Designer Hall of Fame


There are many great designers out there, and especially in the lore from the golden age, but I'm not to familiar with them. I thought it might be interesting to discuss some of the great designers for engineering skill and knowledge, business integrity, and ultimatley quality of their products. My short list a "hall of fame" if you will of designers working today are:

Nelson Pass, Pass Labs
Charles Hansen, Ayre
Roger Modjeski, Music Reference
Ken Stevens, Convergent Audio Technolgy (CAT)
Kevin Hayes, VAC

and how could I leave Jeff Rowland off? Well it is a short list. Who would you nominate?
pubul57
Not doubt there are others that also belong in the Hall of Fame but these designers would pretty much have to be charter members; if this were the NFL, they would be first ballot inductees in their first year of elibility.

William Z. Johnson, Henry Kloss, Saul Marantz, and Jon Dahlquist all made some excellent products and strong contributions to the audio industry with their designs and business initiatives.

When you consider the best sounding of all their products, their ability to build a long standing made in America business, and who has stood the test of the time - all the way to the present (he's still designing new products) - you have to give the gold medal to Bill Johnson for roughly 40 years of persevering greatness at ARC. For sonic greatness, tubes rule and ARC has ruled the tube business better than anyone for excellent products, service, and support.
And what about the two designers of arguably the best transistor amps of our time,or the best ever... Hervé Delétraz (Dartzeel) and Friedrich Schäfer (ASR Audio Systeme)?...too young?
Truly innovative, years ahead of others in their area and on top of this they are young progressive company's.

I'll start with the above posting by Gosh.

Herve Deletraz....DartZeel, Amp Preamp and phonostage

Friedrich Schafer....ASR Emitter, Amp preamp and phonostage

Thomas Woschnick....TW Acustic Raven, record player.

Ed Meitner....EMM Labs. Digital

I haven't touched on Japan yet! or got to the United States including other parts of the World....

I'm afraid when it comes to truly innovative audio companies my list is going to have to be longer then this.