In January, GoldenEar Technologies, manufacturer of some of the world’s highest value audiophile loudspeakers, and The Quest Group, best known as the owner of the AudioQuest brand of cables, Niagara power products, and DragonFly DACs, announced that GoldenEar had become part of The Quest Group. The Quest Group is a California corporation wholly owned by AudioQuest founder and CEO Bill Low.
I recently sat down with Sandy Gross, co-founder of GoldenEar Technologies, about joining the Quest Group and what it means for his iconic brand. Part 1
Bill Low and Sandy Gross
Maureen Jenson: Hi Sandy, this is really big news…can you explain to our readers what it entails?
Sandy Gross: Thanks Maureen, yes, this is really exciting. Our industry has seen a remarkable series of mergers and acquisitions over the past few years. Now The Quest Group, the owner of AudioQuest, has acquired GoldenEar Technologies.
The Quest Group is owned by Bill Low, an ardent audiophile, who is best known as the creator and supplier of the AudioQuest brand.The Group has defined how a focus on audiophile performance can combine with market savvy and understanding, marketing excellence and operational excellence, to achieve exceptional business success.
MJ: Sounds a lot like how you have positioned GoldenEar Technologies?
SG: Yes, all of these positives mirror what GoldenEar is about, but with greater strength, resources and capabilities.
GoldenEar Triton One.R
MJ: How did this all come together?
SG: We started GoldenEar ten years ago with the vision of creating an American classic: a strong, performance-oriented high-end audio company that would take a leading position on the world stage. We have created superb products that are unmatched in their combination of performance and value. Through our hard-hitting marketing, advertising, and fantastic reviews, we have become a well-established force in the loudspeaker marketplace.
We have established a much-envied distribution network in North America through the best brick and mortar dealers. And in the international markets, with distributors in 35 countries, we have begun to establish an equally enviable worldwide presence.
The challenge was to find the right business partner with which to join GoldenEar – one who understands who we are, what we do, and how we do it.
GoldenEar BRX Bookshelf Speakers
MJ: How did you decide to go with The Quest Group?
SG: The choice was clear. I have known Bill Low for almost 50 years, dating back to my first trip around the country to set up Polk distribution. Back then, Bill had a small high-end audio store in Portland, Oregon, and, as two fanatical audiophiles, we immediately hit it off and have been friends ever since.
So, I enthusiastically approached Bill with the concept of bringing GoldenEar into The Quest Group, joining AudioQuest, and here we are today.
Stay tuned next week when I talk to Sandy about what this means for the international business, the dealers and distribution. Part Two here.