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
Some engineers of note:

Sidney Smith (you can't list Saul without mentioning Sid!)
James Bongiorno (SAE, GAS, Sumo, etc.)
Bob Carver
Kevin Volks (Snell, Revel)
John Wright (IMF, TDL)
I can imagine the debates in the selection committe; it would make the Continental Congress seem like a picnic in the park.
Arnie Nudell made some great speakers indeed. Question is, if you had five spots would he make it on the first ballot versus all the other folks mentioned in the thread (I think he was mentioned earlier). Would he make it over Ed Vilchur whose AR3 brought acoustic suspension enclosures to the market? Tough call for five slots. I would be interesting to have an annual election held by Audiogon - five new folks every year honoring the work of the great designers, maybe with some broad categories (Speakers, Amps/Preamps, Digital, Analog,, dare I say Accesories etc. -- proabably need an old timers committe as well for those important folks from the early days who should not be forgotten). Give the awards RMAF, and toast the winners. I for one would attend. Best of all, you have to be a member of Audigon to vote.