For auld lang syne, ..high-end companies you really liked that are gone....


’tis that time of year. Another year nearly gone and a new one full of land mines ahead...etc. I thought I would ask, what companies are now gone that were a part of you audio history? Mine would be:

Thiel,
Nakamichi (when they were doing some high end stuff, N. Pass)
Sony....same thing, when they were doing some high end, esp. early CD players
Classe """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
California Audio Labs
Straightwire
Advent
Dahlquist

And please add to this list. Now some of these I mentioned do exist, but are not now really two-channel/stereo "high-end"

Have a good and safe New Year holiday.


whatjd
Is RTR still around? My father had a set of RTR twin towers back in the day powered with a big Pioneer receiver.
On an aesthetic note (not your exact query) I miss Dieter Rams design...

Though I've never owned any of his HiFi gear, unless he had a had a hand in the Braun L200/L300 which I did own.

On the same note I also owned the Quad 33/303 duo, which were ausome eye candy IMO.

As far as your Nakamichi reference goes a NAK/Stasis receiver was possibly the "FIRST" SS unit that I liked the sound of having used/preferred tube based gear before.

Another oddity/exception was a Radio Shack Receiver that I strongly suspect was manufactured by NAD.

DeKay
Sure cartridges, Stanton, Empire, Kenwood, Altec Lansing, Jelco, Lenco, Roman Audio, Meadowlark, Oppo.