advertisement


Clever and fun loving departed audio contributors

C

CJ14

O.H.
I started in the silly game of trying to create a living room full of music and the orchestra when I was about 12yrs old.
But only got started to produced kit when I was about 20yrs old (1973). My first design to hit the market was a tuner for my friend Mike Bankski , the day I was collecting components from the now de-funked Maplin's in Southend-on-Mud. I needed a loo badly and the public loo like now was vandalized and closed.
There was a gentleman cleaning his shop front I ask if there was another loo near by, he kindly allowed me to use his. His shop sold Hi-fi so I stayed and listened to Diesis Speakers which I bought the gentleman was Mr. Brian O'Rourke. We became friends and as you are aware he started Ruark Acoustic. Sadly Brian as now passed on.
The amps I was designing were called "Blackbird" based loosely on the Hitachi cockup design, my dear friend Alan Elsdon had just bought a turntable from Mr. Tom Fletcher a Dais design made near Nottingham. So he took me to see Tom I bought the turntable but Tom loved my range of power amps, ranging from 100W/ch to 1000W/ch. I had a great time visiting Tom and his family.
1977 got married moved to Canvey Island, met my music loving neighbour Andy Williams (not the singer) he (sadly) introduced me to Anthony Relph (not a gent) he helped to start Rega (Roy is a Gent). A.C.Magnum Ltd was formed and our first project were RroAC Magnum amps, with a lovely man I knew as Paul Tyler of ProAC now gone sadly a good mentor.
Magnum moved on and stood on it own two feet it was review and by another friend Malcolm Stewart. Relph forced me out by changing locks just like another jerk did, so away from Magnum and fighting in court (expensive) and waiting to put new idea on the market.
Inca Tech was born from Gold Plated Power connection and the name was not mu idea but Chris Frankland and Malcolm Stewart from "Flat Response" I wanted to call them "Goldunmains" not so catchy a.
Soon a range of amps like the "Prelude", "Claymore", "Claymore S", "Claymore 2","Sabre", IT1X, IT50,IT100 and a FMT tuner came to the market. The Claymore was first and was design for the USA and Roy Hall he came up with the name Claymore. Two Fluorescent Orange ones were made but got stolen at New York Air Port. So I sent them to the "Flat Response" first a Claymore, now this magazine was very heavy into Linn and Naim so the chances of getting a good review was not good. But we did and for many other product I did. I wish Malcolm was still with us and a fair reviewer and a good mate, blunt and honest.

So back to fun loving departed audio contributors .

RIP all of them I miss you.
Brian O'Rouke,
Tom Fletcher ,
Malcom Stewart,
Paul Tyler,
Clive Sinclair,
Max Townshend,

Can you think of any that have contributed and you miss with a story please.
 
The guy I miss is Bob Lamont, the original proprietor of Glasgow Audio. He was a lovely man and I called on him with a couple of hats; Henley Designs, in my first repping job and Cyrus in my second. Always honest and enjoyable company, I remember a show in Edinburgh one year (the Dream Hifi Show) and on a quiet afternoon we sat and listened to a couple of sides of Aïda together, completely uninterrupted, both of us quite moved by the music. He died of a short illness around 20 years ago now but I still think of him often as he and his crew (Matt Hotchkiss was always around being a gent, too) were lovely welcoming people who just wanted to make a fair living from something they loved.
 
Bob Griffin of Griffin Audio,

Lovely guy, very knowledgeable and had all the time in the world for a young budding audiophile, his later shop was at the Custard Factory in Birmingham, just down the road from Reddington’s records, I used to pop in regularly with my latest purchases and we’d play them whilst chatting over a coffee. I was absolutely crushed when I walked in one day to find that he’d passed away. His family were in the shop and were very kind at what must have been the worst time in their lives.
 
Richard Ross at Rogers. He was such a sophisticated, elegant fellow and I loved chatting with him at the CES shows he would attend in the USA. One year I had brought XTC’s Skylarking album for demo purposes and I’ll never forget his consternation as we listened to “Summer’s Cauldron.” He turned to me and queried with a blend of surprise and thinly-veiled scorn, “Me, I'm found floating round and round, Like a bug in brandy, In this big bronze cup?”

I almost fell on the floor laughing.
 
Richard shahinian. I phoned his company one day and Dick answered the phone himself. i wanted to ask him something about the shahinian arcs for my room. He was on the phone about an hour going on about his wonderful speakers. Why they were more musical than other speakers and he was going through the reasons that made them sing. He gave me a lecture on the technical aspects of his speakers and it was fascinting to hear him. I wish i would have recorded him because i forgot most of the information he was kind enough to share with me. A true gent who is sorely missed.
 
Last edited:
linnfomaniac83 said:
Bob Griffin of Griffin Audio,

Lovely guy, very knowledgeable and had all the time in the world for a young budding audiophile, his later shop was at the Custard Factory in Birmingham, just down the road from Reddington’s records, I used to pop in regularly with my latest purchases and we’d play them whilst chatting over a coffee. I was absolutely crushed when I walked in one day to find that he’d passed away. His family were in the shop and were very kind at what must have been the worst time in their lives.
Click to expand...
Bob was a lovely man. I can’t believe I forgot him! I didn’t really call on him for long enough to get to know him truly but I used to love his tales of Spookytooth.
 
pocketkitchen said:
The guy I miss is Bob Lamont, the original proprietor of Glasgow Audio. He was a lovely man and I called on him with a couple of hats; Henley Designs, in my first repping job and Cyrus in my second. Always honest and enjoyable company, I remember a show in Edinburgh one year (the Dream Hifi Show) and on a quiet afternoon we sat and listened to a couple of sides of Aïda together, completely uninterrupted, both of us quite moved by the music. He died of a short illness around 20 years ago now but I still think of him often as he and his crew (Matt Hotchkiss was always around being a gent, too) were lovely welcoming people who just wanted to make a fair living from something they loved.
Click to expand...
I should add that When Bob died, I went up to his funeral in Scotland from near Preston, where I lived back then. My new girlfriend had come to stay for the weekend and, as she was studying for finals, didn’t mind the fact that I was going to Scotland for the day, as she could revise. She wasn’t best pleased though, when she realised I’d accidentally locked her into the flat with nothing in the fridge to eat, so was ravenous by I got back at midnight. She did let me off and then some as we’re still married!
 
I miss John Bamford.
Always enjoyed his reviews.Always came over as a good guy and always tried to feature a good mix of music especially rock into the reviews.
 
Richard Ross, designed Rogers speakers until circa 1990. I went to his funeral. One of the nicest guys I have ever met. When we moved in next door, he brought around a pair of Chartwell PM410 as a welcome present!

Edit: Subito beat me too it!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top