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?