Component(s) you would induct into a "Hi-Fi Hall of Fame"?

[jhaider]

(Gen X perspective)

REW
FuzzMeasure (basically dead now unfortunately, but was easier to use than REW when it was maintained, and prettier)

RoomPerfect (not because it’s the best room correction, but because it was the first good automated room correction and is still good)

Canadian NRC

miniDSP 2x4 balanced (OG model - beats unbalanced because it could drive any reasonable amp)

Revel F52

Apple iPod (OG)

Apple Airplay

Allison One

Tannoy Dual Concentric

AR AR-3a

NHT 3.3

Peerless XLS and XXLS subwoofer drivers (one could say Avatar/Adire Shiva, ACI DV12, or even NHT 1259 here, but I went with XLS because they were the first widely distributed excellent subwoofer drivers that found traction outside of hobbyists, and for a time everyone smart seemed to use them. Even KEF, who I’ve never otherwise seen use a third party drive unit!)

Gradient Revolution

KEF Q15 (odd choice perhaps, but a personal one; the first really good entry level speaker that I heard.)

The Panasonic electret omni mic capsule that democratized measurement mics

Hypex UcD (load-invariant Class D amp)

Sennheiser HD-580/600/650

HeadRoom AirHead/BitHead

RME ADI-2

Aurasound 1808

Steve Maki’s or Tom Nousaine’s Yamaha integrated amp that kind of blew open the whole stupid mythology about audio electronics mattering except on the margins, when a Florida audio dealer could not detect a difference between it and expensive Pass monoblocs on a system of his choosing in his own listening environment, and the results were widely publicized.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Les Paul who as far as I know was the first to use multi-track recording, over-dubbing and mixdowns. That had a permanent and lasting influence on hi-fi source material.

 

[Mnyb]

(Gen X perspective)

REW
FuzzMeasure (basically dead now unfortunately, but was easier to use than REW when it was maintained, and prettier)

RoomPerfect (not because it’s the best room correction, but because it was the first good automated room correction and is still good)

Canadian NRC

miniDSP 2x4 balanced (OG model - beats unbalanced because it could drive any reasonable amp)

Revel F52

Apple iPod (OG)

Apple Airplay

Allison One

Tannoy Dual Concentric

AR AR-3a

NHT 3.3

Peerless XLS and XXLS subwoofer drivers (one could say Avatar/Adire Shiva, ACI DV12, or even NHT 1259 here, but I went with XLS because they were the first widely distributed excellent subwoofer drivers that found traction outside of hobbyists, and for a time everyone smart seemed to use them. Even KEF, who I’ve never otherwise seen use a third party drive unit!)

Gradient Revolution

KEF Q15 (odd choice perhaps, but a personal one; the first really good entry level speaker that I heard.)

The Panasonic electret omni mic capsule that democratized measurement mics

Hypex UcD (load-invariant Class D amp)

Sennheiser HD-580/600/650

HeadRoom AirHead/BitHead

RME ADI-2

Aurasound 1808

Steve Maki’s or Tom Nousaine’s Yamaha integrated amp that kind of blew open the whole stupid mythology about audio electronics mattering except on the margins, when a Florida audio dealer could not detect a difference between it and expensive Pass monoblocs on a system of his choosing in his own listening environment, and the results were widely publicized.

Yes Sennheiser ! before the current headphone craze when headphones always where high impedance always driven by an ubiquitous headphone output on something else when big over the ear cans where more of an extra at home or studio.
The question was wich Sennheiser or AKG to get

 

[Doodski]

Yes Sennheiser ! before the current headphone craze when headphones always where high impedance always driven by an ubiquitous headphone output on something else when big over the ear cans where more of an extra at home or studio.
The question was wich Sennheiser or AKG to get

AKG K240 has been around a long time. Long enough?

 

[Rednaxela]

NwAvGuy’s O2 headphone amp.

O2 Summary

THE SHORT VERSION: By popular demand, here’s an “executive summary” and Q&A for the Objective 2 (O2) headphone amp. There are links sprink...

nwavguy.blogspot.com

A wonderful showcase of measurements-first design thinking, quite shaking up an industry at the time.

 

[Waxx]

The 8B was just a Mullard 5-20. Lots and lots of Mullard 5-20s out there with different brands.

And the Mullard 5-20 was a variation of the Williamson Amplifier that i mentioned earlier.

 

[SIY]

And the Mullard 5-20 was a variation of the Williamson Amplifier that i mentioned earlier.

No, it isn't. Totally different topologies.

 

[mhardy6647]

was perusing the thread looking for a mention of the paragon. Definitely a hall of famer in some respects.

I’d put the Mac Mc275 on the list as well, iconic imo

The only problem with the Paragon (and also, presumably, their little sibling, the Metregon) is that they don't sound very good.
They are gorgeous, though.

 

[Doodski]

The only problem with the Paragon (and also, presumably, their little sibling, the Metregon) is that they don't sound very good.
They are gorgeous, though.

The JBL D44000 Paragon is a one-piece stereo loudspeaker created by JBL that was introduced in 1957 and discontinued in 1983; its production run was the longest of any JBL speaker.

With that kind of design and manufacture date it's not surprising they don't sound really good.

 

[mhardy6647]

The JBL D44000 Paragon is a one-piece stereo loudspeaker created by JBL that was introduced in 1957 and discontinued in 1983; its production run was the longest of any JBL speaker.

With that kind of design and manufacture date it's not surprising they don't sound really good.

No, that's not the reason. Numerous amazing loudspeakers date to that era (and well before). The Paragon sacrificed performance for style.

 

[Doodski]

No, that's not the reason. Numerous amazing loudspeakers date to that era (and well before). The Paragon sacrificed performance for style.

IC. I think that reflective surface for the horns must be a very different imaging platform.

 

[Theta]

Imagine that there's a Hall of Fame that recognises the influence and significance of a component's contribution to the development and perpetuation of hi-fi.

What component(s) would you like to see inducted?

Anything made by David Hafler for Dynaco, Peter Walker for Quad and Arnie Nudell for Infinity, some products made by Carver, why not early Marc Levinson products?

 

[tubesguy]

Kind of embarrassed to be reminded how much of this stuff I have bought over the many, many years.

 

[EERecordist]

Has anybody named the Altec Lansing Voice of the Theater series yet?

I almost listed those. In high school I was going to build some A7s for the school auditorium. I built the amp, but did not get around to the speakers. It would be fun to see some Spinoramas of all the varieties of Altec-JBL-TAD horns.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

The only problem with the Paragon (and also, presumably, their little sibling, the Metregon) is that they don't sound very good.
They are gorgeous, though.

Yeah, the Paragon was more of a woodworking achievement than a significant audio milestone. Having heard one in action, I agree "that they don't sound very good."

 

[jeffaegrim]

The only problem with the Paragon (and also, presumably, their little sibling, the Metregon) is that they don't sound very good.
They are gorgeous, though.

Oh, yeah, I haven’t heard one but I have also almost never read anything positive about the sound of this particular speaker system - the drivers are really old & I’m not sure about the whole „reflecting sound off the curved front baffle“ thing from todays point of view.

AFAIR, the paragon was originally intended to be used as a center channel with a pair of JBL Hartsfield as R/L

 

[AlmaAtaKZ]

The Walkman
The Technics turntable
The Nakamichi deck
The Revox reel to reel
The ATC active

See? Don’t even need model numbers as everyone knows them anyway.

 

[Twelvetone]

This (incorporating much foundational thinking quickly cribbed by others):

 

[EJ3]

This (incorporating much foundational thinking quickly cribbed by others):
View attachment 430313

Tomlinson Holman (EJ3: this was compiled a # of years ago, there has been a lot since then):
In 1977, he co-founded Apt Corporation. The Apt/Holman stereo preamplifier captured a stunning 30% market share in a highly fragmented market. Mr. Holman is particularly proud to hear from consumers and industry insiders alike who purchased these products at introduction and still have them in service over 53 years later.
Tom Holman advances entertainment technology as president of TMH Corporation, Los Angeles, CA. TMH Corporation R&D projects include a tool for film sound post production on the desktop, consumer formats for distribution of multichannel music, and a radical re-conception of stereo systems as we know them today. Mr. Holman is most famous for launching the four THX ® business units: Professional theater and home electronics equipment licensing, Laserdisc, and the Theatre Alignment Program (1-800-PHONETH). He set the standards for THX certified equipment and software. All THX patents come directly from his experiments and research. Over 46 consumer electronics companies incorporate these patents and design guidelines into hundreds of consumer electronic products. A growing listing of more than 800 first-rank motion picture theaters are re-certified annually as performing according to specifications Mr. Holman created in 1983. Digital audio engineers who are creating the formats of the future know that in1987: Mr. Holman proposed and named the next generation 5.1-channel stereo configuration now arriving in professional and home theater systems. Mr. Holman's path-finding inventions and keen marketing sense-ranging from stereo equipment design, through the Skywalker Ranch technical infrastructure, to THX technologies and licensing program-successfully put technology in service of art, the artist, and the audience. His life's work shapes the quality of presentation in film production studios, cinema houses, and in homes worldwide. Mr. Holman divides his time between technical research, business pursuits, and teaching film sound as associate professor at the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television. He is a Fellow of the Audio Engineering Society, the British Kinematograph Sound and Television Society, and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, a distinction held by few others. Mr. Holman is a member of the Acoustical Society of America and the IEEE. He is the chairman of international standards committee IEC SC100C Audio, Video, and Audio-Visual Systems, along with many other standards activities, and is listed in Marquis' Who's Who in America. He is a recipient of two SMPTE awards: the Samuel L. Warner Medal for contributions to motion-picture sound, and the Eastman Kodak Gold Medal for contributions to educational use of motion pictures. He has several domestic and difficult to obtain foreign patents, all of which are used in products, two Hi Fi Grand Prix awards, and a Design Exhibition award of the CES. Senior audio electronics industry analysts know that Mr. Holman's career is marked by watershed product introductions that tend to redefine the markets in which he participates. His career in consumer electronics started in 1973 at Advent Corporation where he later became chief electrical engineer. He designed the Advent 300 Receiver and the Advent 400 FM Radio. The Advent 400 FM radio sold many tens of thousands of units - no mean feat for a mono table radio that sold for $125 in 1974!
He collaborated with Andy Kotsatos (formerly Petite and now President of Boston Acoustics) on the design of the line of Advent loudspeakers, which sold hundreds of thousands of units. He also supervised Advent CR70 tape duplication, which was the first high-quality cassette duplicator, employing chromium dioxide tape and Dolby noise reduction. As Chief Electrical Engineer, he worked closely with Advent's legendary founder Henry Kloss (now of Cambridge Soundworks), and was responsible for electrical engineering of Advent's line of projection televisions, including the first major unit on the market, the Video Beam 1000A, which marked the beginning of today's Home Theater industry.

(EJ3: This is just the tip of the iceberg. He recently left Microsoft and there is more if you dive into his history. He's still around...)

 

[Hiten]

Technics EPA series arms ?

LINK for one model.