Designer Hall of Fame


There are many great designers out there, and especially in the lore from the golden age, but I'm not to familiar with them. I thought it might be interesting to discuss some of the great designers for engineering skill and knowledge, business integrity, and ultimatley quality of their products. My short list a "hall of fame" if you will of designers working today are:

Nelson Pass, Pass Labs
Charles Hansen, Ayre
Roger Modjeski, Music Reference
Ken Stevens, Convergent Audio Technolgy (CAT)
Kevin Hayes, VAC

and how could I leave Jeff Rowland off? Well it is a short list. Who would you nominate?
pubul57
Truly innovative, years ahead of others in their area and on top of this they are young progressive company's.

I'll start with the above posting by Gosh.

Herve Deletraz....DartZeel, Amp Preamp and phonostage

Friedrich Schafer....ASR Emitter, Amp preamp and phonostage

Thomas Woschnick....TW Acustic Raven, record player.

Ed Meitner....EMM Labs. Digital

I haven't touched on Japan yet! or got to the United States including other parts of the World....

I'm afraid when it comes to truly innovative audio companies my list is going to have to be longer then this.
Not sure if anyone has mentioned:
Brian Cheney (VMPS)
Paul Grzybek (Tube Audio Design)
1. A.J. Conti and Associates -- Basis Audio, Inc.: Ovation, 2500/2800 Series, and Debut tt's;

2. Henry O. Wolcott for implementing distortionless amplifier designs used in mission critical laboratory applications for Uncle Sam and converting these designs to a more user-friendly consumer version of his Presence Monoblocks;

3. Dr. Rogers of Sound Lab and Dr. Sanders of Sanders Sound Systems(subsequent to his leadership at Innersound) for their electrostatic innovations;

4. Michael Elliott of Aria Audio (Founder of Counterpoint Systems) for his hybrid preamp./amp circuitry;

5. Nelson Pass for his eternal engineering feats while working for Threshold, Inc.