The Nakamichi brand is returning to the US with a line of car audio products that include a CarPlay/Android Auto double DIN DVD receiver at $549 street price.
Diplomat Trading based in Doral, FL became the exclusive US distributor for the brand in January. The company is now setting up a manufacturer’s rep network in the US, led by Alan Wojtas, who is the new Nakamichi rep for Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas.
The Nakamichi brand is licensed by a Chinese company, which produces head units, subwoofers, amplifiers and speakers.
The new line began shipping this month with seven head units including the NM- NA3605 with a 6.8-inch screen, Car Play/Android Auto, Bluetooth streaming, two video outputs, front and rear camera inputs, and built in steering wheel control integration.
Two of the dealers carrying the line include Houston-based Car Stereo Texas, with two stores and Texas Electronics, with three stores.
Nakamichi’s new distributor, Diplomat Trading, also distributes the brand to Central and South America. It also distributes Pioneer, Kenwood, JBL, and Kicker car audio products.
About 15-20 years ago, Nakamichi radios were among the top quality head units offered in the aftermarket. Due to competitive pricing in the marketplace, Nakamichi eventually pulled out of the US market, said Wojtas. The brand was licensed and then over-distributed in the US several years ago and now returns under Diplomat Trading, he said.
For more information contact alanw[email protected]
Is this going to be cheap Chinese stuff with a once-great name slapped on it?? 🙁
Congrats Alan
Nice, Congrats Alan
Nice
lost a lot of money the first time around.
They should stick to home gear and bring back Quality to the name !
Sounds like a total flop to me. In a vastly declining market we don’t need another crap chinese brand that slaps a once well respected name on product that they don’t even design. After the last go round The Nakamichi name is no longer respected.
Nakamichi should make a cassette deck again. Remember their reputation was built around the cassette format back then. I don’t think it would be a good idea to make a cheap deck.
Kidding, right?
I remember they tried to re-enter the market once already and failed. For me I am not willing to look a customer in the face and try to bamboozle them with the Nakamichi brand name. Pure deception when they just stamp their name on some regurgitated product.Last time they tried to re-enter our service department dissected one of there head units and the build looked exactly like one of Coustics. Maybe they should make a public statement and just say what portion of the market they are interested in and live up to it. That would be refreshing. Keep it real!
I would be excited to see Nakamichi come back, IF and only IF it was true Nak. Some chinese company buying the brand and slapping the name on cheap electronics is not real Nak. I was disappointed to see it happen the first time, and I have a feeling i’m going to be just as disappointed this time. It’s too bad, really.
Alan Wojtas has been around. He remembers people telling him 8 Tracks were never going to catch on. The night Lincoln was shot he was in the next booth over pimping a Gramaphone! Congrats on the launch Alan!
Your pals at Mother’s Window Tint in Texas.
No offense to the guys at Diplomat Trading, but does the industry really need another Chinese branded Apple CarPlay head unit? Name brand head units from Kenwood, Pioneer, JVC etc. are in a sales decline, what is the logic of trying to revive a long lost brand that has died at least twice now in the past 15 years?
Agree 100%