Visiting Speaker Manufacturers

[nightflier]

There have been several lists of speaker manufacturers with websites included, but many websites don't list where a company is based. I have not yet visited any manufacturers, but I do plan on seeing Von Schweikert and Hsu because they are local to me. Of course when I travel around the country for business, I also hope to see if there are other manufacturers I could visit.

I was wondering if someone could add to the list where the companies are based, to make visiting easier.

[blackraven]

I live 20 minutes from the Magnepan factory in White Bear Lake Minnesota, a suburb of St. Paul. In fact, I purchased my first pair of speakers directly from them. Very nice people in the front office. They have a pair of MMG's in their lobby hooked up to a proton receiver and a walkman CD player to prove how good the speakers sound.

[nightflier]

Actually, I should have added this to the thread as well.

What has been your experience visiting speaker manufacturers?

[Dusty Chalk]

Focal is in France.

I was going to visit Shahinian in New York, but now I'm just saving up.

[audio_dude]

sort of unrealated to speakers, but i've visited the Sabian cymbal factory in new brunswick, the CEO greeted us in the front lobby, talk about customer service!

[nightflier]

Focal is in France. I was going to visit Shahinian in New York, but now I'm just saving up.

Anyone else have any good visit stories to add?

[SAEA501]

I have been through the EPI factory in Newburyport, Mass in 1974. Spent some time with Winslow Burhoe, the company founder and design engineer and got seriously hurt over a couple bottles of Pinch that night. That trip was really interesting. They built everything but the cabinet right there in an old rum distillery. Tweeter vioce coils were aligned with a single tone burst, think it was 2K. An older lady, looked like everyone's grandma, sat there and blasted these tweeters all day, pretty wild. Kind of mind boggling to see a 1000 eight inch woofers all lined up like soldiers waiting to be dropped into cabinets.

Went throught the SVS subwoofer factory in Girard, Ohio about a year ago. A much smaller operation, maybe six or seven employees. More of an assembly plant. Drivers, amplifiers and cabinets are all made by sub tier suppliers. Kind of surprised that the cylindrical models use a cardboard cabinet. A little disappointing. But they still sounded pretty good.

I think most manufacturers of audio equipment are less inclind to offer tours for fear of industrial spying. I know companies like Krell play things pretty close to the vest.

[Vardo]

I have gone to the HSU headquarters in Anehiem about
5 times to have my VTF-2's fixed or upgraded. Back in
2000 they had somewhat of an assembly line, but now all
the subs (and speakers) are built in Taiwan.
Usually Dr Hsu is there, and he's a very friendly with
a nice personality. But it seems like he's continually busy.
As you enter the building to the left there is a very nicely
laid out listening room, with about 10 various subs,
and a home theater set up with their new speakers. The
subs are impressive and physically huge. Their new VTF-3
HO with turbo charger sounds awesome. Other than Dr HSU,
there are usually 2 other people there, one being a service
technician, and the other a salesman. It's pretty quiet place.
Anyways have fun and hope you enjoy your visit....vardo

[blackraven]

When I bought my Magnepan speakers I noticed a minor cosmetic flaw 1 week later. So I called up Magnepan and they told me to just bring the speakers back to the factory instead of the store where I bought them since I live 20 min away. They gave me a new pair no questions asked and apologized for any inconvienence it caused.