Even if audio is a global thing, good ’ole USA is still there:
PS Audio -not terribly expensive, excellent-sounding gear Benchmark, Sanders -innovative amps, no nose-bleed prices Cables/cords -Transparent, High Fidelity, Synergistics, Cardas, Kimber, Audioquest. More brands than anywhere on Earth. Klipsch, JBL -still after 75 years, horns no longer ’sound’ like horns Emerald Physics/Spatial -new takes on horn/waveguides. Like Klipsch, all-American incl parts Vandersteen, Joseph, Ryan -the cone speaker keeps getting better Component/speaker stands -Symposium, Critical Mass, Star Sound ASC -room acoustics
It’s a confusing world of ear-buds, computer & car audio. And tech-general like the internet. But quality 2-chan audio is around and it’s more than I thought....
Not for any particular reason except budget/sound quality, but I wound up with almost all US made gear. Herron VTPH-2A phono pre BAT VK-30SE preamp Magnepan 1.7I speakers VPI TNT 4 turntable
ET 2.5 tonearm
Frankentable based on VPI Scout w/TNT 4 bearing and platter Magnepan Unitrac 1 Tonearm
Previous equipment:
PS Audio 5.0 Preamp DB System 1b/2a/4b preamp system PS Audio Stellar S300
Back when I first started replacing my vintage stereo with real high end it was a bit of a surprise to realize how much of it was made in the USA. California Audio Labs, McCormack, Synergistic Research, Black Diamond Racing, Graham Engineering, Basis, and my speakers were the little-known Linaeum made in Portland, OR. The surprise was because I never paid any attention to where anything was made. It was all selected for being the best performance/value I could find.
Teres Audio was made in Colorado. Now my table and arm are made in the UK. But the excellent Raven Audio is Dave Thompson and he is in Texas. The outstanding Tekton Moab is Eric Alexander in Utah.
Can't forget Lubos, his Moneoone Nova and Supernova power cords are made in the USA.
Perfect Path Solutions was of course USA, and then there is Decware, Bottlehead, Herron, and the list goes on...
"Audio"? High end is dominated by U.S.A. brands, and always has been. Infinity, ESS, and Magnepan---all loudspeaker makers---were started in the late-60's. Richard Vandersteen---about as American as you can be---is a sterling example of how to design and build loudspeakers.
Minnesotan Bill Johnson instigated the high end revolution in electronics with the introduction of his tube designs in 1970, and his products were actually fairly affordable in the 70's. Mark Levinson and Dave Wilson had a different vision: Price no object! Harry Pearson followed suit in his TAS magazine, setting in motion the notion (hey look, I'm a poet ;-) that higher price ipso facto bought one higher quality.
Coda has been around since The 90s and still going strong , Bricasti audio Pass labs ,Boulder mRogue audio ,Vac , Audio research upper end McIntosh ,Just to name a few Wilson audio , YG Acoustics, Magico ,Alta Audio , Salk Audio ,Spatial audio , Omega audio. wireworld , Audioquest. Tara labs, Purist Audio Stealth Audio ,Shunyata, Analysis plus cables , there are far more worthy. Companies , which is great to see made in U.S.A which I try to support speakers maybe only exception ,possibly the MBL120-126 stand mints with subs I have my 👁 on ,happy 🎶 listening.
My American gear manufacturers: Magico Magnepan Verastarr/Mike Powell Zu Audio Shunyata Research Synergistic Research Raven Audio RCA (tubes) Pass Labs First Watt VPI Industries Wayne’s Audio Sweet Vinyl PS Audio Benchmark Media Systems AudioQuest Analysis Plus Cardas Kimber Kable Schiit Audio Dan Clark Audio Orchard Audio Sonore/Small Green Computer Roon Labs Intel (NUC) Uptone Audio Sonos Campfire Audio Aperion Audio Pangea Emotiva Microsoft Apple Crate&Barrel (listening seating) Howie’s Hockey Tape (Hockey Pucks) The Vibrapod Company Revelation Audio Labs
ECM jazz via Roon/Qobuz. Thanks. This is our little support group! I am giving my Raven a rest and using my PrimaLuna (not American) Dialogue Premium HP with the stock EL34s to give it a workout. I am excited because I pulled the trigger and got 8 KT150s for it and am anticipating the advertised big difference (I hope). They are on the way. This is on my Magico A3/Aperion SuperTweeter/REL T9i system.
Don’t forget the Canadians (we’re "North" American eh):
Anthem Bryston Classé Energy PSB Coincident Kronos Audio Hansen Audio Paradigm Resonessence Labs MOON by Simaudio Space Tech Laboratory Totem Acoustic NAD ( Canadian based development team )
Bryston (big 28B3 monoblocks for my Maggies) and BP-17 cubed preamp (for sale <shameless plug>) Simaudio Moon (one of my phone preamps and practically a collectors item: 310LP with 320S outboard power supply connected with a Revelation Audio Lab power umbilical). Isoacoustics Mye Sound (maker of Mye Stands for Magnepans)
Made in the USA is Made in the USA. Which a couple of you guys reminded me, Campfire Audio, I have their awesome ceramic IEC. Shunyata, how could I forget Caelin Gabriel was in my listening room! Just goes to show how much great American gear there is, can't hardly even keep track of it all!
Don’t forget about the most knowledgable poster on these forums - Atma-sphere, made in Minnesota. Anticables, Audio Mirror and Van Alstine also, same state. Audio Research, Magnepan, Bel Canto previously mentioned.
your Bose 901 caught my eye. I ran mine for years when I had had my Sansui 7070 in the rotation and they sounded very good. Not great but good. Then when I went to Aiger mono blocks and tube Freya I could never get them dialed in. Even an old pair id 301’s sounded better. I found a pair of Vandersteen sig II and was shocked how good they sound in comparison to my Bose. My 901’s are in storage as I don’t even think anyone would buy them. Maybe some day I will hook up in the garage with the 7070 that still runs great.
Outside of a British tone arm and an American companies CD player made in Japan I have an all Americcan system . Maybe someday I'll find an american tonearm that I can afford , but I doubt that I'll ever find or bother replacing the CD player with an American made one ( because I'm a vinyl guy ) .
Merrill Hierloom TT with Rega RB300 arm and Soundsmith cartridge Carver CD player ( with tubes ) Tavish Designs tube phono Preamp , Goldpoint passive Preamp McCormack amp , Thiel speakers Cardas interconnects and speaker cables
My favorite response was Crate&Barrel !!! listening chair ha ha .
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