributors were approached after D+M Brands became “disillusioned” with Amber Technology.
Ken Dwyer the CEO of Audio Products Australia said the brand which is extremely popular in the USA will be a key range in his company’s portfolio of consumer electronics and Hi Fi products.
In a letter to dealers that was distributed on Friday night, Dwyer said “The decision to appoint APG as distributor for Boston is intended to more closely link the two D&M brands – Denon and Boston – in the Australian market. APG is the long-time distributor of Denon in Australia and New Zealand”.
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He said APG will endeavour to ensure a smooth transition of Boston Acoustics sales and support in January and moving into 2013.
Cracks in the relationship between D+M Brands and Ambertech first appeared in September, when senior management from the Japanese Company held a press conference at the Ivy in Sydney for their brands in Australia. Present was executives from Qualifi who distribute the Marantz range along with APG executives.
Several new Marantz and Denon products were revealed but no new Boston Acoustics products despite the Company showing their new soundbar range in the USA, where the brand is one of the leading Hi Fi brands with mass retailers.
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Ambertech was appointed as the Australian distributor after Sydney based Hi Fi & Video Marketing shut up shop weeks after losing the Boston Acoustics account in September 2011.
Back in November ChannelNews tipped that the Boston Acoustics account was up for review after Ambertech failed to grow the brands presence in Australia. We have also been told that another major Ambertech brand is under review following a fall in sales for the brand.
Among the Boston Acoustics range is the SoundWare XS 5.1 surround sound speaker system and the MC200 Air – a wireless speaker system compatible with Apple’s Airplay. At the 2013 CES Show in Las Vegas, the Company is set to launch a new range of soundbars along with a new range of Hi Fi gear.
Globally Boston Acoustics is set to expand their Hi Fi range with several new premium sound products set to be released in 2014.
The Company admits they have put a large amount of resources into soundbars and despite it paying off they say that their component speaker sales have been suffering because of the soundbar focus. A new M series is the first to be pushed and Boston Acoustics. The range will be launched in Australia by Audio Products Australia.
