Top Audiophile companies over the last 60, or so, years..your choices?


There are, thankfully, several great ones.  My first thoughts include:

Audio Research
Magnepan
Conrad Johnson
Vandersteen

And you can add others.  Some more "mainstream" companies that have added much:

Sony
Pioneer 

I am sure others will have much to add.  And these are a person's opinion, 
no wrong answers or posts to put down please. 


whatjd

Sadly, no audio company eliminated the coloration, glare, and veil from audio sound. And no company makes a natural sound. Only top audiophile company is Wavetouch audio which makes a cleanest fatigue free natural sound.

ML 23 was one of bests decades ago and still it is very good being closest to Wavetouch audio. Alex/Wavetouch

Wavetouch audio

Original music

Wilson Alexandria XLF, CH Precision, dCS Vivaldi One

YG Sonja 2.3

Harbeth 40.3, Accuphase E800

Mark Levinson 23, dCS Debussy

Top 11 since 1950 (60 years):

 

  • Acoustic Research
  • Audio Research
  • Conrad Johnson
  • Grado Laboratories
  • Great American Sound
  • Marantz
  • Mark Levinson Audio
  • Magnepan
  • McIntosh
  • Pass Labs (and previous iterations)
  • PS Audio

 

*Alpha order only, and in no way implied to be imperative or definitive…


Schubert, if we could only get our brains defragged. Roy Allison was a very gifted loudspeaker designer.
My old brain needs some help.
What was the name of those 70's speakers that went into the corners only ?        They sure sounded good !
Using the following parameters: " "top" means that there is no sour taste in my mouth from the time I made the purchase to the time I sold it, and I’d consider buying the same brand again solely based on how much I enjoy the ownership."

In chronological order:
Acoustat
Conrad Johnson
Innersound/Sanders Sound
Quicksilver
Sansui.... Tannoy.....For their choices of good quality products at not too high prices....

Magnepan...
Berning ZOTL.... These 2 for their truly revolutionary products at relatively low price....

These four are top in my book, not the absolute top by no means, because who knows?

On my books, "top" means that there is no sour taste in my mouth from the time I made the purchase to the time I sold it, and I’d consider buying the same brand again solely based on how much I enjoy the ownership.

A few that I could quote (in any order):

Viva
Ayon
Burmester
Kharma
Sonic Frontiers
Lamm
MBL


While I am at this, excerpt from my curse list:

VAC
Antique SoundLab
Jeff Rowland
NBS
Kora
Ming Da
Krell






Yes, Advent and the remarkable Mr. Kloss.  I watched an old video tape format of Blazing Saddles on the first prototype of the VideoBeam in the Drake Hotel an evening of CES. 
The early days of "hi-fi" had some......ahh, unusual personalities at the helm. 


Some others that have had a huge impact on audio.

Acoustic Research
Advent
Bose (for better or worse)
Dynaco
Shure
Quad
Mcintosh
Thanks Erik, all good additions.  I have been lucky enough to own 7 of the brands you mention.

One that I and two friends dearly loved was Dahlquist. 

J
Sadly most of mine are not around.

  • Snell
  • Conrad Johnson - Including Motif.
  • Sumo
  • Tandberg
  • Ayre
  • Luxman
  • Martin Logan
  • D’Agostino
  • Arcam
  • Anthem
  • Sonic Frontiers