AUTOBARN head office is proud to announce a new affiliation with ROCKFORD FOSGATE. Rockford Fosgate is a universally known high-end brand. Rockford Fosgate, the American leader in aftermarket mobile audio systems for over 25 years, delivers the highest sonic accuracy for the enthusiast who demands the best. Rockford Fosgate are makers of signal processors, amplifiers, speakers, subwoofers and accessories for mobile audio markets. All amplifiers are CEA 2006 certified giving you assurance that each model meets or exceeds the power rating standard set by the Consumer Electronics Association.

Autobarn is a national group of mobile accessories and electronics retailers who are committed to giving its customers the best service and prices with the best brands…
Open 7 days a week….

Web Link: www.autobarn.com.au

In stores NOW!!!

hey Marc i actually work at autobarn in queensland and I haven't heard this yet, we can get the product but in no way are we keeping it in for stock at the moment, did they say it was for nsw or vic only, or was it now a national credititor or supplier

hmmm, autobarn stores i've been to in vic have always stocked rf gear...

oh ok, well yea we have never stocked it in our shop up here, it might be a vic thing only or nsw

Guys

Im the Car Audio category manager for Autobarn and yes all stores have access to Rockford as of the 1st April 2008.

Get in contact with AZ Trading now or give me a call at head office.

Cheers

good to see you on here jonathon

so does that mean that autopro stores get them to, seens the guy that owns autobarn owns auto pro now

yes all autobarn and autopro stores now have access to the gear, but they may not have it in stock you will have to ask them about it, i know that not all stores will keep it in stock from what i have been told but they have access to it

dsheps83 I would think so.
Also I wouldnt be supprised if this is just the first of many brand which will start to become available at ALL autobarn stores that have previously only been at selected stores.

Ahh well such as life I spose...

I see this as fantastic news. The more hardcore and reputable brands available in more high-profile outlets such as Autobarn the better for the industry, and "car audio" in general. = More Exposure.

Autobarn are making huge ground as specialist car audio outlets, with quite a lot of time and money being put into installers / sales training, better facilities, and marketing of car audio.

In a day where specialists are slowly but surely dissapearing and more often than not unable to provide a top notch specialist service (I know there are some great specialists still around), without the larger retail chains such as Autobarn picking up the shortfall, we really could be left with no industry at all. It could well become an industry that consists of buying online, and DIY or backyard / tradie type installers otherwise.

Rockford Fosagate is available at all AUTOBARN stores only from April 1st, but not at Autopro.
Check with your local store, it can take a few weeks for the info to filter through to some stores.

Autopro will not have access to Rockford, only autobarn stores.

mm i quit working at autopro here a few weeks back, and my boss had to go to some meeting and he was told all products that autobarn have would, i gotta stop back in there ill ask him what his situation is with it i would love some RF gear

I think you were already given the answer in the two posts above yours. One is the Sales Manager for Rockford, the other is the Category Manager for Autobarn.

Will prices be the same at all stores? If so what would a 12" T2 2ohm set me back roughly?

$1000 ish.

Hi Marc,

Did you ever consider that the specialist stores are disappearing because of the "brand names" going into large buying groups?

I approached AZ Trading before Christmas 2007 (twice) and was informed by their sales rep, Mark, that once he returned from the Christmas break, he would contact me without delay.
It's now April 27th, some 4 odd months later, and I am still waiting for this call!

Obviously my return call was "put on the back burner" because of the work involved with the Autobarn deal.

It's no wonder that the specialist stores are losing out to the larger chain store operations all in the pursuit of the mighty dollar..

Should the AZ trading poster "battaboom" wish to contact me regarding this post, you already have my contact details, or alternatively check the dealer listings

Mark French

Frankston Car Audio & Visual

Mark, if you knew me and MEA / CAA's history, you'd know that we've traditionally always supported specialists above all else. Unfortunately so many out there do nothing but complain about "the industry isn't what it was 10 years ago...." and so on. Again there are exceptions to this rule, and I don't know you or your business so don't know where you fit in. The times have changed, the market has changes, and more importantly, consumers have changed.

There aren't enough specialists around to drive the industry alone any more, for varying reasons, but in a lot of cases they've had no one else to blame but themselves. I'm not going to pretend I know AZ's business, but from the outside I can completely understand why they have made this decision and I think if it weren't for the their dedication to the specialists, they probably would have made this decision a long time ago as it is.

There's still money to be made out there for the smart retailers, and they will stand the test of time. Those that whinge and complain will suffer the same fate as those that have fallen before them.

Finally, it's considered 'poor form' to post specifics, and to publically post "business" issues and qualms here. Have you tried calling AZ again. Maybe they forgot? We're all only human!

Hi Marc,

I would like to apologise to you and the others on the forum, for my "poor form".

As you could probably tell, I was having a "vent".. I have been in this industry on and off for 33 years now, and have worked at smaller "specialist" stores that did succumb to the larger chain stores.

I am now the proprietor of a smaller specialist store myself, and it is very easy to feel that we are being "forgotten" in the big scheme of things.

I know MEA and now MEA are right behind the industry and are doing their best for all, and I appreciate that.

Once again, I apologise to anyone I may have offended.

Mark French

Frankston Car Audio & Visual

i am loving that we now have rockford!

also its very well priced