Obscure British audio companies

I remember the Finestra pre-amp. It was a Tom Evans design that pre-dated the Michell Argo, which could be considered the next progression. I still have my Iso, Argo and Heras somewhere.

2 Likes

Gosh, I had the Mission tonearm for my LP12. I compared it to the Grace and slightly preferred it.

Ah yes cheers!

1 Like

That’s very sad to hear, wasn’t aware. Hope and trust he made a full recovery.

I used a pair of Heybrook Sextets for 20 years plus a superb speaker these replaced a pair of Epos ES14s my dealer suggested that I upgraded these to SBLs. The Sals were the worst speaker I have ever heard in my room the dealer tried two sets but could not get them to sound right.

Several months later I went into the dealer and he mentioned that earlier that dat they had taken delivery of a pair of Sextets as a demo set they were still in the box.

I asked if they could install them later that day which they did this was in 1994 they left the house in 2015 just looked at the receipt and they cost £1159.00

Anybody remember RAM electronics? My first decent loudspeakers were a pair of RAM Compact which I bought in the early ‘80s and kept for over 20 years. Fantastic little speakers that were great with a NAD 3020, A&R A60, then Naim amps. Pity the company didn’t survive.

5 Likes

Yep. They were made in Norwich just down the road from my school. My Dad used to take to me into Martins Hi-Fi who were one their local dealers and get them to play the 150 and 200 models. I was fascinated by the ABR units.

1 Like

RAM had the licence for the BBC LS3/5a for a time before they went bust, and for some (Far East) collectors the RAM LS3/5a are highly prized.

This is one of my not well prized Rogers LS3/5a speakers…

Still perhaps the best small speaker … discuss …

5 Likes

I believe the Compact model I had was a precursor to their BBC approved design and was submitted to them as part of the approval process. As one of the few companies who gained BBC approval it seems a bit odd that they didn’t survive.

What about Dynatron Audio made by H Hacker originally then bought by Echo, Now the name is owned by Roberts I beleive .
It was my first HiFi system in the 70’s

1 Like

There is quite a bit on the usual search engines, and there is not much that I found on a very quick look for RAM, and reasons they might have stopped manufacture of the LS3/5a. There does seem to be a current RAM company but I am not sure of the history there. Another speaker builder seems to have use of the RAM name now.

Origin Live. Perhaps not obscure as such, but they make stunning turntables and tone arms. Having been to their factory, it is very much an old school cottage style industry and they make everything in house.

1 Like

I had a pair of Nightingale NM .5 speakers. Years before that I’d heard NM1s and a 250 chrome bumper in Gateshead playing an utterly 3-D Joni Mitchell LP. NM .5s still pretty good mind…

1 Like

Looks like Hammerite! :slightly_smiling_face:

Now that tonearms have been mentioned. Audiomods produce excellent products that deliver a superb price performance. Very well respected by the Michell community.

1 Like

I think it was.

1 Like

I actually have a pair of RAM LS3/5A speakers (and also a pair of Rogers LS3/5A speakers too). I prefer the Rogers so they are in my office with one of my SuperUnitis whereas the RAMs are in a not-often used spare bedroom system, with my other SuperUniti.

10 Likes

My very first pair of “hifi” loudspeakers (in 1972) were badged as Keletron. I think these were from a British company.

Ring any bells with anyone?

Edit: I found this on another hifi forum:
“ The Keletron brand was available in the early to mid 1970’s, manufacturing amplifiers and a range of loudspeakers. They could be purchased from Comet, Lion House, and other discount hifi dealers of the time. They were made in England by the same company who manufactured Tripletone equipment and the two ranges looked very similar at this time.”

Nice to see these once again. I had five of the little boxes, phono stage with full size PSU, passive pre and 30W mono amplifiers. Designed by Stan Curtis.

1 Like

I’d like to suggest a couple of manufacturers.
Firstly going back to the 70’s, Peak Sound who were based near Egham ,Surrey. They supplied an integrated amp and tuner in kit form. I opted for the amp as a first step into Stereo and whilst I set about construction with enthusiasm my lack of soldering skills coupled with an unsuitable soldering iron did not produce the required result. Like Naim it had DIN sockets which I found a nightmare to solder properly. However, with the help of a friend and a bit of re-working it eventually worked and I used it with a Connoisseur BD1 turntable and Celestion Ditton speakers. The turntable also came in kit form but I found it much easier to assemble and construct a reasonable plinth.
More recently, Tom Evans Audio Design might be a consideration. I’ve been happily using his latest incarnation of The Groove phono amp for some time but his products don’t seem to be widely known.

2 Likes