company purchased--founder-designer leaves--establishes new smaller company
This progression of events seems to be pretty common in the hifi industry.
Mark Levinson would be the paradigmatic example.
Then there's...
Cary--Dennis Had
Krell--Dan D'Agostino
Audio Physic--Joachim Gerhard
Sonus Faber--Franco Serblin
Other examples?
And what were the final results? Were the original companies diminished by the departure of the original owner/founder/lead designer, or did they go on to greater glories? Did the new, upstart company outdo the original?
Threshold had that guy named Pass or something. Think he still designs amps, can’t remember the name of the new company. The late Charlie Hansen was a principal in Avalon Acoustics before starting Ayre. Touraj Moghaddam has been a serial starter of companies. Paul McGowan and Stan Warren. Speaking of Levinson, Tom Colangelo moved on. Mark Shifter started AV123. And his other partner started Channel Islands Audio. Name escapes me. Bob Carver and the late Jim Bongiorno. There must be a million more. |
Bruce Moore, Scott Frankland. MFA (Moore, Frankland Associates) is long gone. Bruce Moore started Bruce Moore Audio. Scott Frankland is now with Frankland Associates. I still have an MFA preamp, works perfectly. I believe Franco Serblin passed away a few years ago. I still have my Sonus Faber Electa Amators that I bought new in the early 90’s. Thanks, Franco! |
Mike Moffat founded Theta Digital and later co-founded Schiit Audio. Dave Reich founded Classe and later (after working for Steve McCormack for a few years) became chief engineer at Theta Digital. A few years after selling his legendary company in the 1960s Saul Marantz partnered with Jon Dahlquist in founding the Dahlquist speaker company, and served as its president for several years in the 1970s. Regarding the mention of Tom Colangelo in Marty’s (Viridian’s) post, Tom stayed with Mark Levinson (the person) after Mark and the company he founded and named after himself parted ways, ca. 1984, and Mark founded Cello Ltd. I’m not sure if Tom stayed with Mark at his subsequent company (Red Rose Music). And sadly, Tom Colangelo died in a one-car crash in Connecticut about 11 years ago, around the time Mark founded his next company (Daniel Hertz). Regards, -- Al |
Al, great info, but so sad to hear that about Tom. I was referring to his being a principal in Viola Labs. http://www.violalabs.com/content/about-us You reminded me of the time that I was at an audio show in New York City, in the early 1970s I believe. I walked into Jon Dahlquists room and Saul was there. Even back then I was star struck. Good times. |
