What extinct Hi Fi manufacture do you miss the most?

It's not a brand (Magnat are still going), but I wish you could still get these....

Dungassin posted:

Johnell posted:

Rola Celestion.  

I don't know of any hi-fi enthusiast that lived in Ipswich in the 70s and 80s who didn't know somebody, either directly or indirectly, that worked at the factory and could get "cheap speakers".  I tried various models over the years but even with the discount, I never could quite stretch to the SL6/600 ranges. In hindsight that was probably a good thing because I reckon they would have shown up my front end and amps pretty badly.  

Full history here: http://www.bygonetones.com/the...ry-of-celestion.html

But Celestion are still going, albeit now they mainly make guitar amplifier speakers - and very nice they are too!

Now owned by a Hong Kong-based conglomerate.  (They own KEF too I believe.)

SAE.......Those handles, LEDs and levers...........

Dungassin posted:

Johnell posted:

Rola Celestion.  

I don't know of any hi-fi enthusiast that lived in Ipswich in the 70s and 80s who didn't know somebody, either directly or indirectly, that worked at the factory and could get "cheap speakers".  I tried various models over the years but even with the discount, I never could quite stretch to the SL6/600 ranges. In hindsight that was probably a good thing because I reckon they would have shown up my front end and amps pretty badly.  

Full history here: http://www.bygonetones.com/the...ry-of-celestion.html

But Celestion are still going, albeit now they mainly make guitar amplifier speakers - and very nice they are too!

Very true BUT the point is they no longer make domestic loudspeakers which given some of the innovative designs they came up with is a real shame.

The Strat (Fender) posted:

Heybrook. 

Still around they are. Classy, they most certainly are not. The Sextet was incredible and ahead of it's time. Most sad. If you were after wall huggers, I preferred them to SBLs.

Some brands that changed ownership lost their DNA (Mission) while others seem to have improved (Quad). Of course, no one ever admits the latter.

Peter W posted:

SAE.......Those handles, LEDs and levers...........

Ugh. Screamingly hideous. Just nasty looking...

I miss Nytech I always enjoyed listening to the 252 integrated amplifier.I thought they where great value for money and looked the part.

Onix amplifiers where another company I enjoyed the OA 21  which was a good amp and the matching tuner.They even had their matching power supplies like Naim.

Agree with Richard with regard to Nakamichi just a brilliant company and superb build performance.I am still useing a  BX300 E and a CR 7E and have a CR 2 E in storage.

Funny enough with regard to Tanberg I am useing their top of the range cassette deck the 3014 A which was considered on par sound wise with the top Naks.Apart from one of the VU meters needing a new bulb which is probably long unavailable.Its still going strong.Its built like an a tank but the Nak CR 7 E shades it on sound and build.

Great thread.......Time to get our rose tinted glasses on and show how old we have got !

winkyincanada posted:

It's not a brand (Magnat are still going), but I wish you could still get these....

I remember the review in Hi-Fi answers. They kicked out (not surprisingly !) quite a bit of Ozone 

I still have my Leak Stereo 20 that was my first foray into the world of hi fi back in the 70s. Are they still going?

Tabby cat posted:

I miss Nytech I always enjoyed listening to the 252 integrated amplifier.I thought they where great value for money and looked the part.

 

I always wanted a Nytech, they were the bee's knees amongst my group of pals & were always used by Rayleigh Hi-Fi in their demos. The first time I heard Kans they were powered by a Nytech amp.

feeling_zen posted:

The Strat (Fender) posted:

Heybrook. 

Still around they are. Classy, they most certainly are not. The Sextet was incredible and ahead of it's time. Most sad. If you were after wall huggers, I preferred them to SBLs.

Some brands that changed ownership lost their DNA (Mission) while others seem to have improved (Quad). Of course, no one ever admits the latter.

I must agree owned a pair for many years also very few speakers could match the build quality the finish of the cabinet was outstanding.

Tony

I also had a local dealer which are long gone and they used to stock Nytech and Arc loudspeakers.I was always impressed with the sound.

There was a shop in my town which used to rent out vinyl like a library and they had a LP12 with a LVV arm (The S shaped one) with a A@R Cambridge P77 cartridge and a Nytech 252.Cant remember the speakers but it sounded great.They also sold cassette tape handy for tapeing !     And of cause absolutely no digital back in those days .

tonym posted:

Tabby cat posted:

I miss Nytech I always enjoyed listening to the 252 integrated amplifier.I thought they where great value for money and looked the part.

 

I always wanted a Nytech, they were the bee's knees amongst my group of pals & were always used by Rayleigh Hi-Fi in their demos. The first time I heard Kans they were powered by a Nytech amp.

Tonym, see my earlier post re Nytech the first time I heard a Nytech it was with Linn Isobarik's running in active mode this was the speaker Richard Hay of Nytech used along with the Kan's that was until the ARC speakers came along source used was a LP12,Grace Arm and a Supex Cartridge.

winkyincanada posted:

It's not a brand (Magnat are still going), but I wish you could still get these....

Could you tell me what these are?

Strathclyde 305D, my 1st TT upgrade after Garrard SP25

IMHO a great looking deck and not too bad sound... till the bearing gave out.... LP12 ever since.

More than any brand in particular I really miss the type of UK products that could be described by tecnologically ingenious and avangarde in design. In the Audio department (opposed to the car industry) the 80's and 90's were very exciting to experience because of brands like: Naim, Rega, Roksan, Royd, Kef, Deltec/DPA, Musical Fidelity, Linn, Cyrus, Systemdek, Mission, Trichord, Pink Triangle, Meridian, etc.

Even japanese brands were exciting especially with the UK tuned models. Sony, Denon, Akai, and some, were build affordable "build-to-last" gear with affordable prices.

Most of the mentioned brands still exist but they are building "me-too" products - design and engineering wise - or the old best sellers revamped.

I really miss seeing products with the sheer impact of these:

- Roksan DP 1 and Atessa cd players

- Rega Planet Mk I cd player

- Voyd Valdi turntable

- DPA PDM TWO dac

- Musical Fidelity A1 amplifier

- Systemdek 2x2 turntable

- Mission 750 LE speakers

- Meridian  206 cd player

- Rotel RA 935 BX amplifier

- Monitor Audio Studio 20 SE speakers

- Royd Ministrel speakers

- Michell Mycro turntable

- Roksan Darius speakers (I currently use a pair and these are amazing speakers)

Experiencing some of these products made my preference for UK products in general and my choices in my current system.

I also must say that I consider Naim one of the only brands to put something new when they develop a new product.

Klout10 posted:

winkyincanada posted:

It's not a brand (Magnat are still going), but I wish you could still get these....

Could you tell me what these are?

Plasma tweeters.

Good old Youtube !

Magnat Plasma speakers

This post wants me to dig out my 1974 Hi-Fi Year Book. It's sat in the loft at the moment. Must get it out and reminisce

Not the most reliable or best SQ but what style.

sheffieldgraham posted:

Not the most reliable or best SQ but what style.

I've always thought the Lecson kit looked fantastic and still looks good today even though as you say, reliability was suspect (the power amps cooked themselves quite nicely). I'm pretty sure you could get a matching tuner too.

IIRC Richard has some of this in his (vast) collection of interesting old kit

Edit - and here's the tuner...

james n posted:

sheffieldgraham posted:

Not the most reliable or best SQ but what style.

I've always thought the Lecson kit looked fantastic and still looks good today even though as you say, reliability was suspect (the power amps cooked themselves quite nicely). I'm pretty sure you could get a matching tuner too.

IIRC Richard has some of this in his (vast) collection of interesting old kit

Edit - and here's the tuner...

Is this where the Uniti range takes a cue from?

I also miss Nytech as the CA202 was my first ever decent amp, bettered by the Nait2 but not by a huge margin IIRC. I'm not sure how the new Nytech (phoenix) company are doing, but I am curious about revisiting that brand.

Anyone remember Linx Audio? I had one of their Quasar amps and it was darned expensive at the time (for me) at circa £500. I remember it was great fun. A really powerful, refined, yet still exciting sounding integrated amp - a Supernait of its day perhaps. Had it a couple of years then it developed a few source switching issues and traded it in for a Naim pre / power set up. Linx had a distinct design for the time, the facia made of high gloss black perspex with red LED's covered by flush selection switches, which I still think looks fresh and contemporary today - and it could be argued, not too far removed from Rega's current design language. I think they also made Pre / Power mono blocks as well, but I have no experience of them.

Yetizone posted:

I also miss Nytech as the CA202 was my first ever decent amp, bettered by the Nait2 but not by a huge margin IIRC. I'm not sure how the new Nytech (phoenix) company are doing, but I am curious about revisiting that brand.

Anyone remember Linx Audio? I had one of their Quasar amps and it was darned expensive at the time (for me) at circa £500. I remember it was great fun. A really powerful, refined, yet still exciting sounding integrated amp - a Supernait of its day perhaps. Had it a couple of years then it developed a few source switching issues and traded it in for a Naim pre / power set up. Linx had a distinct design for the time, the facia made of high gloss black perspex with red LED's covered by flush selection switches, which I still think looks fresh and contemporary today - and it could be argued, not too far removed from Rega's current design language. I think they also made Pre / Power mono blocks as well, but I have no experience of them.

I looked up the Nytech website they are manufacturing in Cardiff and can still service and repair the original Nytech range.

Yetizone, yes Linx were pretty good, originally based in NZ then moved to Essex.  My favourite bit of Linx kit was the Theta tuner - basically a customised Magnum Dynalab with Linx casework, power supply and output stage.  Performance is right up there with the best (i.e. naim, MD etc.).