over the past several years, i have seen and heard various speakers made by green mountain audio. they are made in colo springs, just down the road a piece from where i live. the designers/producers of green mountain speakers are passionate audiophiles who've worked hard to become recognized in the maze of highend manufacturers. i've always enjoyed the way their speakers sound but i'd be less than honest if i told you i find their appearances appealing. tho i'm not certain, i believe the principals in green mountain ply their speaker craft more as an advocation than as a full-time single income source. while not widely known, this is true of a large segment of the highend. i recently returned from ces, where i was reminded once again how many manufacturers are out there competing for even a small share of a pretty tiny market. lots of the folks who design the tonearms, 'tables and electronics we are meant to drool over are little more than very dedicated "amateurs" who work full-time in other industries. designers of two different (sucessfully marketed) phono stages whom i met, for example, are electrical engineers employed by silicon valley companies. a friend who makes really great turntables made commercial espresso machines 'til last year. a few of the "lucky ones," able to get reviewed by the audiophile press and to afford good marketing (not surprisingly, very much connected) make it to the "big time" if not to "big money." unfortunately, such status is often fleeting. witness hales and von schweikert. all this is a rounabout way of saying: don't be troubled by the fact that green mountain doesn't have as large a share of the speaker market as, say, dave wilson. if you likem' buyem'. you should take pride in helping along the fortunes of a small, dedicated player in the crazy industry we support.
