In Defense of Studer

[Denise]

Hey there everyone!

I was wondering how many people here use Studer AE equipment.

I'm not an Engineer, but am concerned about the workers at Studer who will lose their jobs when Studer outsources their production facilities.

I was hoping folks here had some feedback, or could help spread the word.

It's a long shot, I know!

Here's the website with the information about what's happening
Harman – Don't kill Studer Ltd. |

Here's our facebook group if folks would like to join and provide some feedback about Studer:
Harman do not kill Studer | Facebook

[garageband]

Although this is borderline spamishness, you do have a point: Harman International wrecks every brand they buy for fun and (mostly) profit by outsourcing, off-shoring and generally making cut-rate goods. Examples are literally too numerous to mention. I wasn't aware that Studer had been bought. A shame.

[matainais]

Back in Demnark i was learning on a Studer 24 track tape device. Sounded great and was lots of fun to use

[jagcmos]

Are they outsourcing R&D or just manufacturing ?

[Denise]

Thanks for asking!

They are outsourcing production which would split the two up. R&D and production. There's no real reason, as Studer has been profitable and just received a contract with BBC.

It's odd as well because Sidney Harman was a huge worker advocate and focused a lot of philanthropy to worker quality of life.

Harman – Don't kill Studer Ltd. |

[garageband]

Blame the beancounters and pointy-headed middle management in Stamford that want to justify their jobs by making horrendous, superficially fecund decisions.

[Denise]

For sure. It's not Harman HQ, infact, we're trying to get a meeting with them to discuss the issue. It's the folks at Soundtracks in the UK. You are totally correct that it is their failing to make a profit that they are scapegoating or liquidating Studer to make up for their lack of skill in AE.

[jagcmos]

Too bad. I have seen quality suffer as a result of R&D and production being geographically separated in companies before.

Once a reputation is tarnished it's hard to rebuild it.

[Denise]

yes for sure! that's why we're trying to convince Harman's board to intercede. anything you can do to show your support, like joining the Facebook group or sending out the website to your colleagues would be helpful.

Harman do not kill Studer | Facebook

[Danny Danzi]

Denise, I'd like to ask a question if I may? I kept on reading how successful Studer is etc in some of the articles I've read....does anyone have any specific sales numbers? As a business man myself who has been through quite a few business endeavors, we don't outsource or break up a company unless it is not doing as well as it should.

To be honest, in today's times, the days of the big Studer, SSL or NEVE consoles are really a thing of the past. I'm not aware of a "lower line" Studer package and I can't see them selling 100 of their consoles per year in this economy. Especially when pc/mac daws are ruling the entire industry.

Sometimes employees feel a business is doing better than it is but have no clue what goes on behind the scenes for a business owner or its partners. A few years ago I owned a business that made 2mil per year. To me, that's pretty decent for a family business. Out of that 2mil, I had employee benefits, mortgage on my property, taxes on that property, vehicle expenses, had to have $10,000 per week come in so I could purchase at least $5000 in supplies weekly, sometimes more, had to spend $100,000 in "early bird" buying to have a good enough price for people while I sometimes sat on the stock until it sold, commercial property expenses, mad electric and gas bills, high salaries for those that were with me for 20 years...the list goes on and on.

The business was a Swimming pool supply company. VERY profitable though seasonal. My retail part of my store was jammed packed with customers on a daily basis. There would be people lined up nearly outside the door in the summer time waiting to buy pool chemicals, floats, toys, filters, pumps, have their water tested etc. I'd hear the chatter of "these people must be loaded that own this place" every day.

Well, seeing 2 mil a year didn't make us loaded. We worked 7 days a week and though we were successful, there were times I didn't even take a pay because I just couldn't afford to. 2 mil per year in a sucessful business and I can't take a pay? Then you're taking out loans, running up credit cards...the bigger you get, the more intense it gets.

So, getting back to the situation at hand...could it be that Studer is now so big, it spends more than it makes due to the way the world has changed? Could it be they are too big for the amount of business they see TODAY as opposed to 10-20 years ago and maybe it's time to spread it out, liquidate or outsource?

Could it be that the public no longer cares about quality and price and will settle for quantity and savings in a smaller package? That's what happened to me in that pool business. I had places like Wal Mart opening up selling junk, cheap pool chemicals that were 40% cheaper than mine. You used more, they didn't work as well but people just saw they were cheaper. A few years of this and the business you had is now feeling the effects of this horrible change. What you needed at one time due to intense business is now a thing of the past because you don't have the amount of business you once had, and your operational spending and cost to keep your place open for a week now exceeds what you're bringing in.

This same business with the pool chemicals I spoke of was originally a Janitorial supply company. Guess what killed it? Yep...the same thing. Dollar stores opening up all over offered junk brands of what I was selling for 60% less. People one day woke up and didn't care if they used Lysol to clean. They were happy paying for something that smelled like pine that was watered down that costs way less. They didn't need to buy Scott paper, they were fine with a cheap recycled grade that was thin, you used more and it was a huge savings in price. I can go on and on here.

If we compare Studer with the rest of what is considered the cutting edge of the recording world, where do they even fit in? You can buy a full pro tools rig using a mac and a D control console for less than the price of a Studer mixing console that will not include a tape machine or interface to even record. How can this company still be successful in a world where a pro studio owner can open a business with everthing they need for under $100k where a Studer product isn't really needed because it's just not feasible?

Trust me, I feel for any employee with a history working for a successful company. I don't like to see people losing jobs in any business in any country. However, the employees most times only know half of what is going on behind the scenes. What is Studer making these days compared with 5 years ago? Anyone know any real facts? Are their share-holders in financial trouble? If so, isn't it their right to do what they feel is best for their investment? See, this is another thing that upsets me when employees try to fight back. There is no such thing as job security in the real world. If you see something looking fishy where you work, that's when you start looking for a new job.

The owners/decisions makers, in my opinion should not really be blamed for their decisions to want to make money on their investments or risk losing them completely. You'd have to invest a large sum of money into something to really know how it all works. It's too easy to see it from the outside looking in. I look at it this way. Someone offers to pay you money to work for them. As long as you are paid what you are promised and you do your job, it's really not the employess business nor is it up for discussion what should happen to a company unless those employees hold shares in that company. Think about it...it should't be up for discussion especially if the partners are losing money and need to try and make adjustments.

I'm not trying to bash what this is all about, just give you a take on what it's been like to have a few decent investments under my belt. I felt for my employees when I sold my businesses, but I also made sure when the new owners took over that these people would still have jobs or I wasn't going to sell. I had 150 employees that worked their butts off for me. That said, that's what they were paid to do and they were well paid for it. My decision to sell or split the company up, buy from other sources or have things manufactured for us in different places was not their call. We made quite a few of our own chemicals in the Janitorial part of the biz. When it was no longer feasible, I got rid of that end and outsourced to a chemical company that was actually cheaper for me. It's a catch 22, but unless the entire story is known and all the figures are presented, it's tough to label Harman or anyone else a bad guy, realistically speaking. Totally different ballgame when a major investment starts to tank. You go into survival mode and unfortunately, this can hurt others that work for your company. It's just the nature of the beast.