Which American audio company is making top notch quality gear in the USA?

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geowak

Just wanted to know which American audio companies are still making top notch gear in the USA?

Give us some credible info on a brand and model you have that you think is superb! First up- Schiit Audio's Bifrost DAC
Also forgot to add my favorite: Magnepan MMGs!

SteveFord

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I own quite a bit of it and all afford great performance and some are tremendous bang for the buck.
In alphabetical order:

Audio by Van Alstine
deHavilland
Grado
Kimber Kable
Magnepan
SVS
VTL
Woo Audio

For Grado I would say headphones as I don't know anything about their cartridges.
For the other manufacturers, anything from their line up will be a pretty safe bet.

Don_S

Somebody (hint geowak) should alphabetize the list.

Aesthetix
JPS Labs
Sanders Sound Systems
Shunyata
Spectron Audio
Verastarr
« Last Edit: 15 Jun 2013, 04:47 pm by Don_S »

YoungDave

Manley Labs
VPI
SAS Labs

AluminatiSound

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Me :)

I am currently developing and testing 3 record pucks and will be making a very good sounding gain clone amp.

All designed and machined here in Minnesota by me.

My company is called "Aluminati Sound".

Matt

Pete Schumacher

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Vapor Audio http://www.vaporsound.com/#all.  World Class speakers
Empirical Audio http://www.empiricalaudio.com/.  World class digital front end.

"This was without a doubt the most musical system we have had at any show.  It could do things that no other at the show could IMO, including:

1) even, accurate reproduction of any music at any scale, from solos to large scale
2) focused, acoustical wavefronts at low frequencies that took your breath away
3) limitless and effortless dynamic range
4) Ultra-low bass distortion

#2 I have never experienced with ANY system, even my own.

Best sound we have had at any show IMO.  Beat the $30K TAD E1's I had last year.  Better bass.  Similar off-axis response to the TAD and no uni-Q driver needed.  Sounds identical standing, sitting or off to the side.  No speaker EQ required, only room correction using Amarra.  Flattest response I have seen with my Earthworks calibrated mic.  May have to get a pair."

- Steve Nugent, Empirical Audio

 :thumb:


barrows

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Ayre
Avalon
Aesthetix
Audio Research

wow, those are just A's…

There is a lot of really good audio product made in the USA...

roscoeiii

Pete, gotta give your affiliation when you are going to endorse your own Vapor gear.

But I am not with Vapor, and I will happily add Vapor's name to that list.

My thoughts that haven't been mentioned yet:

Vapor Audio
Rogue
Atma-Sphere
Soundsmith
Fritz Speakers
Audiokinesis (mates particularly well with Atma-Sphere amps)
Von Schweikert

Interestingly, all of the speaker makers here produce products I would classify as excellent, but they are each different flavors. Find the flavor you like best and enjoy!

Me? The speaker I most want to hear right now is the Vapor Numbus (pictured above).

jackman

Just wanted to give a shout out to some great American audio companies:

Bamberg Audio (speakers)
SAS Audio (amps and preamps)
Sonic Hemispheres (speakers)


It's good to see people still making great stuff in the USA.   


Berto

I gone through many amp/preamp combos in last 13yrs and if you wanna talk top notch USA gear, Tube Research Labs is just that.

Also like to hear the Vapor speaks but my US made Daedalus speaks are sounding divine with the TRL gear.

TomS

Odyssey!!!

Diamond Dog

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A second vote for Manley and a shout-out for XLO Electric.

D.D.

RPM123

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DeVore Fidelity
Herron Audio

neobop

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VPI

Sota

germay0653

Odyssey Audio.  Klaus is the bomb!

rodge827

Shelby+Kroll - Speakers

Pass Labs/First Watt - Amps

VPI - Turntables

Dodd Audio - Tube Gear

Decware - Tube Amps



Bemopti123

Me :)

I am currently developing and testing 3 record pucks and will be making a very good sounding gain clone amp.

All designed and machined here in Minnesota by me.

My company is called "Aluminati Sound".

Matt

Looking forward to all of this.   :thumb:

thunderbrick

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+1! for Rogue

groovybassist

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Merlin Music Systems TSM-MMM
Neko Audio D100 Mk2
Spiritual Audio VX-9

fwinston

Daedalus Audio
Modwright
Manley Labs