Mana Audio update

Changing Rooms probably killed them off. Again, I won't be sorry to see them go, I will be sorry for those owed money by them.

I suspect the reason for selling the vinyl collection is that it will be bloody expensive to ship to the costas.

 

Actually I would disagree. Every review in the "Mana News" invariably points to a typical combination of LP12 and Naim -- two instances of equipment highly responsive to what it sits on. Since the intervening 20 years, companies have sought to make their equipment less sensitive to the environment it sits on, miniturization and a whole change in the way musical information is stored has made supports like Mana largely irellevent to all but a handful of "retro" companies -- or those companies that have not sought to remove stands from their equation.

Under a few cases Mana did what it said it did, but it does not apply in all cases and where it does apply its results are exceedingly variable -- floor/spike surface for example makes a huge difference.

Ad Absurdum: Put an entirely soild-state iPod Nano on a Mana Phase 4 table playing a lossless encoded track and hear the stunning, jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring complete lack of any change in the sound. Extend that to modern tuners and many CD players outside of the Naim/Linn axis and you soon start to realise Mana is in reality a largely one horse show.

 

Exactly - a one horse show... and both the show and the role of the horse in the show have got smaller. AV now accounts for most hifi sales and multi-phase mana just isnt appropriate for that. Plus they over milked customers and lost respect by moving towards the lunatic fringe. The above example of the ipod nano being moot! I assume it is fictitious but you never know!

A lot of dealers and manufacturers are struggling these days in 2 channel and its ancilleries.

 

Ridiculous claims did not help

Chaps

The forum was once swamped by ludicrous claims that a £99.00 CD player sounded fantastic when placed on Mana. This sort of statement makes the entire product a joke as no one is going to believe anything that is said in the forum anymore.

Either a good robust deal had to be done with the dealers (even takings Bubs point into account) or a decent, sane and sensible forum should have been allowed to project a creditable image and unfortunately the Mana forum was awful.

I also think that there is still room for a product like Mana because it will appeal to a small niche market who will be prepared to spend money on it.

However, JW or his successor needs to develop a new business model and quickly so.

Regards

Mick

 

I've heard a wide variety of "modern" hi-fi equipment on Mana stands. Paul Duerden's Densen/Micromega, Ed Rogerson's Orbe/Avondale, your Orbe, Alan Ball's Orbe, Jonathan Ribee's MF/Celestions, stumo's ATC preamp.... All seems to benefit.

I believe a large part of the Mana Effect is in removing vibrational effects on the cable connections around the back...

 

:ffrc:

Will the Mana forum continue? If not, the horse will have nowhere to go

Michael.

 

Bub

fox is right in what he says and despite your loyalty to Mana, it does make Mana more difficult to sell.


Selling a specilised product like Mana is far to complex to be left to the manufacturer and he needs to employ an agency asap.


The current method is clearly not working and it is pointless in carrying it on without making change.

Regards

Mick

 

You applying for a job, Mick?

 

As a side issue, Bub has told us on many occasions that ATC's sound poor and at best no more than average without the benefit of Mana supports.

Does this mean that ATC's can no longer be confidently recommended as the neccessary accessories are no longer in production?

 

I disagree. fox is a lovely guy, and a great friend. He also has a great hi-fi, and an even better record collection. But recent events may have coloured his judgement.

In any event, it's no skin off my nose if people choose something different.

 

"You applying for a job, Mick?"


Markus

Only FTSE 100's and multi nationals can afford my rates.

Regards

Mick

 

ATCs in studios are usually either soffit-mounted or free-standing. The wobbly, flimsy stands they supply to the domestic market are a waste of metal. I've never seen them used in studio applications.

 

Bub

The golden rule of business is never to become emotional about it.

I would never work in the hifi industry for that reason.

Bean counting rules...........end of discussion.

JW is emotionally involved just as are you (despite what you say) and being emotional is a disaster because you think the rest of the world thinks like you do, which it dosen't.

It makes sense for JW to continue making the stuff providing he can find an agency who will take on 100% responsibilty and committment for market research and subsequent sales in a format which maximises profitability.

The first stage is to establish demand and then take it from there.
after a suitable cash injection has been made to give suppliers and sales agencies confidence in the future.

JW should be projected as an icon who founded Mana but he should sit back and let a new management team take over the day to day running. Being intersested in music is not a qualification to run a business.

Regards

Mick

 

Cheeky, SM.

 

Rather good though

 

Very good if you like reading malicious disinformation on internet forums.

 

The only REAL solution to the isolation problem is to create a mini pocket universe with a vacuum energy power source inside that sends the signals via neutrinos to a reciever on our side of the dimensional phase rift. 100% isolation and 0% interference! Now I just need to find a source of negative mass to open a wormhole...

 

back to the original post, the charge for small claims is on a sliding scale and relates to the value being recovered:

Not exceeding 300.00 - £30
300 - 500 - £50
500 - 1000 - £80
1000 - 5000 - £120
5000-15000 - £250
15000-50000 - £500
50000- 100000 - £700
and so on.

Being a ltd company I really would bother and looking at those figures posted the company is pretty dam poor. I dont know the company but Ive seen it many times when directors have taken high salaries, run expensive cars etc and left creditors in the poo.

 

Those figures were for the last filed accounts December 2003, so who knows what the current situation is but I expect it is far worse.

I also understand Mana Audio Ltd did not renew the registration of the stand design so a rescue is unlikely - basically anyone can make copies if they want to although worth checking this is true before production starts! Only asset appears to be Mana name and goodwill.

All Mana stand production was outsourced, the 'factory' simply boxed and shipped. Only employees were JW and his brother-in-law Dave. Difficult to see how that business model failed with such low overheads and zero development costs.

 

Poor sales.