RIP Richard Hay

Very sorry to hear of Richards death. I worked for Nytech from 1978-1980 a period of about 18 months.

His amps were great fun to listen to and Nytech was a friendly place to work.

Sad day

David

When I worked at Lasky's in the 70s the Nytech receiver was by far the best sounding thing we sold. Except we couldn't sell it. Even though it sounded so good, we had real problems shifting them because they didn't look like real hi-fi to our Japanese-indoctrinated customers. 

Their loss.

I remember hear a Nytech/ARC active system and it sounded fantastic ... couldn't afford it at the time, but I would have loved to have been able to.

Sad to hear that a great innovator like Richard is no longer with us.  

Nytech was one of the first quality systems i bought many,many years ago from a firm called Grahams in North London. If my memory serves me it was a CTA252xd which i paired up 1st with ARC050 speakers and then ARC101. My old man still has both sets of speakers and both are still in use to this day.

Can anyone answer a few questions,how old was he and does anyone know what happened to Nytech and ARC of Manchester. Would be very interested to know.

Thanks

Mista H

Grahams in Winchmore Hill ?

There's some history of ARC/Nytech on Russ Andrews' website - though he seems to be claiming credit for 'R&D' on the Nytech amps.

I spent a very pleasant couple of hours in Mr Hay's listening room in the early 80s - LP12/Ittok/Asak, active ARC 101s etc. Russ A walked in while I was playing Ry Cooder's 'Jazz' LP - and RA has promoted this album as a demo quality LP ever since!

When i worked at Nytech the R&D was done by Richard, David Widgery, with input from Keith, a chap who was at Uni but was a friend of Richard and a chap whose name i forget but goes by the name of nytecholdie on another site.

Dave Widgery and i were flat mates so i had an indirect input as we had prototype systems at our flat so we did listening sessions there. Primarily the biamped active ARC systems.

My home system was a complete QUAD valve system with electrostatics, Garrard 301 SME 12" and Decca FFSS2 and Grado FTE+. So a complete contrast to Nytech etc

Russ was a dealer and if i remember correctly a Director too.

All dealers were involved in the R&D too as they would visit to hear the developments of various products and pass comment.

Also Nytech had good relationships with NAIM,Linn, Rega, ARC, A&R Cambridge and others.

David

Nytech - and Richard Hay's vision of music reproduction - lives on in the form of Heed Audio. I reviewed the Heed Obelisk Si with its external power supply and it took me to places that my 82/Hi/250 only hinted at. Heed is very special kit indeed.

Can anyone comment on the Ion Systems Obelisk 2, as there's one for sale here at a very tempting price...

Jan

Only a few months ago i heard Nytech were going to be built again.

Another one of the lets just hear music as it should sound gang gone.

I got my System Deck from the late great Peter D and Nytech amp from Richard as wedding presents in 1982.

Richard was a very nice man.

Like naims JV he was part of something real.

Very sad news.

My thoughts are with his family and many friends.

RIP

Richard.

Stu.

A foot note.

Fun times.

I remember spending many happy hours with Jeff at Photocraft now Soundcraft twisting/plaiting long lengths of 79 strand QED cable off door handles to use with Nytech amps.

You would just get almost to the end and some bugger would open the door to say you are wanted in the shop or on the phone.

People think NACA5 is hard work.

They don't know they have been born until they have tried doing that.

Stu.

Very sad news of Richard Hay's passing.  As many here know, I was something of a Nytech/Ion fan. At one point I had a complete Ion Obelisk collection. I still have a few bits, a 252XDII, Obelisk 3x + X-Pak, and an FMT1.

J-E, I used to have an Obelisk 2 - indeed, I think the one you refer to may well have been mine - and it was a great little amp.  A good step up over the Obelisk 1, which was the only one that tended to betray its budget price. Nice phono stage though... Considering they fetch very similar money, the 2 is definitely the pick.  I prefer a Nait 2, but then that's much, much more expensive to purchase secondhand these days.  The Obelisk3x + X-Pak is an under-rated gem. A big step up again. A superb amp by any standard.

I had the Obelisk 3X which was modified as a one off into a pre-amp with an internal PSU at the factory which I visited in 1990.  This was used to feed a pair of Nexus monoblocks which were pretty substantial power amps.  This combination replaced a 42/hicap/250 which I found a bit harsh and the Ion smoothed this out and was one of the few amps that could so this wihout killing the music.

it seemed the rght decision at the time, but this kit wasn't cheap and with the company folding (1992?), I did lose out when it came to change.

The factory in 1990 was a very modest affair, a small unit in Llaniloes, mid wales.  Very clean and tidy but seemed almost empty from what I recall, I had the full tour which didn't take very long.  It's a shame that they couldn't capitalise on the great products which were well reviewed, it should have been a success story.

Richard

I think it will be, in the form of Heed Audio.

(from the What HiFi Obituary)

When Ion Systems ceased to exist, Richard gave Heed Audio in Hungary permission to continue manufacture of his Obelisk design under the Heed brand name.

Richard continued to work with the company as a design consultant and then in the early 2000s teamed up with his son Robert to begin distribution of the expanded Heed product range in the UK.