Fisher receivers releases in timeline?

[thisisforlif]

Hi

A couple of weeks ago I bought a great sounding Futura 201 model. I'm so impressed about this brand that I would like to know more about the other receivers they have made.

I couldn't find any data on this in a timeline.

Does this exist somewhere?

I understand that mine is not even a top of the line model. What's the best one? Did they sell in Europe a lot?

Cheers guys,
Dirk
Belgium

 

[larryderouin]

Start by reading the forum sticky "FISHER Chassis 1945-1969". http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/the-fisher-chassis-1945-1969.313720/

 

[ggregg]

This is just a quick overview and many people here know so much more than I do, so hopefully I don't butcher this too bad.

Fisher was a top line US manufacture from just before WW 2, initially under the Philharmonic brand name. For many years, in the 1950's and 1960's especially, they were "the" brand to have. Kind of like the "Cadillac" of hifi. Fisher not only built components but also made very high quality consoles until all consoles died off in the 1970's. US manufacture ended in the 1969-1971 time frame. Avery Fisher sold to Emerson around this time. From 1971 on, all manufacturing was done overseas. Sometime during Emerson's tenure, the moniker "Studio Standard" started to be used and was common on most Fisher gear nearly till the end. Around 1975, Emerson sold Fisher to Sanyo. The name seems to have disappeared for good in the last few years.

The tube models are all highly regarded. US made solid state ones peaked with the wonderful TX500 of 1969-70 although most all models are quite nice. Emerson era models were very comparable to other Japanese brands being imported at the same time, which is where your Futura came from. Sanyo era models can very from decent to dregs, depending on what it is. Fisher also built a number of models for Sears in the 1970's mostly.

 

[Kingfisher]

The Futura 201 was designed in New York by Fisher Radio but built in Japan by Hitachi in the early '70's.

 

[larryderouin]

A lot of the German Engineers stayed with FISHER Co., after Mr. FISHER sold The Co. These are the guys who designed everything from the 500 mono receiver up to I would imagine Up into the late 70's. The Futura Receivers were a pretty good design and they held up quite well. Most people crap on the mid to late 70's receivers from FISHER, but put them up against an equivalent Japanese receiver and it'll hold it's own in most all of the parameters set for these units.

Unfortunately Matsushita (the Parent Co. for Panasonic) purchased SANYO in 2010 and by 2012 everything had been consolidated and Matsushita closed down SANYO AND FISHER in 2012. Anything sold under the FISHER name is just using the name under license. It's an unfortunate state of affairs.

Larry

 

[larryderouin]

Take a look at the STICKY THREAD in THIS FORUM called "The Fisher" Chassis: 1945-1969"

This thread will give you an idea of what/where/how/why of the receivers development in amongst the consoles, and separates.