Asia Sound at Pasar Road

Thought of sharing this news with all vinyl lovers...

And some day, I will join the Thorens' camp  



Sound Equipment is all set to expand its horizons


ASIA SOUND Equipment (M) Sdn Bhd says it is in no hurry to relingquish its lead in turntable sales in Malaysia, a position it has held for the last five years.
The company, a specialist in audio equipment and accessories, has been in business over the last 34 years.

Looking at current trends and the lifestyles of Malaysians, the company aims to expand its horizons further in order to stand out in the audio accessory business.

“The future looks good as the lifestyles of Malaysians have changed tremendously. More people, especially youngsters, appreciate music.

“Turntables, previously classified as toy’s for the rich are fast becoming favourites again,” said Asia Sound Equipment (M) Sdn Bhd managing director Elson Chua during a recent interview at his outlet in Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya.

The sole distributor for Rega, Thorens and J.C. Verdier turntables, three major brands among audiophiles, Chua said ASE has taken the lead as a major distributor of turntables in Singapore as well.
Thorens is a 135-year-old Swiss manufacturer, while J.C. Verdier is a turntable manufacturer from France.
Chua, however, declined to reveal the company’s turnover last year, though he said he expects to see growth of 20% this year.

Apart from distributing turntables, ASE also offers a wide range of speakers and amplifiers.

Providing a history lesson on turntables, Chua said it all started when gramophones and records were invented in the 19th century by Emile Berliner, a German immigrant working in Washington D.C.
“It grew at a good pace till it evolved and came to be called turntables. The turntable industry was badly hit when they released CDs in the late 1970s,” said Chua, adding that although business was slow, it did not become dormant.

Chua said although CDs are maintenance-free, for many music lovers, the sound produced by records is still better.

In the early 1990s, Chua said turntables and records became po­­pular again, especially in the west.
He said one of the reasons behind the company’s success was because its employees had a sense of belonging to ASE and they were passionate about turntables and the sound produced by the devices.
On his customer base, Chua said more than 50% are middle aged.

“However, youngsters in their early 20s have shown interest of late and our most sought-after product is the RP1 manufactured by Rega, a 40-year-old audio equipment manufacturer from the United Kingdom, which is availabe at only RM1,150,” said Chua.
He added that next in line were the RP6, RP8 and RP10 models costing RM4,000, RM8,000 and RM15,000 respectively. The RP10 however, is not yet available in the market.

The cost of Thorens turntables ranges between RM1,700 and RM50,000, while the most expensive models from J.C. Verdier can cost RM29,000 (without the tonearm).

Chua said one of the factors that differentiates pricing of turntables is the tonearm.

“The tonearm of a turntable holds the cartridge. The construction of a tonearm is important because it has to carry the cartridge to track the grooves on a record accurately and efficiently,” said Chua, adding that this determines the sound quality.

Chua said the company expects 20% growth this year with the introduction of three new turntable models — the RP6, RP8 and RP10 from Rega.

“This is a better projection compared to the previous years. We expect the RP8 to excite the market due to its revolutionary design in terms of materials used,” said Chua. He added that the RP8, which costs RM8,000, is a two-piece turntable with a three-piece sandwiched glass body.

Chua said ASE would be taking up 1,500sq ft office space in a four-storey building in Pasar Road as part of its expansion plans.

“The two lots currently occupied by ASE in Amcorp Mall are just too small. As such, we will be giving up one lot and moving to Pasar Road.

“It is a bigger space and we will be introducing new speaker brands such as Brodmann and Audiovector from Austria and Denmark respectively,” said Chua.
He also said the company currently had five dealers based in Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Sabah.

On the yearly cost of advertising and promotions incurred by ASE, Chua said it was minimal as ASE had built a name for itself and had been in the audio accessory industry for a long time.

He expects a good turnout at the three-day KL International AV Show, which will be held between July 5 and 7 at JW Marriott Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. Open from 11am to 7pm, the event will feature ASE’s latest range of audio products.

Source : TheStar

Nice Write up, best of luck to Asia Sound.