We’re into 2019 and some things are changing at EVOKE.
It’s a different landscape today than it was before big screen TVs. It’s different than the days when Magnaplanars and Infinity Electrostats fought it out on the pages of audiophile review magazines. The high-end is in transition.
What we’re experiencing today is a generation who has grown up on MP3 source material. Their idea of a live concert is tainted with amplifiers. “Their” discovery of new vinyl is at best dishonest as it is mastered from digital sources.
Boutique companies are faced with a number of challenges. Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs) virtually block anyone from doing business. You may want one pair of speakers, but EVOKE may have to buy hundreds of each planar model, and a minimum of 200 cabinets or more to get OEM pricing to keep MSRP reasonable for the consumer.
What helped companies like Infinity to make their high-end products was mass production of lower priced models. That declined for many manufacturers as “home theater in a box” by Bose and others complemented larger TVs and video displays.
Beyond that, we’re dealing with tariffs and politics that are having real-world effects. Some of the EVOKE components have increased by 25% in cost. Our cabinet supplier has doubled its cabinet production minimums.
So, what does all that mean? Two things:
EVOKE will continue as a BeSpoke audio company. Customers, studios, designers, and architects can purchase custom products or speakers based on our product designs. For more information on the breadth of possibility see the BeSpoke webpage.
Dealers can also order products from our stock line. There are minimums (MOQs) they have to order, and a certain degree of customization is available to them. For more information see the Dealer Portal.
Individual audiophiles can order from the product line, but no longer at production prices, unfortunately.
It is the goal of EVOKE, of me personally, to continue to bring the purity of music to those who love it. To all our customers who are enjoying our products, we are humbled. For those who still imagine in their mind how a great speaker can sound – we will always be there for you.
Respectfully,
Mark Hovanec & the EVOKE Team