Your browser is out-of-date!

Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now

×

ATI Adds B&K To House Of Brands

Montebello,
Calif. – Audio-component supplier

Amplifier
Technology

(ATI) has added B&K Components to its house of audio brands,
which includes ATI, AudioAccess, BGW and Theta Digital.

ATI
announced it purchased the B&K brand name and other assets in mid-October
after Buffalo, N.Y.-based B&K shut down operation. ATI plans to move
B&K production to its Los Angeles factory and will begin production of the
brand’s most popular products by the first quarter of 2011. ATI will exhibit
B&K products at January’s International CES.

 “ATI’s mission is to build the B&K
Components brand not just to its former glory but take it further,” the company
said on its website. “But it’s going to take some time to get it going again.
The first three to four months will be chaotic, but by March, we expect
production to be on track, and new products will follow later in 2011.”

As for
B&K’s current lineup, ATI said, “We are going to continue the brand and
most of the products. Next, we will develop new products such a stereo preamp,
Blu-ray player, new higher-end power amps, etc.” ATI will continue to make
B&K amplifiers using B&K’s MOSFET designs, the site added. As for
updating the Ref70 series processor or developing a new processor, the company
said it hasn’t decided on what direction to take.

 To sell the products, ATI wants to rebuild
B&K’s dealer base and wants to get in touch with former B&K dealers who
have been unable to contact B&K for some time. “Our plan is to continue
using the great B&K dealers,” the company said.

 For servicing existing products, ATI said it
tapped Eastern Elite Audio Video as the exclusive service center for all
out-of-warranty repairs. The company consists of former B&K employees, ATI
said.

ATI also
said it plans to honor outstanding B&K warranties “where possible” and that
it expects to begin handling warranty repairs starting Jan 1. Potential
problems that could preclude repairs of some items, the company said, include a
lack of technical information needed for a repair, unavailability of particular
parts, or lack of access to source code to make a software-related repair.
“Please be patient,” the company said. “Buying a company’s assets and getting
it going again is always messy, no matter how well you plan for it,” ATI
confessed. “As we get up to speed with the products, the process will become
much easier and faster.”

 ATI purchased the
AudioAccess brand from Harman earlier this year, and about two years ago purchased
high-end audio supplier Theta Digital. Before that, it bought pro-audio amp
maker BGW.

Featured

Close