Ruined Legacy

[The Grand Wazoo]

Take one of the most famous and successful brand names in audio: Acoustic Research - a brand that produced truly innovative, milestone products that caused a whole industry to reassess itself several times over. A brand that was once the second biggest manufacturer of hi-fi loudspeakers. Take the legacy of not one, but two legendary audio figures....

...........and piss it all away by flogging off shite like this (http://www.acoustic-research.com/speakers/):

http://www.acoustic-research.com/images/ar_acc/landpg/ar_speakers.png

For crying out loud - they were putting the AR name onto ported loudspeakers a while back. (Not sure if these are ported or not - it really doesn't matter, because..........well just look at it.

It's an absolute forking crime, it really is. Ed Villchur & Henry Kloss must be spinning in their graves

[Marco]

Indeed, Chris.

I think you need a linky-poo, to accompany the pic, though, as I didn't even know that abomination had anything to do with AR, until you mentioned it (and I also uncovered the hidden link in your pic, by using my admin rights) :)

Marco.

[The Grand Wazoo]

The link has now been added and first mention of AR emboldened. Didn't realise there was a link embedded in that piccie, thanks.

[DSJR]

Don't stop there, look at all the Harman owned companies that have suffered, and the Chinese owned UK industry - one or two very well known UK manufacturers have majority foreign ownership as well as the others wholy made in China now and apart from the odd over-hyped product, haven't really moved on.

[Stratmangler]

Why would Henry and Ed be spinning?
They were both businessmen, and both knew that you have to adapt to survive.
They also left A&R long before they died, so they both knew that the future of the company was out of their respective hands.

The current owners of the brand get sod all out of the legacy except for the name, and the number of prospective purchasers of the brand's traditional products is, ironically enough in an ever increasing world population, getting smaller.

Making bluetooth connected speakers looks to be a smart move in my book ;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Villchur
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Kloss

[The Grand Wazoo]

They were concerned with getting high quality sound reproduction & promoting the idea of it to the masses rather than just the rich. So they were no strangers to the concept of taking money from the mass market, however, it was executed with innovation, clever engineering solutions and elegant marketing techniques. They looked after their employees, their customer service was second to none and I'd suggest that, were they still active in the audio business now, they certainly wouldn't be bunging out mono speakers to promulgate the audio mess that is mp3.

[Stratmangler]

They were concerned with getting high quality sound reproduction & promoting the idea of it to the masses rather than just the rich. So they were no strangers to the concept of taking money from the mass market, however, it was executed with innovation, clever engineering solutions and elegant marketing techniques. They looked after their employees, their customer service was second to none and I'd suggest that, were they still active in the audio business now, they certainly wouldn't be bunging out mono speakers to promulgate the audio mess that is mp3.

Wasn't Henry involved with Tivoli when he died?
Bunging out mono (and stereo) speakers for personal audio players IIRC.

Looks like Henry could see the way things were going...

[The Grand Wazoo]

Nothing wrong with mono, I'm listening to a mono album now, but it's not mp3

[Stratmangler]

Nothing wrong with mono, I'm listening to a mono album now, but it's not mp3

I didn't say there's anything wrong with mono either.
You said...


I'd suggest that, were they still active in the audio business now, they certainly wouldn't be bunging out mono speakers to promulgate the audio mess that is mp3.

...and this is far from the truth.
Just look at the Tivoli Audio portfolio :eyebrows:


Back to the OP.
Henry Kloss would more than likely have raised a glass and wished the current owners of the AR name the very best of luck in the marketplace.

[Barry]

It's always sad to see respected and venerable audio companies struggling to survive in the MP3 and ICE world of today. Just look at the likes of Goodman, B&W and Tannoy (and even Mark Levinson!). And now it seems A&R.

To say the companies who bought up these smaller audio firms don't gain anything by their legeacy is utter nonsense. They wouldn't have been bought in the first place were it not for their good reputation.

And to say it's good business practice - well look at Bose!

China would have had no interest in Quad, Leak or Wharfdale, had it not been for their good name. Unfortunately the good name is being squandered by poor manufacture, value engineering, reduced reliability and the lack of R&D.

Now that Bill Johnson of Audio Research has died, one wonders how that esteemed company will fare.

[Jac Hawk]

Why does it look like some kind of cheap tatty plastic birdhouse/garden ornament thingy you get at B&Q then:scratch: anyone?:eek:

[pete_mac]

I share your pain. As an avid Sansui nutter, it pains me to see what has become of the Sansui name. At least I can now diversify away from audio and buy Sansui TVs and dishwashers! ;)

[MartinT]

When I remember hearing the 2ax and 3a in friend's systems, and lusting after the LST, those things are absolute travesties.

[DSJR]

The LST was a bit of a beast I must say :lol: Like a 3a on steroids :D I had a very soft spot for the baby MST's as well. The 10 Pi was a definite step forward in sonics though IMO, mainly I think due t balance changes, even if it was pig ugly in comparison..

[Barry]

When I remember hearing the 2ax and 3a in friend's systems, and lusting after the LST, those things are absolute travesties.

Mark Levinson in his 'Cello' system used a stacked pair of AR LSTs. I'm not sure of the arrangement of drivers in the LST, but whenever I have heard stacked multi-driver systems it always sound wrong; usually because the treble dispersion is spoilt and so has no focus!

[michaelhigh]

This saddens me too...I have a pair of nearly-perfect AR4x's that sing, and I'm happy to pull them out on rare occasion and remember what a great pairing they make with the Harman-Kardon 430 Twin Powered receiver with a measly 25 watts per at 8 ohms a side. Not amazing, but really listenable (with a nice ARXA to boot) and a unique quality all their own. That system has synergy.:D

[walpurgis]

I share your pain. As an avid Sansui nutter, it pains me to see what has become of the Sansui name. At least I can now diversify away from audio and buy Sansui TVs and dishwashers! ;)

Sansui Hi-Fi components are back in the UK and though there are no reviews yet that I'm aware of, it seems it may be proper Hi-Fi gear!

[Reid Malenfant]

I share your pain. As an avid Sansui nutter, it pains me to see what has become of the Sansui name. At least I can now diversify away from audio and buy Sansui TVs and dishwashers! ;)
:scratch: I think you must be thinking of Matsui?

Yes, Matsui are pretty shite compared to more well respected manufacturers, I wouldn't touch anything of there's except with a shitty stick :rolleyes:

I did happen to purchase a Matsui Freeview TV decoder, but only because it happened to be a rebadged decent one.

Funnily enough it is the only bit of kit I have that has ever suffered death by loudspeaker :D A rather heavy 15" subwoofer driver happened to be siting on top of one of my Ditton 66 when I got a bit carried away & turned the volume up - way up!

There was a bloody great big crash as said driver managed to 'walk' off of the top of the Ditton 66 & it landed right on top of the Matsui decoder :rfl:

I could have been unhappy, but I laughed at the irony of it & carried on regardless :cool:

[The Grand Wazoo]

No, the Sansui name was on that type of stuff for a bit - not so much in the UK though.

[webby]

Indeed, Chris.

I think you need a linky-poo, to accompany the pic, though, as I didn't even know that abomination had anything to do with AR, until you mentioned it (and I also uncovered the hidden link in your pic, by using my admin rights) :)

Marco.
What hidden link was that Marco? Cos I got one too.

[Barry]

Seems to be the way of the world - first class audio maufacturers debasing themselves in order to chase the last buck! It happened to the once noble UK audio industry, now it would seem it's happening to the US. :doh:

[Macca]

Sansui Hi-Fi components are back in the UK and though there are no reviews yet that I'm aware of, it seems it may be proper Hi-Fi gear!

June 2012 Hi Fi World reviews a new Sansui system - mini compo with cd player, DAB/wi-fi receiver and speakers. Page 70.