Brands that have maintined a charactoristic for decades

[KentTeffeteller]

Luxman has not been a constant, they've changed things several times. They are closer to their original core values pre Alpine than in years.

McIntosh
Linn
Naim
Rega
B&W
Tannoy
Audio Research
Conrad-Johnson
Magnepan
Martin-Logan

Are some of the companies which have kept their core values and sound over a period of 20-30 years or more.

 

[yarvelling]

+1 for Shure and Grado, and add Audio Technica too

 

[slow_jazz]

Another vote for Audio Technica.

 

[vitorzoom]

You're right, Kent, now they have a very similar line to the decade of 70, but the Alpine stage was much lower

 

[BirdLives]

A shadow of their former selves, but dammit, I still love TEAC and Nakamichi and what they did in their "glory days". Awesome equipment...

 

[chef free]

McIntosh for keeping the build quality, good looks, customer service, resale value, and superb sound quality for over 50 years!

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Indeed. McIntosh is the only pioneering firm in High Fidelity to have kept their core values intact their whole existence. Since 1949, to be exact.

 

[RamblinE]

AKG. They're still making self adjusting headbands and open-semi open designs. And they continue to shoot for an excellent midrange.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mollydoodle]

Yamaha

 

[noogies]

Which audio brands have maintained a defining characteristic for decades? For example, Klipsch speakers are high efficiency with horn tweaters and have been for decades. Bang and Olufsen means modern style and aesthetic design. NAD is and has been a spartan design at a moderate price. McIntosh is unmistakable in build quality and design over decades of products.

Which brands have no connection to their legacy products? To me Marantz, Yamaha, Harmon Kardon and Polk of today have nothing in common with their 1970s and 80s products.

What are other examples?

Wait, I'm confused. I wanted to play, but I'm not sure if we're trying to cite brands that still sound like they used to (good luck!) or brands whose sound bears no relation to the way it was "back in the day" (much more common).

The title of the thread seems to imply the former, while the last paragraph would seem to indicate the latter.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Yamaha is not quite the same as the old days, though very good. Klipsch's Heritage line has been a constant in the audio field since the 1946 introduction of the Klipschorn and the later Heritage Line model introductions.

 

[BMWCCA]

Crown and JBL, though now both part of the Harman International Group, have remained true to their legacy products from fifty-years ago.

JBL still makes flagship speakers that are arguably among the best available and are still innovating on their pro side. The new M2 system even uses Crown amps which continue to provide missionary-tough amplification at reasonable prices.

I'd nominate Thorens, too. Even their website used to pay homage to their history showcasing a music box but, for some reason, no more has such a link.

 

[2011etec]

Yamaha is not quite the same as the old days, though very good. Klipsch's Heritage line has been a constant in the audio field since the 1946 introduction of the Klipschorn and the later Heritage Line model introductions.

try the a-s2100 or above.yamaha still makes good totl stuff.yes yammy has low budget but so does klispch.and yes I had heresys years ago and liked them.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Yamaha's best were still their early models up to 1977. And selected thereafter. The A-S 2100 and higher nice. But Yamaha needs a proper high end line sold through specialist dealers only to showcase their finest. As otherwise, their worthy new gear doesn't get properly sold and demoed. Klipsch does make lower budget, but has to their credit kept their good classics available. Harman is gradually chipping away at JBL and at Crown, I see too much class D budget and not enough Missionary Tough in the newer models.