Local (or reasonably local) manufacturers

Many companies got their start here, and some still remain. HiFi and crossovers like Whirlwind and MXR have dabbled in hifi gear. The MXR equalizer was famous in the '80s, its unique coffee table top design let you use it remotely if you had long enough cables. The mono third octave thirty-one band was also a bit of a revelation, many companies brought out competeing models later. They later became ART, or Applied Research and Technology, and currently are based on the west coast, most of the products built overseas.

  Some of the more specialized companies would include:


    CAT or Convergent Audio Technology

  In business for several years, Ken Stevens has designed arguably some of the highest quality tube gear ever produced. Consistently good reviews and accolades, sold in several countries all over the world. Manufactured in Rush NY.

       Merlin Loudspeakers

   As I mentioned earlier in this blog, some of the nicest sounding speakers I have ever owned. Also been around for many years,made in Hemlock NY. Bobby Palkovich is a very clever designer. The Dyna Audio Esotar tweeters in these are unbelievable. 

     Belles Research aka OCM aka Power modules

 David Belles and his company did a lot of work for Nasa in the '70s, and loved audio gear. His first product was a speaker, which I sold (or attempted to) at T.H.E. Audio Threshold. I would be demonstrating DCM Time Windows,  he would walk in the room and unhook me and hook his up right in front of the customer. Probably only made about a dozen pairs, can't remember selling any. Bizzare cosmetics, wish I could find a picture.

The last picture above is an old XLM preamp which I had, not bad. Competed with the Hafler / Adcom level of equipment. Also made a "private label" version of a couple of his power amps for Jim Gala's store.


 He  sold the company to a Canadian outfit a few years later, renamed OCM, he remained as a designer. When the company folded a few years later he reformed the Belles name and again marketed products under his own name. Today his gear represents excellent quality, and is marketed under Belles/ Power Modules. He has  received numerous accolades and good reviews for the current line of products.

   His offices are in Pittsford, NY.


    Of course the most famous of all, McIntosh of Binghamton NY.

     Very distinctive, nothing else looks quite like them, nothing else could get away with it! Black glass face plates with blue meters. 18 karat gold lettering. There is even an Iphone app that looks just like it! A long history way too involved to delve into here, a list of who's who with audio designers.

  Founded by Frank McIntosh in the late '40s, Gordon Gow was the key figure in both the marketing and some of the designing of the products. When Stereo came about in the '60's, he was quoted as saying "Good! Now we can sell them a second amp!"

   Numerous musicians also helped make Mcintosh famous over the years, including The Grateful Dead, whose Alembic sound system had literally dozens of 2300's. They actually bought one from us at JB, never met anyone except the roadies, concert in Buffalo, dropped one off of a forklift.

  They were also used extensively at Woodstock 1969.

   In 1990, Mac was sold to the Japanese, Clarion (read car audio) . They were smart enough not to change anything, liked Mac "the way it was".

  In 2003 the company was sold again to D&M Holdings  (read Denon and Marantz). A private venture capital firm, the factory still exists on Chambers St. in Binghamton today.

   Still American made, almost everything made in house.

 I have had a few Mac pieces over the years, most of them pretty forgetable. As I mentioned earlier, I currently have a MR-73 tuner and a new Mc275 mkV 75 wpc tube amp. Neither of these are going away any time soon.........

 Along with Audio Research, one of the most recognizable and longest running american high end companies  still operating today.




   Soundwave Speakers

   Originally started by Jim Gala (Gala Sound) as a store brand speaker to compete with Paul Heath's Merlins, the company was eventually sold to Canadian company Vero Research. I had a couple pairs of these, the Metronomes on the bottom were actually pretty cool speakers. Fair build quality, mainly MDF and plexiglass. Not a whole ot of wood veneers to be found here. They were originally made right here in Rochester.


   B&K Electronics, Buffalo,NY

  Recently defunct, these were high quality products of very good build quality. I owned a few of their amps,the ST-140 was a giant killer. Basically on a level with Adcom, Rotel, Hafler, and Parasound. "Upper mid-fi,", if you will. Unfortunate that they folded, a lot of their product is still out in the field.