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What companies, out of Business, did you LOVE???

I had just sold my Proceed PAV/PDSD combo, with a trio of Jeff Rowland Model 7s, and EAD Theatermaster. While I was waiting for my new system (Cal Audio CL-2500 pack) to arrive, I realized I needed some tunes and went to the yard to see what was 'laying' around. What I found was not only fun, but the idea to begin this thread. Personally, I am interested in this question from a Home Theater standpoint, but welcome 2 channel responses as well.

What is the BEST systems or pieces you have heard from companies that are no longer in business!!

I went to the garage, and pulled up a Golden Theater GTX-1 I had purchased a few years back. Solo Electronics went under about a year into these units. They received rave reviews from the magazines, but they just didn't hang around for a curtain call. I then pulled out an older 5 channel amp and here is what I gathered!

The DTS/DD Golden Theater GTX-1, which is STUNNINGLY good in 2 channel (what everyone loved about this unit!) was the start, and I paired it with a Chiro 5 channel C-500 amp.
I thought, hey, this company is also out of business too!!!
This amp was also favorably reviewed and when I put this system together, I realized how good they both were, specifically in 2 channel!! These companies both had GREAT products and when matched together, WOW! Obviously this set didn't chase the Proceed/Rowland gear out of my house, but you know, it did give it a run for its money!! Here is my thoughts on the BEST OutOfBusiness Home Theater!!

Golden Theater GTX-1 (DTS, DD)
Chiro C-500 (140 x 5, THX (for whatever that is worth)
Hales Concept 5 (owned these 250 lbs monsters some time ago) and for a center channel
the Hales Rev 1!!

This system would be stellar for music and if for music, it would kick butt for Home Theater!! The Hales are fabulous speakers, require substantial power (like the Aerials I run now) but if fed properly, even the mother of 'The Fridge' would be proud!

Put your best OutOfBusiness (OOB) companies down!!!

Dan

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6550c
393 posts
 
Proton anyone? Anyone love Proton? Can't beleive i almost bought that stuff.

NHT - it looked like they were headed in the right direction at first and then.......splat!! I guess the founder has now retaken the company,so we will have to see.

Someone mentioned "Normal Labs", wasn't it NORMAN LABS for NORMAN, OKLA.? Yes!! I remember a local record store that always had a sound system cranked to 11 and several pairs on Norman Labs Speakers. I always wanted a pair and thought they out-rocked anyting else I was familar with.
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mapman
22,389 posts
 
Tandberg is the only home audio company I can think of that I really miss and wish still carried on.

Aiwa made some very good cassette decks early on.

I had a Nakamichi car stereo once. I miss those.
alb24
21 posts
 
Acoustic Electronics Air 2.2 power amp from the early 80's. I believe a fellow by the name of Roger Paul designed these amps. John Iverson Electron Kinetics Eagle amps and David Berning amps all designed during the 80's.
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drubin
3,275 posts
 
Proton anyone? Anyone love Proton? Can't beleive i almost bought that stuff.
Sounds like you didn't love them, but I did. Their greatest product was probably their clock radio. Still made under the Sangean label, but the last one I got had a hum problem I couldn't solve. Wonderful sound. I also had a Proton tape deck in a car back in the 80's and it was terrific. Finally, I bought a Proton TV in the 80s. Actually, that was probably a mistake. It was pretty good but not completely reliable.
jimburger
104 posts
 
From the Seventies, I remember fondly the
Sonus Blue phono cartridges,IMF,Sonab,Fried and TDL speakers, Fulton speakers and cables, Dual turntables, Connoisseur turntables, Audionics of Oregon,ESS Speakers with their Heil Air Motion transformer drivers,Dahlquist,Cizek,and Luxman. Mostly, I miss the pair of Audioanalyst M6 Phase Matrix speakers I owned back in the day. They were a 1977 vintage 3-way speaker that the manufacturer claimed were time and phase correct.

From the eighties, Threshold, Apogee, Forte'(Threshold's second line), Counterpoint, Synthesis speakers, and most of all Spica. Too bad John Bau didn't stick with designing high-end speakers. I still consider the TC-50 an inspired work.

More recently Cal Audio Labs,EAD, and Melos.
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