It wasn't until I decided to replace my original ProAc Tablettes about 8 years ago that I realized how many speaker manufacturers there are... way more than I imagined, and many are outstanding, with excellent and intriguing design skills behind them.
As with kdude66, I'll add a vote for Lawrence Audio- certainly excellent designs and hand-made construction on a small scale. I think they make tube amps as well. Taiwan based.
Perhaps one of the smallest and least know is Fidelity Acoustics, out of the Vancouver BC area. I've heard these on several occasions, and sometimes in side by side comparisons with some very mainstream brands. Wonderful tonality, clarity and life. I know that they work very hard on crossover designs, which I have come to regard as a critical part of a loudspeaker. The RFM-2 is a two way, transmission line that looks quite ordinary, but is remarkable in it's sound.
As with kdude66, I'll add a vote for Lawrence Audio- certainly excellent designs and hand-made construction on a small scale. I think they make tube amps as well. Taiwan based.
Perhaps one of the smallest and least know is Fidelity Acoustics, out of the Vancouver BC area. I've heard these on several occasions, and sometimes in side by side comparisons with some very mainstream brands. Wonderful tonality, clarity and life. I know that they work very hard on crossover designs, which I have come to regard as a critical part of a loudspeaker. The RFM-2 is a two way, transmission line that looks quite ordinary, but is remarkable in it's sound.