Monitor Audio fits your criteria. Everything from builder grade IC speakers to their Platinum towers at $10,000/pair.

Funny how this type of thing goes with regards to speakers.


Years back lines were VERY protected. I beleive it was Fred that couldn't get me M&K, another rep couldn't get me KEF, another Martin-Logan.

It was the same with AVR's. Pioneer Elite wasn't possible for me, the same with Onkyo.


I went direct with Aura first, and the buy in was 5K, later went with BG and the initial purchase was something like 10K (I had to jump through some serious hoops), went direct with Newcastle and I bought in with a 10K purchase.

I was already set up direct with M&S, Russound, Sharp Electronics, which required 100K per year, and several other companies when all this took place, so it became obvious that some line were just not going to be given to me, regardless of what I might do sales wise.

Sounds like we're sort of going back in that direction, so maybe you only "in" is to come up with the funds to make a very large initial order, and then follow through with continuing sales.

That's just the way it works sometimes.

+1

Check out MSE Audio group. They cover just about everything however they don't have an online ordering portal.

Ichbinbose,
I assume the OP is looking for an online portal for ordering product. I know paradigm has a dealer site, but nothing for ordering. I'm still faxing my orders in.
Online ordering would be great.

Available thrum distribution.... I sense he is looking to go direct with an exclusive line that trunk slammers cannot get their hands on

I tried several months ago but their "you need us more than we need you" attitude kind of pissed me off.

Yes you can order online.
I just ordered some studio 60s that way. No rep needed
Btw you can order anthem thru the same portal
[Link: bit.ly]

It certainly does.... until the ball is dropped on you a small handful of times :) IF I'm a piece of sh!t, then just tell me. You're too small, we don't want to deal with you etc... Don't just do nothing, that just pisses people off.

My whole thought process is/was to get into and get behind a big line that would fit many budgets, without jumping between brands. Most of my clients currently are shopping on the low end of the custom world. Occasionally now, and more in the future, I close higher end product for larger jobs. When I do need 10k or better in speakers for a room, I want it to be available and easy.

Thank you to everyone who threw out opinions. I've spent a lot of time the last few days looking at screen after screen of speakers, dealers, About pages etc. I think, at least on the surface, Paradigm could be a good fit.

We will see. This time, after watching enough of The Profit the last year or so, I will put People and Process ahead of Product this time, and see what happens.

You're only looking at what the public sees online.

The wholesale world is [mostly] hidden, online.

Follow Fred's advice.

I used to love Paradigm. I visited the factory about 8 years ago and was extremely impressed with everything. Most impressive was almost everything was designed, tested, and produced in Canada all in the same facility. After personally switching where I worked and then going off on my own I was finally able to pick them up again. Since then it has been one disappointment after another. Most of their products are now made in China. Things are consistently out of stock. Quality control is really bad, I had a voice coil fall apart in my hand as I was installing an in-ceiling speaker because someone forgot to epoxy it to the driver.

I still think their Studio line and higher is some of the best available for the money, but nothing is what it used to be. I have gone back to Sonance as my everyday line.

Klipsch

Used to sell Paradigm. OK product. Visited the factory etc.. We did OK with them for being a smaller business...
A year later without warning we lost the line to our compeitior who could move more product.
I found out when a friend called me and asked why Paradigm boxes were being unloaded in front of our competitor's store and being trucked into their wharehouse!

We sold Jamo for about 15 years. Great Box speakers, Kevalr Arch Speakers were great, great company to deal with. Got bought by Klipsch and everything changed. went from about 300 skus to about 60 skus. The most expensive bookshelfs they sell now are like $400 a pair....pretty weak.

We then made the transition to Boston acoustics. Again, great speakers, great rep, bought by D&M, rep quit, speakers never showed up on time, everything always was 2-weeks out. They must have hired some old RTI guys. Stuck it out with Boston for about 5 years until they royally screwed me over and cost me a builder account that sends me 100k in business/year. I will never say anythign nice about Boston...they flat out lied to me, I told the builder, then I looked like an ass.

We then bounced between Canton, Klipsch, Proficient, Episode, etc....never being happy.

Paradigm is locked down in my area, so they weren't letting me on. The only decent one left was Sonance. We have been doing them for about a year. They have been great, rep is great, product is great, only beef is they don't make a bunch of bookshelves or towers.

We still use Canton for box speakers and Sonance for Architectural and outside speakers. Since we only sell about 4-5 jobs with box speakers a year, it's not a big deal to buy then from Canton. I really like the Canton speakers, and think certain models sound stunning for the price.

My buddy next door just stopped by for beers... his shop is a big Paradigm dealer says they are dropping them... Paradigm has a damn online to the public store, like KEF!!!

Why do they need to do this?

Dummies!