Guest glakey Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 (edited) I notice in the For Sale section Betetec drivers for sale and the comment Betetec Ballina had closed down. I also noticed a specialised Weller Soldering Station for sale on Gumtree - from Hume L'Estrange. I hope we have not lost another Australian manufacturer........ Edited June 19, 2016 by glakey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Muon Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 Doesn't look good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aasza Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 Audioplus is also clearing brand new ATS-5's for $899/pair http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/AARON-ATS-5-3-way-Floor-Standing-Speaker-Pair-40-off-/252415213538? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest glakey Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 Hume has soldering irons, scissor lift bench, speakers and a large covered tandem trailer all up on Gumtree........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPjack Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 (edited) This does not surprise me at all. They have not made any updates to their two main product lines in many years, Hyperboloid mk2 was released in 2010 and the ATS mk2 dates back to around 2000. It was only a matter of time. Edited June 19, 2016 by MVPjack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 (edited) My first ever centre channel speaker was an Aaron CC120 Edited June 19, 2016 by Grumpy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiredforsound Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 The guys at Audiotrends tell me he has retired and sitting in the sun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hergest Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 The guys at Audiotrends tell me he has retired and sitting in the sun. Good on him. My first set of decent speakers were ATS-5, I sold them onto my boss 12 years or so ago and he still uses and really enjoys them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest glakey Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 The guys at Audiotrends tell me he has retired and sitting in the sun. Bit like Sonique, boys retired and shut up shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirktoggler Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 My first speakers were a pair of ATS-5's. They're still going strong at a friends place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 The guys at Audiotrends tell me he has retired and sitting in the sun. Bit like Sonique, boys retired and shut up shop. wow so thats what happened with sonique as well ? made some lovely speakers. oh well cant blame them as with aarons. but it does seem a shame when what be brands wiht some history just go like that....especially being aussie ones ! nothing on their website .... ? http://www.aaronhifi.com.au/index.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jventer Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 (edited) Its a pity that these guys just close down. With regards to speaker builders; I may miss some, but we have had Duntech - moved to the States Sonique closed down Aaron closed down Whatmough - still kicking around in some fashion At the moment we have Lenehan Osborn Ambience I understand that the guys want to do their own thing, but when they get closer to retirement I would have thought that they could pass all or at least some of their knowledge down to the next generation. E.g. @@scumbag is trying to build some speakers, if one of the older guys could reach out to him it would be good. The same situation is playing out everywhere with quite a few guys building amps, dacs speakers etc etc. When they retire , stop a lot of knowledge just goes. Wish I had an answer. Edited June 20, 2016 by Jventer 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest glakey Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 (edited) Its a pity that these guys just close down. With regrds to speaker builders; I may miss some , but we have had Duntech - moved to the States Sonique closed down Aaron closed down Whatmough - still kicking around in some fashion At the moment we have Lenehan Osborn Ambience I understand that the guys want to do their own thing, but when they get closer to retirement I would have thought that they could pass all or at least some of their knowledge down to the next generation. E.g. @Scvumbag is trying to build some speakers, if one of the older guys could reach out to him it would be good.The same situation is playing out everywhere with quite a few guys building amps, dacs speakers etc etc. When they retire , stop a lot of knowledge just goes. Wish I had an answer. John Dunlavey returned to the States set up a few businesses, went out of business and died from memory around early 2007. His true genius was military communications gear, sonar etc, the speakers were not bad either!!As for other manufacturers, we have VAF, SGR, Krix just to name a few extra, far from a complete list. Regards, George Edited June 20, 2016 by glakey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rantan Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 There sre still plenty of good Australian speaker manufacturers and designers. One could argue that the industry has never been better with several new designs and companies emerging on the market and IMO the future looks fairly good, albeit on a boutique style manufacturing basis and catering for all styles and price levels from budget to high end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jventer Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 John Dunlavey returned to the States set up a few businesses, went out of business and died from memory around early 2007. His true genius was military communications gear, sonar etc, the speakers were not bad either!! As for othe I manufacturers, we have VAF, SGR, Krix just to name a few extra, far from a complete list. Regards, George Yes, sorry I missed a few. SGR - there are some younger guys involved there, which is good. SGR has some really great runs on the board with some of their speakers and their hifi racks. I was looking forward to their Cube - am I wrong or has it been a non event? Our own Marc has sold his SGR speakers as did member JohnA. AFAIK they are not even a commercial sponsor here - where does that leave us ? VAF, some great things happening there, but. The guy who started it: Mr Vafiadis, how old is he?- who is taking over? His family? - Carefully read the posts on SNA and you would notice that the brains behind the speakers is Simon Wilde. Yes, please keep on reading, his surname is Wilde, not Vafiadis. I dont know much, but this may be another dead end. Krix - great story - brilliant for Cinemas and HT systems. Truth be told, not really hifi quality. I know, I have owned many of their products. Not to slag them, but he is getting older, what is his succession plan? We dont know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jventer Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 There sre still plenty of good Australian speaker manufacturers and designers. One could argue that the industry has never been better with several new designs and companies emerging on the market and IMO the future looks fairly good, albeit on a boutique style manufacturing basis and catering for all styles and price levels from budget to high end. I agree, the future does look good. It is the age old problem - if you look at what has been done in the past and try to improve you could be onto a winner OR you could start with totally fresh ideas and get to a winner. What I find sad is that it appears that the guys with experience just shut up shop without transferring their knowledge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aasza Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 (edited) Subsonic Equinox Legend Acoustics Richter Karri Acoustics Red Spade Audio Loudspeaker Kit Wyndham Audio Ascension Speakers etc etc still going... In fact Equinox have launched a new flagship speaker called the Galaxy and it's HUMONGOUS and only 300Kg each Edited June 20, 2016 by aasza 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rantan Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 A good list to be sure. One other manufacturer who burst on to the market but has since gone almost comatose is Redefy who was a sponsor here at one time. I always admired their designs but I have not heard or read anything about them for a long time 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sub Sonic Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 VAF, some great things happening there, but. The guy who started it: Mr Vafiadis, how old is he?- who is taking over? His family? - Carefully read the posts on SNA and you would notice that the brains behind the speakers is Simon Wilde. Yes, please keep on reading, his surname is Wilde, not Vafiadis. I dont know much, but this may be another dead end. Here's some more info about VAF, with Simon Hackett (of Internode fame) taking a financial interest. IMHO with his backing, and Simon Wilde's (ex Duntech designer) work, they have a pretty good succession plan. http://www.impress.com.au/newsroom/simon-hackett/1962-vaf-turns-up-national-sales-volume-in-2016.html Cheers, SS 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joz Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 + Osborn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scumbag Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 (edited) A good list to be sure. One other manufacturer who burst on to the market but has since gone almost comatose is Redefy who was a sponsor here at one time. I always admired their designs but I have not heard or read anything about them for a long time Looks to be ticking along still? http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php/topic/100812-sydney-audio-club-meeting-sunday-10th-april-2016-redefy-audio/ Edited June 21, 2016 by scumbag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metal beat Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Yes, sorry I missed a few. SGR - there are some younger guys involved there, which is good. SGR has some really great runs on the board with some of their speakers and their hifi racks. I was looking forward to their Cube - am I wrong or has it been a non event? Our own Marc has sold his SGR speakers as did member JohnA. AFAIK they are not even a commercial sponsor here - where does that leave us ? VAF, some great things happening there, but. The guy who started it: Mr Vafiadis, how old is he?- who is taking over? His family? - Carefully read the posts on SNA and you would notice that the brains behind the speakers is Simon Wilde. Yes, please keep on reading, his surname is Wilde, not Vafiadis. I dont know much, but this may be another dead end. Krix - great story - brilliant for Cinemas and HT systems. Truth be told, not really hifi quality. I know, I have owned many of their products. Not to slag them, but he is getting older, what is his succession plan? We dont know. http://www.sgraudio.com/Products/digital/musickube.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest glakey Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 I have a pair of SGR CX3B which have served me well and very easy to move whenever I move house, however, I will move them on once I settle down in the very near future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scumbag Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 SGR's that are easy to move? Obviously not the same as pegasus's 54mm hdf SGR's than! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Marc Posted June 21, 2016 Administrator Share Posted June 21, 2016 Here's some more info about VAF, with Simon Hackett (of Internode fame) taking a financial interest. IMHO with his backing, and Simon Wilde's (ex Duntech designer) work, they have a pretty good succession plan. http://www.impress.com.au/newsroom/simon-hackett/1962-vaf-turns-up-national-sales-volume-in-2016.html Cheers, SS Just wait until you see what they have planned for the HiFi Show. All will be impressed. VAF has entered a new era as a brand and a manufacturer, and Phil VAFiadis, is as much involved today as he ever was. Albeit with more resources and more drive. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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