First It Was Loewe, Now Indi Imports Snares M&K Speakers
After snaring the Loewe TV brand out of Qualifi late last year, Indi Imports has now taken the M&K speaker range which they are set to relaunch “significantly” cheaper than what the speakers were previously sold for in Australia.
According to Qualifi the brand will be replaced with Klipsch speakers which Qualifi claim has a similar pedigree to the M&K speakers.
It was only a week ago that one of the world’s leading sound mags Stereophile raised the question as to whether M&K speakers were the best top end Hi Fi and home cinema speakers in the world today.
Loved by Hollywood and used by sound studios to mix some of the biggest blockbuster movies in the world the M&K speaker range has in the past appealed to both consumers and professional sound engineers, but the big question now is whether the brand can regain market share in Australia via the specialist channel.
The original Miller & Kreisel was founded in 1973 by music lovers who wanted to manufacture speakers good enough to do justice to recordings by Steely Dan.
35 years later, the company went bankrupt, and was relaunched shortly thereafter by new Danish investors who have a strong home theatre orientation.
For the past 10 years, the company’s owner has been Lars Johansen, who I saw demonstrating the brand at the Venetian Hotel during the recent CES show.
At the time M&K was showing two 4-ohm models including the “classic” M&K S150. Based on the S300 the S150 is marketed as reference monitor for professional cinema sound design or stereo recording.
Lars told Stereophile that 90% of S150s are sold for home theatre applications.
The S300, in turn, is touted as “destined to become the reference home entertainment speaker system.” Both speakers are THX Ultra 2 certified.
Used to mix the recent Star Wars Movie, The Last Jedi M&K speakers are used by several Hollywood Studio’s including Warner as well as Lucas Films.
M&K engineers were also responsible for developing the first speakers with a sub built in.
Paul Riachi CEO of Indi Imports said” Indi is slowly establishing its self as a serious contender as a supplier of high quality audio and visual products throughout Australia. M&K Sound is the Best Cinema and Studio Speakers money can buy.
“Having extensive experience selling M&K Sound for me it was pure passion and understanding where this brand needed to be in the market place. Our marketing strategy and key Hollywood industry recognition makes M&K Sound really the choice of anyone who wants a serious home cinema or surround sound system. INDI will immediately have stock of all new THX Cinema Speakers and Complete Architectural range, we are committed in making this brand the choice for every consumer”
Lars Johansen, President – M&K Sound said “We at M&K Sound recognised we needed a change in the Australian market. We have been in discussions with INDI IMPORTS for some time and Paul Riachi has shown and proven to be very passionate in both the M&K Sound brand and the industry as a whole”.
“As most will know Paul Riachi has a very long history with THX Lucasfilm Products and in retailing our brand in the past, when M&K was at the forefront of consumers’ minds in Australia between the 90’s and the turn of the century… In such a short time INDI has proven to have the marketing and sales skills to propel the brand back into main stream retail specialist stores, plus have the love and passion this brand needs. M&K Sound are very excited with the future in Australia”.
