Category Archives: features
Ken Ishiwata, 1947–2019
The sad news comes that Ken Ishiwata, former brand ambassador of Marantz, has died aged 72 after a short illness. An immensely talented man, Ken was charming, modest and cultured in a way that stood out like a beacon in
Ken Ishiwata, 1947–2019
The sad news comes that Ken Ishiwata, former brand ambassador of Marantz, has died aged 72 after a short illness. An immensely talented man, Ken was charming, modest and cultured in a way that stood out like a beacon in
Tetsuya Itani
Tetsuya Itani is Technics’ Chief Technical Officer. Since 1980 he has been at the sharp end of an industry that has seen great change. Having joined Panasonic/Technics as a rookie straight out of university, he found himself working for one of
Tetsuya Itani
Tetsuya Itani is Technics’ Chief Technical Officer. Since 1980 he has been at the sharp end of an industry that has seen great change. Having joined Panasonic/Technics as a rookie straight out of university, he found himself working for one of
Simon Toulson-Clarke
Remember the era of great big swinging British pop songs that powered us along from the early eighties to the late nineties? Well Simon Toulson-Clarke does, because he played a part in it. As the man behind Red Box, he
Simon Toulson-Clarke
Remember the era of great big swinging British pop songs that powered us along from the early eighties to the late nineties? Well Simon Toulson-Clarke does, because he played a part in it. As the man behind Red Box, he
Ken Ishiwata leaves Marantz
Surprise news comes that Ken Ishiwata has left Marantz after forty one years at the company. Parent company Sound United has issued the following press release: May 16th, 2019 – Following 41 years as a leading light at Marantz, the number
Ken Ishiwata leaves Marantz
Surprise news comes that Ken Ishiwata has left Marantz after forty one years at the company. Parent company Sound United has issued the following press release: May 16th, 2019 – Following 41 years as a leading light at Marantz, the number
Ken Ishiwata
“Saul B Marantz was a great hi-fi pioneer,” says Ken Ishiwata, “and along with McIntosh arguably made the high end hi-fi scene we have today – maybe we wouldn’t have home hi-fi systems at all, as we know them? So
Ken Ishiwata
“Saul B Marantz was a great hi-fi pioneer,” says Ken Ishiwata, “and along with McIntosh arguably made the high end hi-fi scene we have today – maybe we wouldn’t have home hi-fi systems at all, as we know them? So
Bob Ludwig
Whereas many professional music producers and engineers seem woefully disinterested in their home hi-fi hardware. Bob runs a Well Tempered turntable, custom modified Manley Steelhead phono stage and EMM Labs (Ed Meitner modified) Switchman preamplifier, various power amplifiers and Eggleston
Bob Ludwig
Whereas many professional music producers and engineers seem woefully disinterested in their home hi-fi hardware. Bob runs a Well Tempered turntable, custom modified Manley Steelhead phono stage and EMM Labs (Ed Meitner modified) Switchman preamplifier, various power amplifiers and Eggleston
Simon Freethy
Simon Freethy has one of the hardest jobs in hi-fi. As the Managing Director of Cyrus Audio, he’s got the corporate equivalent of making “that difficult second album” – the one that fans have great expectations for, demanding that it
Simon Freethy
Simon Freethy has one of the hardest jobs in hi-fi. As the Managing Director of Cyrus Audio, he’s got the corporate equivalent of making “that difficult second album” – the one that fans have great expectations for, demanding that it
Peter Comeau
It’s been a long journey for someone who started off reading Electronic Engineering at Plymouth University back in the early seventies. Now, four decades later, Peter Comeau is running a large engineering department with many staff, supervising a wide range
Peter Comeau
It’s been a long journey for someone who started off reading Electronic Engineering at Plymouth University back in the early seventies. Now, four decades later, Peter Comeau is running a large engineering department with many staff, supervising a wide range
Alex Munro
Q Acoustics’ Brand Director is a quietly spoken but erudite fellow – with a long history of working in the British hi-fi industry. He hails from the north of Scotland, but has spent much of his life in Edinburgh and
Alex Munro
Q Acoustics’ Brand Director is a quietly spoken but erudite fellow – with a long history of working in the British hi-fi industry. He hails from the north of Scotland, but has spent much of his life in Edinburgh and
Enno Vandermeer
The problem for Roon founder Enno Vandermeer is that his product needs a whole lot of explanation before people can take a view about whether they want it. “We created an experience that people were missing. The only trouble is,
Enno Vandermeer
The problem for Roon founder Enno Vandermeer is that his product needs a whole lot of explanation before people can take a view about whether they want it. “We created an experience that people were missing. The only trouble is,
Revealed: The Greatest Speaker of the Nineteen Seventies
In 1977, in a small office inside Wharfedale’s new production facility in Highfield Road, Bradford, a group of four young design engineers decided to do something very special to commemorate the company’s forty-fifth anniversary. The iconic Yorkshire loudspeaker marque was
Revealed: The Greatest Speaker of the Nineteen Seventies
In 1977, in a small office inside Wharfedale’s new production facility in Highfield Road, Bradford, a group of four young design engineers decided to do something very special to commemorate the company’s forty-fifth anniversary. The iconic Yorkshire loudspeaker marque was
John Westlake
One of the most respected digital designers around, in some ways John Westlake is the archetypal definition of a geek – but is highly creative and amazingly fluent talking about his specialist area of knowledge. From Pink Triangle and Cambridge
John Westlake
One of the most respected digital designers around, in some ways John Westlake is the archetypal definition of a geek – but is highly creative and amazingly fluent talking about his specialist area of knowledge. From Pink Triangle and Cambridge
ATC
The Acoustic Transducer Company was founded by Australian Billy Woodman in England in 1974. As its name suggests, the company started off by making loudspeaker drive units – specifically the 12″ PA75-314 bass driver, which was widely recognised for its
QUAD
“Peter Walker had it in his mind that technology really was there to be used to achieve a result – low distortion and tonal accuracy – hence the slogan, ‘the closest approach to the original sound’”, says Quad’s Peter Comeau.
Meridian
The world was a different place back in 1972. Colour television sets were bleeding-edge technology, quartz digital watches were for millionaires, and computers only appeared in sci-fi films like 2001: A Space Odyssey. “So many things that people have hobbies
Arcam
When classical guitarist John Williams wanted to play Rodrigo’s Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra in Cambridge, back in the early nineteen seventies, he turned to local university student John Dawson [pictured above left]. Having made a number of amplifier modules
The Onkyo story
Although names like Sony, Technics and Pioneer are synonymous with specialist Japanese separates hi-fi here in the UK, Onkyo is something of a mystery to most British audiophiles. There are various historical reasons for this, not least the discontinuity of
The Onkyo story
Although names like Sony, Technics and Pioneer are synonymous with specialist Japanese separates hi-fi here in the UK, Onkyo is something of a mystery to most British audiophiles. There are various historical reasons for this, not least the discontinuity of
Terry O’Sullivan
One of the British hi-fi industry’s great characters, since 1990 this outspoken chap [pictured above left] has been fixing, recommissioning and remanufacturing classic Garrard turntables in Wiltshire, not far from the original factory in Swindon. Along the way, his company
Terry O’Sullivan
One of the British hi-fi industry’s great characters, since 1990 this outspoken chap [pictured above left] has been fixing, recommissioning and remanufacturing classic Garrard turntables in Wiltshire, not far from the original factory in Swindon. Along the way, his company
A Compact Cassette Revival?
Some people have been saying that cassette is due for a comeback for years. The thing is though, there are now some anecdotal – but actually quite telling – signs that the venerable Philips format, invented way back in 1963
A Compact Cassette Revival?
Some people have been saying that cassette is due for a comeback for years. The thing is though, there are now some anecdotal – but actually quite telling – signs that the venerable Philips format, invented way back in 1963
zStereo 