NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - March 25, 2008) -

 High net-worth consumers rated Bang and Olufsen the most prestigious luxury audio brand in the 2008 Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey from the independent New York City-based Luxury Institute (www.LuxuryInstitute.com).

 Respondents who would recommend Bang and Olufsen say "their reputation is unsurpassed," they have "great technology and superior sounds."

Bose Corp and Bowers and Wilkins came in second and third respectively.

"Audio is yet another category with dozens of brands but only a few elite standouts," said Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute. "Interestingly, newcomer Steinway Lyngdorf catapulted itself into the top five rated brands by combining the revered piano brand name with what wealthy consumers say is 'top-shelf quality' and design. This is the type of innovation luxury audio consumers have been craving."

"Our surveys are conducted with independent panels weighted to reflect national results. The results are tabulated by external analytical experts to ensure a level of transparency and objectivity that has earned the trust of consumers, the industry and the media. We strive continuously to reinforce the trust that allows us to facilitate a constructive dialogue between wealthy consumers and luxury brands via our surveys," added Pedraza.

Following are the 35 Luxury Audio Brands that were rated (alphabetical order):

1.  Acoustic Research

2.  Advent

3.  Bang and Olufsen

4.  Bose Corp
5.  Boston Acoustics
6.  Bowers and Wilkins
7.  Cambridge Soundworks
8.  Cerwin Vega
9.  Clarion
10. Denon
11. Harmon Kardon
12. JBL
13. JBL Synthesis
14. JVC
15. Kenwood
16. Klipsch
17. LG
18. Logitech
19. Marantz
20. McIntosh
21. Nakamichi
22. NEC
23. Onkyo
24. Panasonic
25. Philips
26. Pioneer
27. Polk Audio
28. RCA
29. Samsung
30. Sanyo Fisher
31. Sharp
32. Sherwood
33. Sony
34. Steinway Lyngdorf
35. Yamaha

http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=835886

Always nice to hear, but the fact that Bose came in 2nd/3rd tells you how little these rankings mean.  B&W should have been near or at the top.  They don't have the style of B&O, but I think on the whole their speakers rank above B&O in sound quality.  I would have stuck Bose near the bottom.  I think I'd take Logitech's best computer setup over a high end bose system. 

By the way, I'm happy to see Logitech at least made it on to that list even though they don't produce any home audio systems.  I love that company.  Probably the best customer service I've ever experienced from an electronics company.

Austin 

They forgot the 100 other exclusive brands like:

- Sonus Faber

- Linn

- Classé

- Naim

- Parasound 

- Pathos (very very beautifull tube amps and cd players )

 

I agree Beobird, but I can see why these were skipped over by a "luxury institute".  I can't imagine ever seeing a big old Krell class A being praised by such people either.

The Luxury Institute   ?

Oh yes, I remember now. 

It's right next to the Ministry of Silly Walks, right off Bowery Boulevard, at Twit Avenue.

SWISS_2:

The Luxury Institute   ?

Oh yes, I remember now. 

It's right next to the Ministry of Silly Walks, right off Bowery Boulevard, at Twit Avenue.

Take it that you don't agree with the list then.

 

Craig

. . . or The Luxury Institute.

yes , it's odd how they miss out a company like krell

they have made some of the if not the most amazing amps in the last 20 or so years

the build quality and design is legendary - and as for the sound !

i recall seeing one in the flesh at kj leisuresound in the late 80's

one of the most stunning bits of av kit ive ever seen !!

Some commenters here are missing the point. The Luxury Institute shouldn't put in or remove anything -- all they have done is ask a number of high-end luxury consumers to state which audiovisual brands they appreciate, and then rank those findings.

The fact that a number of brands don't appear on the list illustrates that these brands have done a lousy job of marketing their products to said customers, is all. 

soundproof:

Some commenters here are missing the point. The Luxury Institute shouldn't put in or remove anything -- all they have done is ask a number of high-end luxury consumers to state which audiovisual brands they appreciate, and then rank those findings.

The fact that a number of brands don't appear on the list illustrates that these brands have done a lousy job of marketing their products to said customers, is all. 

That does not follow at all.

Is one really to believe that Linn is better known in the USA,as a luxury brand,than either Mark Levinson,or Audio Research?

One does wonder who they sampled.

Cerwin Vega,and Samsung  are luxury brands?

Is Burmester,or Gryphon even available in the USA?

 

I see another point of confusion: high end doesn't necessarily imply luxury, and vice versa.

As an example, I'd rather sip cognac on the back seat of a '60s Cadillac than a Lamborghini. If the latter had a back seat, that is.

TerryM:

That does not follow at all.

Is one really to believe that Linn is better known in the USA,as a luxury brand,than either Mark Levinson,or Audio Research?

One does wonder who they sampled.

Cerwin Vega,and Samsung  are luxury brands?

Is Burmester,or Gryphon even available in the USA?

 

I'm sorry, but you sound like the politicians who'd like a better electorate when they can't understand the election results.

Here's a comment from the institute on the methodology. You have absolutely no reason to suspect that they have inserted or deleted names from the list. They have asked people to list their favourite audio brands, and then they have published the results.

And one man's luxury is another man's old cow, by the way. Your last question seems to assume that rich Americans don't travel?

"Our surveys are conducted with independent panels weighted to reflect national results. The results are tabulated by external analytical experts to ensure a level of transparency and objectivity that has earned the trust of consumers, the industry and the media. We strive continuously to reinforce the trust that allows us to facilitate a constructive dialogue between wealthy consumers and luxury brands via our surveys," added Pedraza.

With all due respect,to query is not synonimous with to not understand.

With a stated target demographic of  the top 10% of USA households based on net worth,with an average net worth of $3.1 million,and an average annual income of $256,000,one is entitled to comment on some of the "luxury brands" listed in the results.

Acoustic Research,with the original Company having gone into liquidation in 2004,a brand name now owned by Audiogon whose speakers appear to cost less than $1000.

Cerwin Vega with speakers under $500.

"Luxury" is defined as "the quality that is possessed by something that is excessively expensive".

Not an attribute possessed by a number of the brands listed.

As for your final comment,awareness of a product does not equate to availability.

I'll take whatever respect I'm due. Don't get too offended by my comments, by the way, but I'm still reading that you'd like them to have polled either some different consumers or else to have massaged the data.

Your definition of luxury is somewhat wanting, and as anyone who has studied the evolution of luxury will tell you there are quite a few things that are actually free which are considered luxury items today.

At any rate:

luxury |ˈlək sh (ə)rē; ˈləg zh (ə)-|
noun ( pl. -ries)
the state of great comfort and extravagant living : he lived a life of luxury.
• an inessential, desirable item that is expensive or difficult to obtain : luxuries like raspberry vinegar and state-of-the-art CD players | he considers bananas a luxury.
 

I find the reports of the Luxury Institute to be very interesting guidelines, though we do use a number of other samples of the market when we counsel our clients.
I'm still of the opinion that TLI have taken a measure of the market, and have reported upon it. If I ask someone to measure the temperature outside with a thermometer I'm keen to hear what the thermometer reading is, not what I would like it to be because I want it to be sunny.

BTW - the TLI have announced their luxury video brand findings today, if you're interested. That should probably have you even more incensed over the selection of brands.

 

Luxury Institute Survey: High Net-Worth Consumers Rank the Most
Prestigious Luxury Video Brands: Bang and Olufsen, Nakamichi and
Sony
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - March 27, 2008) - High net-worth
consumers rated Bang and Olufsen the most prestigious luxury video
brand in the 2008 Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey from the
independent New York City-based Luxury Institute
(www.LuxuryInstitute.com). Respondents who would recommend the
brand say "Bang and Olufsen has video equipment that is stylish and
high quality that any discerning customer would want to own."
Nakamichi and Sony came in second and third respectively.
"Although technological innovation in video has been accelerating, it is accessible to most brands," said
Milton Pedraza, CEO, the Luxury Institute. "Few brands have differentiated on design, ease of use, service
and other attributes that are just as important to luxury video consumers. It is time for the engineers to
start innovating by co-creating with customers."
"Our surveys are conducted with independent panels weighted to reflect national results. The results are
tabulated by external analytical experts to ensure a level of transparency and objectivity that has earned
the trust of consumers, the industry and the media. We believe the voice that matters most in luxury
video is the voice of the luxury consumer," said Pedraza
Following are the 26 Luxury Video Brands that were rated (alphabetical order):
1. Bang and Olufsen
2. Daewoo
3. Dell
4. Epson
5. Fujitsu
6. Gateway
7. Hitachi
8. HP
9. JVC
10. LG
11. McIntosh
12. Mitsubishi
13. Nakamichi
14. NEC
15. Panasonic
16. Philips
17. Pioneer
18. Polaroid
19. RCA
20. Samsung
21. Sanyo
22. Sharp
23. Sony
24. Toshiba
25. Westinghouse
26. Zenith
The proprietary Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey is the only measure of the prestige of leading
brands among wealthy Americans. A national sample of 1,400 wealthy American consumers, with an
average income of $341K and average net-worth of $3.9 million, was surveyed online. Survey results are
weighted to match demographic and net worth profiles of the same audience according to the latest
Survey of Consumer Finances from The Federal Reserve.

TerryM:

As for your final comment,awareness of a product does not equate to availability.

Which again misses the point. Awareness is an indicator of prestige, even if unavailable. I can be aware of El Bulli, Perigord truffles and Montenegrian black ham - in spite of neither being available on the South Sea island I'm on. And if queried by a study I might happen to mention those if relevant.