Obscure companies making excellent speakers?

First let's start with some largely if not entirely under-the-radar companies producing high-quality speakers that I have heard and admired but presently have no commercial ties to (this list is from memory and no doubt incomplete). In no particular order:

- SP Technology: Advanced constant-directivity waveguides, very low crossover for a two-way.

- Omega Loudspeakers: High quality, natural sounding full-range single-driver monopole and bipole speakers.

- Pi Speakers: High value, very well designed high efficiency kits.

- Cogent: High efficiency speakers using very cool field-coil drivers.

- Classic Audio Reproductions: High quality high efficiency speakers, possibly offering field-coil as an option soon.

- Magnestand: Superbly done hotrodded Maggies

- Intuitive Design: Incredible precision and quality

- ACI: Excellent sound from conventional drivers through very intelligent design.

- Von Gaylord: Again fairly conventional format, but superbly executed.

- Amphion: Relatively wide-pattern waveguides from Finland.

- Green Mountain Audio: Probably not exactly "below the radar", but imho the pinnacle of phase-conscious design.

- Sanders Sound: The return of Roger Sanders with his excellent electrostats.

- Sonicweld: My nomination for best speaker; not cheap, but this is how you do DSP right. Very intelligent design.

- Shahinian: Voiced for orchestral music, gives a richness similar to a good omni but with more natural image size.

- Analysis Audio: High quality full-range ribbon dipole.

- Linkwitz: Multi-amped dynamic dipole.

- Daedalus: High efficiency and quality without horns.

- Tonian Labs: High efficiency wideband drivers augmented by a supertweeter, very well done.

- Huff: On a custom basis, offers ultra high quality omni systems.

- S.A.P.: Strange little Italian speaker whose driver complement is visually reminiscent of a Fisher-Price toy but they sound great.

- Duevel: Innovative omnidirectional designs.

And here are some companies whose designs I have not heard but find very interesting:

- Hornshoppe: Very high performance from a small fullrange driver.

- KCS Loudspeakers: Incredible parts and build quality for the price; I am amazed at what John offers and conclude that his profit margin must be extremely small.

- Ridgestreet Audio: Very high quality parts.

- Wolcott Audio: Innovative quasi-horn high-output omnidirectional system.

- Morrison: Another innovative omni system, more compact than the Wolcott.

I am omitting several imho worthy-of-mention loudspeakers that I have commercial ties to.

edit: Shadorne, I also think very highly of ATC but considered it to fly "above the radar horizon". Amfibius, I should have included Lansche on my list; that was one of my favorite speakers at CES this year.

Duke
dealer/manufacturer

Well, Pedrillo, since you asked...

Okay this brand has advertised in at least one of the big magazines, but they sell direct only and even sell through Audiogon (surely that qualifies them!): Tyler Acoustics. At CES 2008, the best under-ten-grand-total (electronics, wires & all) room I encountered was the Tyler Acoustics room.

Selah Audio is designer Rick Craig's house brand, and his speakers have also impressed me greatly.

Finally, you probably didn't catch this but Musicfile suggested my designs, which I sell under the brand name "AudioKinesis".

Duke

Thanks for starting this thread, Pedrillo. I and the other small companies appreciate the acknowledgement and are encouraged by your efforts here to raise awareness and interest. And most of us are friends with each other. One of us (Dale Pitcher of Intuitive Design) was quoted as saying something like this:

"I'm not trying to take market share away from these other small manufacturers; I'm trying to take market share away from B&W!"

As the number of two-channel brick-and-mortar stores dwindles, and as audio shows and internet word-of-mouth plays a larger role, the playing field between the little guys and the big guys may be levelled out a bit. And I think many of us can give 'em a real run for their money on sound quality.