Hi Fi Hall of Fame?

[MBauer]

Ampex

In the 60's and early 70's

 

[Rip Van Woofer]

Big amen to Ampex. They were THE name and major pioneers in recording technology along with 3M. How could I have forgotten? At the risk of further embarassing myself, are they still in business?

Hey, if the whole audio history thing intrigues you, go to the AES site and navigate your way to the "historical committee" (I think) area. Gobs of fascinating stuff to be found there, including an audio history timeline with the major innovations listed. I wonder if the AES has something like a "hall of fame" already?

 

[Dan]

Hey, if the whole audio history thing intrigues you, go to the AES site and navigate your way to the "historical committee" (I think) area. Gobs of fascinating stuff to be found there, including an audio history timeline with the major innovations listed. I wonder if the AES has something like a "hall of fame" already?[/QUOTE]


My father-in-law was a well known audio engineer and a long time treasurer for AES (Arthur Gruber) and I think designed the first four track reel to reel machine in the early sixties. He was good enough to let me tag along at a few AES conventions. I got to meet many of the famous names through him including Klipsch who was very nice to me. The other name that stood out to me was a professor von Recklinghausen whose grandfather first described the disease that bears his name (aka neurofibromatosis aka elephant man's disease). This octogenarian was deeply touched when I was able to find a copy of his grandfather's original paper for him.

AES awards medals at the AES conventions for lifetime achievement. Perhaps the list is on their website but I couldn't find it just now on a quick search. My father-in-law won such a medal at his last convention in 1994. The AES has recorded interviews with many important engineers and these are listed in the historical section.

 

[denverdoc]

Current contenders

A best still active addition might be the work started by Meridian and continued in the DEQX from the land of OZ, which is by far and away the most powerful and interesting piece of audio gear I have had the pleasure of owning. This is a revolution, not an evolution and so deserves mention.
John

 

[zipper]

Had a pair of Forte's but they now belong to the ex .........excellent to this day.

I remember back in the mid-70's my BIL had an enormous Sansui receiver that he was pretty proud of, paired to some Advents. Was my 1st taste of "hi-fi". Don't even know if the gear was that good but it sounded like nothing I'd ever heard before..............

 

[tes918]

Don't forget the good old days when you could buy a kit and put together your own intergrated amp like an Eico or a Heathkit not to mention Scott. Lafayette, Harman Kardan etc.

 

[20to20K]

Had a pair of Forte's but they now belong to the ex .........excellent to this day.

I remember back in the mid-70's my BIL had an enormous Sansui receiver that he was pretty proud of, paired to some Advents. Was my 1st taste of "hi-fi". Don't even know if the gear was that good but it sounded like nothing I'd ever heard before..............

Point 1: Sansui made some great electronics in the 70's but went downhill in the 80's. I had this Z5000 reciever...bought in 82 or so from J&R. What a piece of doo-doo!

Point 2: You had a wife who appreciated Forte's? Did she remarry?

 

[MBauer]

Second to Julian Hirsch

Rip already mentioend him but I would like to strongly second him. Class guy, honest reviewer and always informative. He is missed by many

 

[MBauer]

Ampex, still operating

Yep they are still in business.

 

[20to20K]

Rip already mentioend him but I would like to strongly second him. Class guy, honest reviewer and always informative. He is missed by many

I have kept about 50 or so old Stereo Review magazines with significant Hirsch reviews in them just because I love reading them again from time to time. It's interesting to go back and read his first impression on a piece of gear that was brand new at the time, but has since become legendary.

I was just reading his article about the Adcom GFA555 when it first came out (~'84 I think) and even back then he could tell how historically significant this product would be and even implied that it would revolutionize budget, near hi-end amplifiers. I've also kept his Nakamichi Dragon review, The Nak 505 review, and my favorite...the first Bryston 4B review.

 

[slopoke]

Philips

Everyone I knew had a Philips 212 turntable in the 70's. I just got rid of mine 2 years ago. Sold it, didn't pitch it.

 

[JJMP50]

Lafayette(sp) Stores

How many are old enough to remember the Lafayette chain of stores. They were kind of a "high" end Radio Shack. I bought my first component system from them and my memory says that it sounded great. It had a set of Criterion 3 way accoustic suspension speakers similar to ARs. Unforturatly that system got ripped of by a burglar.

 

[Donohue]

The Equipment Developers

An equipment "Hall of Fame" is just a shopping/wish list. But what about the folks who made the developments that we crave.

The guys who did the math to make your crossover work:

Linkwitz
Reilly
Butterworth
Chebysev [sp]

The guys who designed and developed the great equipment:

insert names here, I don't know their names - someone might.


The writers (the ones who didn't sell their soul).

The people who brought esoterica to the masses like Ray Kimber and Noel Lee (you don't actually have to like them or their product).

Anyway, you get the picture.

Well, as far as the guys who designed the good stuff... that, like so many other things in this biz, is so subjective.
My list would surely include
Arnie Nudell... founder of Infinity and Genesis - with the Servo Statik One in 68, pretty much invnted the sub/sat.
Paul Klipsch - considering the amps available at the time, his 1947 hyper-efficient design pretty much invented hi-fi.
James B. Lansing... OK, I just like to show off that I know what JBL stands for.
Matthew Polk and Sandy Gross - cofounders of Polk. Hey,at least somebody was doing direct/reflecting phase coherence tricks besides Bose. The SDA/SRS speakers of the 80's are still among my faves. And Sandy Gross individually for Defenitive Technology's innovative power towers and bipolar technology. Big Def-Tech fan here, boys.
Henry Kloss, the innovator of acoustic suspension
There's lots more, that I can't think of. Most recently the wizard who designed the B&W 802D's.

 

[Donohue]

...but that's OK...this is still great stuff.

My intent was to single out specific gear...not company owners, designers, journalists, or innovators. But since were naming signficant individuals, I'll add a few:

Nelson Pass
Jeff Rowland
Paul Rodgriguez (love those Stereo Review cartoons!)
Bob Carver
Matthew Polk

As far as gear, I guess I was remiss in not giving the Sony CDP-101
a mention. I believe that was the model of the first consumer CD players on the market back in 1984. Philiips pretty much built the entire guts of it, but Sony had the distinction of actually housing, packaging, and marketing it for mass consumption.

Wow I forgot Bob Carver. Proved a good amp didn't have to weigh as much as
a Volkswagen and double as a space heater.
And man, do I miss those SR cartoons. Damn, it's 1989 again. http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=49918#
Big Grin

 

[Dan]

Philiips pretty much built the entire guts of it, but Sony had the distinction of actually housing, packaging, and marketing it for mass consumption.[/QUOTE]

The main engineer at Philips as I understand it was Han Tendeloo who is an extremely nice fellow. Unfortunatly he was later treated rather shabbily by Philips as I understand it.

 

[gene]

Criterion 3 way accoustic suspension speakers similar to ARs

Haha, when I was a child a couple of my brothers owned the big Criterios 2002+. Watching those woofers pumping was what got me into this hobby. I remember finding smell of those speakers intoxicating (the paper drivers actually) when I walked into their room.

Nothing gave me a bigger kick than listening to Genesis Duke on them

 

[Mudcat]

It had a set of Criterion 3 way accoustic suspension speakers similar to ARs. Unforturatly that system got ripped of by a burglar.

Still using a pair I got from the inlaws. 6 tweeters, two mids and a 10" woofer

 

[Rob Babcock]

The Hsu Research TN-1220!

 

[JJMP50]

Still using a pair I got from the inlaws. 6 tweeters, two mids and a 10" woofer

What did you inlaws do for a living. I only live about 50 miles away...

 

[Mudcat]

What did you inlaws do for a living. I only live about 50 miles away...

50 miles from where? I live in Northern Virginia (Alexandria). My inlaws live in Riverhead NY (Long Island).

He was a doctor (retired) and she was a lawyer (died)