Top brands that have no respect

Randy Myers

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I am always curious when some of the best built best sounding equipment gain very little respect. Therefore the after-market for selling these brands is non-existent.

What brands do you feel fit this mode. Just want to see what top quality brands are way under rated...

A couple brands that have no after market what so ever in the US but are some of the best gear around, again in my opinion, are Goldmund and T+A. I am sure there are many others. I am curious which you feel belong on this list and why.
 
Am I allowed to answer? [emoji14]

Maybe I shouldn’t.


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Am I allowed to answer? [emoji14]

Maybe I shouldn’t.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is another thread that won't have a happy ending. People are going to pile on brands they don't like that many people on the forum own and once people start getting their feelings hurt, things go south quickly.
 
Well I thought we might be able to have a civil conversation. I am interested in others views... but if we think we can't have a grown up conversation then.... :P
 
A few that I can think of are as follows:

Job for amplification.

Revel Salon2/Studio2 for speakers.


I know there are more from my perspective. I just need to think about it.
 
Well I thought we might be able to have a civil conversation. I am interested in others views... but if we think we can't have a grown up conversation then.... :P

Maybe we could have had a grown up discussion if you hadn’t said this: “what brands have a large followings even if it is not really deserved.”
 
Joseph Audio Speakers. Lots of love for the Pulsars (and ownership) but the upper tier Perspectives and Pearls nobody wants to own despite ALWAYS getting rave reviews at shows regardless of what amps they are paired with (Bel Canto/ARC etc)

Shindo/Audio Note/Simaudio/T+A off the top of my head.
 
Mark Levinson makes top tier products - unfortunately, they had fallen out of radar in the recent years.

Revel - another Harman brand - also is not getting the attention it deserves.

Rockport - top tier product, supremely voiced with very limited distribution.

Krell - a trully iconic brand - is falling into obscurity (although in all fairness - I'm not sure their products are as tgood as they used to be when Dan was at the helm).
 
Mark Levinson makes top tier products - unfortunately, they had fallen out of radar in the recent years.

Revel - another Harman brand - also is not getting the attention it deserves.

Rockport - top tier product, supremely voiced with very limited distribution.

Krell - a trully iconic brand - is falling into obscurity (although in all fairness - I'm not sure their products are as tgood as they used to be when Dan was at the helm).

Some companies don’t survive ownership changes while some flourish. Levinson flourished with the first ownership change, it remains to be seen what will happen now that Samsung owns Harman.
 
Some companies don’t survive ownership changes while some flourish. Levinson flourished with the first ownership change, it remains to be seen what will happen now that Samsung owns Harman.

Octave, Wavac, DarTZeel, Technical Brain, Burmester
 
So far this seems civil.

Maybe if we stick with under rated, nobody will get bent out of shape.

Under rated:

1. PSB Speakers. Paul builds a great pair of speakers for a fair price.
2. T+A. I had a guy in the store the other day. He loved everything about the T+A gear, but kept saying “I’ve just never heard of it.” I would like to see them return to pre April 2018 pricing to regain some momentum. I discussed this at length with the owner when I was in Munich.
3. Rowland. Jeff builds some marvelous sounding amps. The 625 S2 is a killer. I won’t hold their foray into Class D against them. [emoji6]
4. SimAudio. Their slogan should be “have you checked us out lately?” They’re building killer integrated amps, Phonostages, DAC’s and their new amps that they debuted at Munich are outstanding.
5. Bricasti. They M28 Monos are fabulous. Despite several great reviews, they received one poor review and that killed their momentum. Their DAC’s are also excellent.
6. Tidal speakers. Fabulous looking and sounding. Just needs more U.S. dealer representation state side to succeed.
7. Zellaton. Great speakers, but choosing your U.S. distributor who acts as “a dealer of one” is not the best approach to building brand recognition across the country IMO. Needs 12 dealers min across the U.S. IMO.
8. AVID turntables. Maybe they don’t cost enough? But the benefits of a suspended table are clearly obtained in spades by these fabulous tables.
9. Joseph Audio Speakers. Jeff builds some very nice sounding speakers.
10. Vivid/Estelon - some U.S. distributor miscues hurt both these uniquely shaped, gorgeous sounding speaker brands here in America.





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So far this seems civil.

Maybe if we stick with under rated, nobody will get bent out of shape.

Under rated:

1. PSB Speakers. Paul builds a great pair of speakers for a fair price.
2. T+A. I had a guy in the store the other day. He loved everything about the T+A gear, but kept saying “I’ve just never heard of it.” I would like to see them return to pre April 2018 pricing to regain some momentum. I discussed this at length with the owner when I was in Munich.
3. Rowland. Jeff builds some marvelous sounding amps. The 625 S2 is a killer. I won’t hold their foray into Class D against them. [emoji6]
4. SimAudio. Their slogan should be “have you checked us out lately?” They’re building killer integrated amps, Phonostages, DAC’s and their new amps that they debuted at Munich are outstanding.
5. Bricasti. They M28 Monos are fabulous. Despite several great reviews, they received one poor review and that killed their momentum. Their DAC’s are also excellent.
6. Tidal speakers. Fabulous looking and sounding. Just needs more U.S. dealer representation state side to succeed.
7. Zellaton. Great speakers, but choosing your U.S. distributor who acts as “a dealer of one” is not the best approach to building brand recognition across the country IMO. Needs 12 dealers min across the U.S. IMO.
8. AVID turntables. Maybe they don’t cost enough? But the benefits of a suspended table are clearly obtained in spades by these fabulous tables.
9. Joseph Audio Speakers. Jeff builds some very nice sounding speakers.
10. Vivid/Estelon - some U.S. distributor miscues hurt both these uniquely shaped, gorgeous sounding speaker brands here in America.


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Great picks and business insights, Mike. Haven't heard all these brands, but agreed on the ones I have heard: T+A, SimAudio/Moon, Bricasti, Avid, Vivid and Estelon.
 
A couple of great amps thatstay under the radar are Coda and ATI. However, I don't think either do much marketing. I heard Legacy was allowing Coda to come along for the ride as they used their amps for a period of time. Not sure what happened with that, just heresay.

It doesn't help ATI that they have different levels of quality and you have to know a bit about them to get the higher performing units.

Coda still builds great amps, I hear most sales are overseas.

Bricasti is making the rounds of audio shows and I feel picking up steam. I thought it was a good move to bring out a more reasonably priced amp and DAC.

HTR has a recent review of a Vivid model. First I heard of them. Designed by a former B&W designer.
 
I would put Audio Mirror on the list of extremely small with no advertising. One man operation, hand built with amazing support. Great sounding but there is no way they will ever be well known with how Vlad runs his business. I actually bought a pair on a whim, never hearing of them previously. A short time later The Absolute Sound gave the amps a rave review!
 
From USA: Egglestonworks, Evolution acoustics, Genesis loudspeakers, Spectral audio, Von Schweikert Speakers, Bricasti Design, Avalon Acoustics, Aerial acoustics, Joseph audio, Jeff Rowland, Nola speaker.
From Asia I feel Esoteric, Audio Note japan, Air tight don't get much love in US market. Accuphase and Luxman walk all over them.
From Europe, brands I think should get more attention: Kharma, Zellaton, FM acoustics, Goldmund, Avantagarde, Estelon, Gauder Akustik, T+A, Audionet, Wilson Benesch, Vienna Acoustics, ATC, Proac, PMC, Monitor Audio, Dali, Elac.
 
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