What is British Hi Fi ?

[Coyote Jim]

Well with the news that Naim are outsourcing manufacture for the new classic range in Slovakia it made me think now in the great once world leading industry what is really still British ?
Probably not much considering component manufacture.
It used to be greats from the old days like Quad, Audiolab, Wharfedale Mission to name just a few are all owned by International Audio Group.
The International Audio Group (IAG) is a Chinese manufacturer of consumer and professional audio & HiFi components. It is based in Shenzhen in China. It is owned and run by twin brothers Bernard and Michael Chang.

Quite funny in my early life if something was really crappy we used to say it was Chang.

[Wenge1]

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If by your definition of being a British HiFi manufacturing company you mean that everything that makes up a product was manufactured in Britain as well as it being designed and built in Britain then it might well be none. Closest to that might be ProAc and Exposure to name but two.

[Coyote Jim]

I remember in my early trade days British hi fi was the benchmark for Hi Fi
Going back decades the list is endless but now in the smaller world everything is really just assembled at.
All the names of the old companies are spinning round in my head.

[Mr Onion]

Its a excellent question, which has a very complex answer. How do we define 'made'? If we are counting each individual component (IC's, Transistors, Resistors) as well as the larger bits (Steel/Aluminium for casework, Glass Fibre for PCB's) then nothing will be made in any one country.

I think the legal definition of 'made in' is the "last place where significant value was added"

So if you have a box (or rather several boxes) or bits that make up a (say) amplifier and assembled by Dr "Trader" Jones on Merrytwit than it is "Made In Merrytwit" If identical components are assembled in Llaniog then it is "Made in Llaniog"

Is it the same product? I guess the answer has to be yes, but does it have the same apparent worth? I don't know either but its a shame that NAIM is no longer 'Made In Britain' (but then it is no longer 'owned in Britain' is it?)


*A "I am a smart arse" prize goes to anyone who gets the above references without resort to Google

[LD100]

I remember in my early trade days British hi fi was the benchmark for Hi Fi
Going back decades the list is endless but now in the smaller world everything is really just assembled at.
All the names of the old companies are spinning round in my head.

Indeed, a similar situation in the USA. Even if the equipment is designed here and assembled here...where
did the electronic components originate from?

I always had a warm spot in my heart for KEF speakers; I have 3 different sets that I bought in the 70's...all still
playing fine. I wonder if the new models will hold up to the test of time like the old models did?

[evil_C]

I can say for sure that my LP12 was originally assembled by Agnes Munro. That sounds like a fine Scottish name to me. Unfortunately there’s not much of her original build left, but it does sound better now

[Coyote Jim]

I can say for sure that my LP12 was originally assembled by Agnes Munro. That sounds like a fine Scottish name to me. Unfortunately there’s not much of her original build left, but it does sound better now

Agnes Munro in Action
Maybe Agnes is building yours in the picture.

[evil_C]

I can say for sure that my LP12 was originally assembled by Agnes Munro. That sounds like a fine Scottish name to me. Unfortunately there’s not much of her original build left, but it does sound better now

Agnes Munro in Action
Maybe Agnes is building yours in the picture.

It’s nice to think that that could have been mine. I guess she might have retired by now.