2. misc-audio
  3. 167919-107

Manufacturers past their heyday

There are many companies that we all recall from years gone by that are gone. There are some companies that while still around, seem be be past their glory days. For instant, while Conrad Johnson is still around, they just don’t seem to be nearly as relevant as they used to be. Of course, my thought on CJ are purely subjective. And yet other companies seem to be as relevant today as they were 20 of more years ago. VPI perhaps? Definitely McIntosh. 

Who are the other former high flyers that seem to be operating on an altogether different level these days? 
128x128zavato
sjackso1
13 posts
 
That was Janszen, sorry, I had forgot the correct spelling.
drwu
6 posts
 
No highs? No lows? Must be Bose!
output555
120 posts
 
There are several factors at play here. One, many of these legacy companies have been absorbed by big conglomerates (Mark Levinson, McIntosh, Harman Kardon, and Martin-Logan come to mind immediately) so they're no longer driven by a few brilliant guys passionate about delivering the best audio possible, regardless of how much profit they can squeeze out of every unit sold. (And, a lot of the legends and pioneers of high-end audio are no longer with us, Those geniuses were the drivers of their brands. Without them, many of their brands are shadows of what they once were.) Two, audio technology hit a plateau years ago. There's only so much audiophile-worthy innovation that's coming forth nowadays, unlike during the golden age of the 70-90s. Three, digital. Streaming audio has more or less killed the notion of audiophile sound. Convenience over quality. Then again, it has driven the vinyl renaissance, so there's the silver lining.
 
rclmd
2 posts
 
PS: Pioneer???
gilaad's avatar
gilaad
12 posts
 
I remember many years ago, I got into Steteo Exchange in NYC and listened to a pair of Mirage M7 bipolar speakers. They were great. 
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