The other TAG forum

I wonder if they will continue to support Tag products. You would have thought that the best way forward would be to rebrand the current tag line up as Audiolab and carry on as normal.

I doubt they'll place the same emphasis on upgrades though but it doesn't change the fact that they have bought the rights to some fantastic pieces of equipment. I reckon you could still sell the original AV32R now for a grand if they put it back in production.

What effect will this have on used Tag residuals?
 
Here's the press release mentioned by Gordon...

IAG ACQUIRES TAG McLAREN AUDIO BUSINESS

International Audio Group (IAG) and TAG McLaren Audio are pleased to announce that IAG has with immediate effect acquired the business of TAG McLaren Audio. From its inception in 1998 TAG McLaren Audio has dedicated itself to producing the finest audio visual equipment available. The standard and quality of its products have been demonstrated by the numerous awards of excellence and countless exceptional product reviews that it has received.

IAG operates a number of internationally recognised audio brands including Quad, Wharfedale and Wharfedale Pro.

IAG will take over responsibility for the sale of existing TAG McLaren Audio products and has acquired the right to utilise the TAG McLaren Audio technology and designs in its product range. Responsibility for TAG McLaren Audio customer warranties, as well as sales service and repairs of TAG McLaren Audio and Audiolab products, will also transfer to IAG.

We would request that TAG McLaren Audio customers are patient whilst the TAG McLaren Audio website is temporarily removed and the staff and equipment of TAG McLaren Audio are re-located to IAG’s premises, sharing the same offices as Quad’s world renowned service centre.

The new contact details for Helpdesk and Service are:
(Important note for the UK: a service number must be allocated to your product prior to sending. Please contact the Helpdesk below to have a service number issued.)

Telephone: 0845 4580011 or +44 1480 447700
Fax: 01480 431767
Email: [email protected]

Dealers: for sales, upgrades, service and warranty enquiries then please telephone the number above.

Further information about IAG brands; Quad, Wharfedale and Wharfedale Pro can be found at:

www.quad-hifi.co.uk www.wharfedale.co.uk www.wharfedalepro.com


Quad is the current holder of What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision’s prestigious `Loudspeaker of the Year’ award; Stereophile’s `Product of the Year’ for the ESL-989 electrostatic loudspeaker; and its smaller brother – the ESL-988 – is a multiple `Golden Ear’ award winner in The Absolute Sound.

A sad day indeed :( but at least it means I won't be able to waste even more money on TMREQ and other upgrades.
 
Lovegroova,

I am sure you will still be able to buy upgrades for your TAG McLaren equipment from the new company. IAG must have paid a large sum of money for the TMA products and with such a large investment they will certainly be looking at moving forward with the existing product range.

I have been informed that some of the technical staff that left TMA last year, after being made redundant, found jobs at IAG. Bearing this in mind and the fact that there will be existing TMA staff moving over to IAG, there will be plenty of people at the new owners that will be familiar with the TMA products.

Regards,

Steve Jones
 
Originally posted by sijones
Lovegroova,

I am sure you will still be able to buy upgrades for your TAG McLaren equipment from the new company.

Nooo, not what I wanted to hear...mustn't...spend...more...money :D
 
I just ordered a 60P power amp from their factory clear-out yesterday and they never let on. I'm now considering cancelling my order.

IAG are medium sized company by turnover. Year ending 30/06/02 their turnover was £5.7m with a pre-tax loss of £654k. They do however have £1m capital invested in the company from overseas parent Jetop International Inc.
 
My main worry is simply - how much longer do I have to keep saving for PSM and DP upgrades. And more importantly, will I ever be able to get them? I called them today and the TAG guy could not tell me anything.


I think they should just rebrand (resurrect) Audiolab, change the face plate badges and keep on selling....

I hope the forum comes back as that was a GREAT source of information...

The fact that Udo stopped using "CEO TMA" forum signoff some time ago started the alarm bells going for me....
 
I've just got an email back from Helpdesk @ Tag regarding a dual processor upgrade, and they just said to hold back sending it in a few days until all the stuff is moved over.

Perhaps it will be business as usual?

Sam.
 
Doesn't make sense to buy a business then not take care of the existing customers (assuming you want to grow the customer base and increase profitability) so I would assume they will be making an extra effort to ensure 'business as usual'

However it doesn't really solve the long-term problem that it's difficult to make money selling £5k DVD players when you can pick up decent ones for a fraction of the price. Was in my local av store at the weekend and the TMA stuff looks expensive even when on display next to Meridian.

Maybe with some costs saved prices will be lowered?
 
Agree with you there - but lets not forget that there are a hell of a lot more Quad and Wharfdale dealers than old TAG ones (were there any TAG dealers left?). But don't Richer Sounds stock Quad and Wharfdale!! Can't see a DVD32R on the bargain basement pages somehow!
 
Maybe they'll still sell at the same prices but bring down the cost of the upgrades :D

Here's hoping anyway.

Now where did I put my credit card :D
 
I thought this has been going on for months, I thought that they were arguing over the keeping the name, I didn't think that TMA wanted the name to be included in the buy, which to me means teh company is not worth buying anyway, IAG might as well let TMA fold and then employ all the staff and reseachers and buy the plants at half the costs.

They would be better to go back to the audiolab name imho.
 
Using the Audiolab name would be better as TMA's name is mud now! The AV32 & 192 are still the top products in their field. The 250x3R and 250MR are stunning amps. The DVD players are now well out of date and too expensive.

IAG would be best to continue with the processors and ampa and re-badge them as Audiolab. They could then get hold of thenew Philips muti format transports and build a new spinner with full digital links to the AV32 & 192.

Udo resigned as a director of all the TMA companies on 31st Octoberting was delated twice on the TMA forum.
 
THere's no way Tag Mclaren would allow the use of it's name from a company out of it's control. There's athe small matter of a multi-million pound F1 team where image is everything.

However, I hope that they resurrect Audiolab, keep making the current line up and come up with a viable plan for the future using the current staff's know how.

This won't stop me buying another Tag processor when I have saved up a few pennies.
 
Disappointed though I am at the demise of the TAG brand - overnight reflection has given me a positive outlook on this acquisition. I only hope that some of the work in progress that TAG didn't finish off will be pushed forward by IAG - and perhaps the technology is refined for a cheaper version of the products. Quite why Udo continued to contribute to the TAG forum after his departure really is beyond me. Some of the postings still gave the impression that he had some power in the destiny of the products when this clearly was not true.

After the abyssmal handling of the downsizing (PR disaster!) I was very close to shelving all my TMA products and going for another brand. But who is to say that Meridian or Arcam fall to a similar fate?

Sad thing - for those that have the TMA products- they really are special - even the tagtronic bus (simple a concept as it is) works wonders when you have all three - and the quality of these units really is terrific.

But now, without HDMI (at a reasonable cost for video - and not at all for audio) I can't help feel that DVD32R owners will feel short changed. ESPECIALLY when Udo banged on about (at length) a while back about the never to be seen DVD192R. As an owner I could almost feel misled into making an investment into something that will never be able to accomodate new technologies.
 
Mark,
they should bring HDMI into AV32RDP , not into their DVD player. I have DVD32R too but I'd clearly prefer upgrade for AV32RDP, and then buying another universal HDMI player.

Unfortunately I am not optimistic about this.

And about Udo, he was simply asked to help on the forum that went wrong way (again) until the company sales is finalized. They needed him and he was also not able to suddenly dissapear! It always work that way after takeovers. Try to remember what happened after TMA took over Audiolab.

Now all we need is to wait a bit to see what really happens, and to be happy that service and support are secured, if nothing else. And if they keep Barry and Mark it will be even better!

Time will show it all!
 
roversd1 ,
how about you?
 
Well they wont be built over here anymore as IAG's factory is in China! I just hope the high standards are kept. Although having the kit built in China will probably bring the prices down , but they wont have the advanced development facilities at IAG that they had at the old building (anechoic chamber e.t.c). They better not go down the OEM route just to satisfy impatient muti format disc spinning enthusiasts. As it is the kit is still cutting edge so should be ok for a while. My biggest wish is that they keep up the outstanding customer service and upgrades, the likes of which I have never experienced.
 
There is no way that this quality will be seen again TAG MCLAREN was a one off this new company will streamline the operation and try some of the new technology that they have purchased.I wonder how many of my friends would buy a BMW if it was owned by a Japanese company not Many :).Badge prestige goes a long way.I know that the Tag Sound was Great but alot of us bought into the F1 technology hype surrounding their launch.

Their upgrade policy was great but will we ever see a HDMI AV32R if we do i cannot see it being too cheap and when the machine loads up will we See IAG/Audiolab on the front display i cannot see Tag Mclaren's holding company allowing any use off the Tag name.

We will see the true future when they get rid of their existing Tag stock as they have paid for this and then the true service of this NEW company will be seen
 
Well given the fact that I picked up all my TAG kit (DVD32, AV32, 100x5R) second hand when prices plummeted after the last fiasco - at 50% - I assume the pickings may be rich again. However for people like me who only wish to upgrade to PSM and AV32 DP it is more a cause of anxiety. I might be able to pick up some cheap 250s but DP upgrades may never see the light of day....
 
apparently there is a bucket load of stock in the factory so it may well be a good chance for a bargain. If they do keep the upgrades I wonder if they will have to go to China to be done!
 
There could be some light at the end of the tunnel! Both John Mulcahy & Colin Harrison were appointed directors of the the 3 following companies on 21/11/03 :
TM Audio Ltd
Audio Labaratories Ltd
Cambridge Systems Technologies Ltd
 
Kenny Glasgow you have just made a lot of people :) John's Talent will not go to waste obviously he knew what was happening at Tag and has made some decisions hopefully he can and will service Tag equipement for us if need be.
 
At the moment all those 3 companies are wholey owned subsidiaries Tag McLaren Audio Ltd. I can only hope that the latter 2 have been taken over by IAG or one of its subsidiaries.
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom