Sundown launched in July, a selective car audio sub-brand aimed primarily at brick and mortar retailers. The Horizon brand offers amplifiers and subwoofers to be followed eventually by speakers, additional subwoofers and other products.
The only online retailers sanctioned to sell Horizon at this time are Crutchfield and Pro Audio Center. Crutchfield signed on with Sundown this year and is selling an assortment of Sundown products in addition to some Horizon models.
The Horizon line offers products that serve well as OEM replacement units at attractive prices where retailers can make good margins, said Bryan Chamberlain, Senior Director of Knowledge and Data for Systematic Holdings, Sundown’s parent company.
These are “not mega roll surround, super loud, high SPL products” but products that can be installed “without having to do anything crazy on your electrical system,” he said.
Shawn Mayo, VP Sales for Systematic, said Sundown has implemented a dealer approval process “to ensure the integrity and exclusivity of its Horizon product line.” Any dealer seeking to purchase Horizon products through an authorized distributor must receive official approval from Sundown prior to any sales transactions.
“This process serves as a protective measure to prevent market overlap and ensure that dealers are not positioned too closely within the same territory,” Mayo said. Participating dealers will be required to complete an application and agree to uphold all program requirements. Distributors then submit the applications to Sundown for final approval.
Mayo said dealers selling Horizon products without an approved agreement will face significant penalties. Additionally, any distributor found supplying Horizon products to an unauthorized dealer will be held accountable, he added.
While the company acknowledges that these policies are firm, Sundown said the measures “are vital to maintaining fairness, protecting its valued partners, and preserving the integrity of the Horizon brand within the market.”
The Horizon line includes six Horizon amplifiers and two lines of subwoofers, one standard, in 8-, 10 and 12-inches, and one shallow subwoofer line in 10- and 12-inches.
An example is the Horizon HZ-900.5, a compact 5-channel, 900 watt amplifier at $449.99. See specs below.
Horizon HZ-900.5 Specs:
- RMS Power @ 14.4V
• CH1-4: 100W x4 @ 4Ω / 150W x4 @ 2Ω
• CH5 (Sub): 200W @ 4Ω / 500W @ 2Ω - High Pass Filter (CH1-4): 27Hz – 250Hz
- Low Pass Filter (CH5): 50Hz – 250Hz
- Subsonic Filter (CH5): 10Hz – 50Hz
- Input Sensitivity: 6V Max
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 95dB
- Fuse Rating: 100A
- Dimensions: 11.25″ x 4.63″ x 2.2″
- Weight: 4.12 lbs (1.87 kg)