I think that the only other use of Nextel in the hifi world was the QUAD 606 power amp. I have one still.
It has sat unused for over 30 years now, ever since I bought my Naim equipment. It was a very capable amp, as long as it was not pushed too hard - perfect, in fact, for pair of QUAD ESL67s.
It is very heavy, and could be pressed into service as a door-stop!
Meridian have form here too unfortunately.
I think parts of Kudos loudspeakers bear a Nextel finish.
Youâre absolutely right, James.
I had put those Meridian monstrosities out of my mind. They were like elongated After Eight boxes, but the contents were not quite as good!
Revox used Nextel too, as did Celestion on the SL600 speakers.
I donât remember Revox using Nextel, but I remember those Celestion SL 600 loudspeakers very well.
They had a very hi-tech dome tweeter (was beryllium used for the first time ever?), the cabinets used Aerolam (an alloy used in the aero industry), and were giant killers in every sense of the phrase. I think that there was a âbig brotherâ, called the SL700, which had nothing like the same success.
Celestion, another once-big brand name, now consigned to the dustbin of history!
Celestion are still alive and well supplying the music industry with drive units for guitar amps etc.
Thank you, Gazza, good to know.
Have they moved away from the domestic market entirely?
I think Sugden also jazzed up their range with a dash of Nextel.
The second incarnation of the A48 amplifier was a brave move away from the original wooden cased series one. Originally it had the striking colour combination of bright orange, brown and grey. Later options of brown and fawn or black and silver were available. A special paint finish called Nextel was used and it felt furry to the touch.
Doesnât age well.
QUAD used to advise that, if the Nextel became marked, the marks could be removed with a scrubbing brush and hot soapy water. I never dared!
I think I once read some information once about their demise, but in any case the rise of CD made vinyl a niche concern until the revival a decade or so ago. Companies that survived tended to diversify. Somewhere along the line the tooling and / or designs for the IIX were sold to Audio Note and so it is possible to buy a modern example right now - TT1 and TT2 with external power supply.
I bought mine in ash black in March 1986 and then bought an LP12 in October that year, so it was quickly relegated to my âsecondâ system and received very light use. It was also boxed for long periods. Hence, when I finally came to sell it in 2012, it was in remarkably good condition - both the nextel finish and the lid. The quality issue with mine was the plastic inner platter which did not run true. For a long time I thought the glass platterâs oscillations were due to the tripod suspension not being set correctly, but eventually it dawned on me that it was due to the inner platter. An evening with some sandpaper finally solved that issue. The oil pump bearing was an interesting design.
Once I bought a new belt, a replacement ball bearing and motor oil for the oil sump, and a few other bits and pieces, I scarcely made ÂŁ100 selling it online. Hence, I wish I had kept it. But the arrival of children (mine I should add) in 2006 and 2008 ended the fiction of needing two turntable based systems.
To be fair to them, they (rightly) have no interest in my music tastes, but last year my daughter was curious about the fuss over vinyl and asked to listen to some records. She was actually impressed.
Youâve got to catch them young!
I agree. Ironically, just a few posts before yours HH was bagging the Solstice.
Congratulations to them reaching 50 years, but itâs not my cup of tea (visually) and the price is simply stratospheric. It looks like the fabulous Fisher Price toy record player. (Which, I just learned, also recently celebrated its 50th anniversary.)
Is that Fisher Price thingy a second attempt by Jonny Ive?
Busy fellow, he seems to be out to corner the market!
Fingers in so many fruit boxes 
Thereâs probably a dirty joke hiding in that comment!
Itâs a fair cop!
I canât help but think that these associations are unhealthy for a company although no doubt many will say it can only do it a lot of good and necessary for survival. As long as it is not a greed driven goal but an investment that really improves things, thereby letting the company continue its and not stifle itâs research and development
