2. best-of
  3. 972349994

Top Audio Designers Of All Time?

We have all had fun and world of info have spilled forth from Audiogon members. Lets give ourselves a round of applause. From me a sincere "Well Done" to all members that have participated. I have learned a great deal. In this thread,which may be a little esoteric for some,lets hear from members that support certain designers. After all if not for their dedication and genius,we would not have the topic or equipment. Ill start the thread for the inventor Thomas Alva Edison.For it was his revolution,that we now find ourselves here. In the more contemporary era I vote for Nelson Pass. His white paper on Cascode/Stasis toplogy was and is truly ground breaking. In my opinion since 1975,other designs are a variation on a theme of Pass.
ferrari
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Sorry guys, but depending on your definition of "top" it is arguably Bose. $$$$$$$$$.

Actually, in 1956, when Bose was a MIT prof, he had a multidriver (I think it was 24) speaker system set up in the MIT music library that was cutting edge technology for the time.

Apart from that, another vote for Hafler.
holzhauer
201 posts
 
Richard Shahinian gets my vote. His omnidirectional dynamic loudspeakers are off the beaten path but on the right one.
samuelg's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
samuelg
59 posts
 
I can't spell the names from memory so fill in the blanks

Peter Walker- Quad
James W***?- Magnepan
Julian Verk***ner? Naim
I*** Tiefen***? Linn
Nelson Pass- Pass
Richard Vandersteen
Jeff Rowland- JRDG
Niel?? Patel- Avalon
Bob Graham- Graham tonearms
Mr. Koetsu
Mr. Spendor
caterham1700
271 posts
 
Time will tell of their long term impact but the designers that I'm most impressed with are Touraj Moghaddam of Roksan, Denis Morecroft of DNM and Junji Kimura of 47 Labs.

Each has eschewed convention and rethought how an audio component should ideally function and have devised innovative,elegant & effective solutions to address the issues.
nighthawk
259 posts
 
I'll add Arnie Nudell of the original Infinity Systems and subsequently Genesis speakers. His large, line array speakers established an important speaker category. I can still remember the awe I had when I heard the IRS V's.

Also, I think the cable guys deserve some recognition. How about George Cardas, Ray Kimber, and Bruce Brisson?
More to discover