Entry Level North American Brands

[Ajani]

It just occurred to me that despite living in the west (Caribbean and North America) all my life (so far) I hardly know any entry level North American Brands... Since I suspect I'm not the only one in this position, I figured it'd be nice to start a thread to help share the knowledge...

So if you're a young cat new to the audio game, where would you start your search???

I'm looking for ENTRY LEVEL (i.e. affordable a.k.a cheap)... Brands that compete with NAD, Cambridge Audio, Marantz and Rotel... so think $300 to MAX $1.5K... preferably brands with products under $1K and better yet, under $500....

So let me start with the few I know:

Electronics:

PS Audio (the Trio Series starts at $995)
Parasound
Channel Islands Audio (IMO, A Silly name for an American Brand)
NAD (Owned by A Canadian Company now I believe... so I guess it now qualifies)

Speakers:

PSB
Magnepan
Revel (Concerta Series)
Paradigm
Axiom
Aperion
Energy
Totem

[markw]

Well, Adcom springs to mind when you talk about electronics and JBL and Klipsch, which just absorbed Canadian API when talking about speakers, but this begs the question : American made products, or American owned companies?

Big difference.

All NAD stuff is made in either the Pacific rim or China. I'm pretty sure the others are as well..

[PDN]

Ajani:

Actually brands like Marantz and NAD have entry level audio system components as low as $300.00 (i.e. Marantz CD5001 CD player or NAD 515BEE CD player) so you don't have to look to brands that compete with these but go to these brands for your purchases. WIthout loudspeakers, you can get yourself some great system components from NAD and Marantz and even Rotel for well under $1500.00. You could purchase a CD player and either an integrated 2 channel amp or receiver for under $1500.00 with these brands. I own and use audio system components from these 3 brands and I love them all. I don't consider them "cheap" at all. Rotel, Marantz,and NAD are not mass market brands sold in the Best Buys and Circuit Cities. You can't go wrong with these 3. I consider myself a lifer with them.

[Ajani]

Ajani:

Actually brands like Marantz and NAD have entry level audio system components as low as $300.00 (i.e. Marantz CD5001 CD player or NAD 515BEE CD player) so you don't have to look to brands that compete with these but go to these brands for your purchases. WIthout loudspeakers, you can get yourself some great system components from NAD and Marantz and even Rotel for well under $1500.00. You could purchase a CD player and either an integrated 2 channel amp or receiver for under $1500.00 with these brands. I own and use audio system components from these 3 brands and I love them all. I don't consider them "cheap" at all. Rotel, Marantz,and NAD are not mass market brands sold in the Best Buys and Circuit Cities. You can't go wrong with these 3. I consider myself a lifer with them.

Thanks... I know NAD and Marantz have entry level gear in that price range (I've also owned gear in those price ranges from NAD, Marantz and Rotel)... but I'm specifically interested in learning about North American Brands... It just seems strange that I know so many European and Japanese entry level brands but so few North American ones... especially Integrated amps...

[Ajani]

Well, Adcom springs to mind when you talk about electronics and JBL and Klipsch, which just absorbed Canadian API when talking about speakers, but this begs the question : American made products, or American owned companies?

Big difference.

All NAD stuff is made in either the Pacific rim or China. I'm pretty sure the others are as well..

Excellent point on the American Made Verus Owned... I think I'll have to accept American owned, since very few companies still make their products in America...

[filecat13]

As expected, I'll ring in for JBL. The entry level stuff actually comes in a few flavors.

The recently retired Venue Series was about as entry level as you can get, but the sound was surprisingly good. It's better at rock and jazz than woodwind ensemble though.

The newer ES Series is very nice for the price. It originally debuted in Europe and has come to the US and Canada. It has very nice-looking fake wood panels, and the sound is an improvement over the Venues.

The slightly higher entry level stuff is found in the Studio L Series. Again, every item is priced well under a $1000 but the sound is really very good. I'd play anything through some L890s with an LC2 Center, L820 surrounds, and a couple of L8400P subs. You could get all that stuff new off ebay for under $2k (might be unauthorized, though) or for about $3.2k direct from Harman. The focus is on drivers and cabinet design, not on wood veneers. The fake woodgrain looks better in person than it does in a photo.

These units are variously assembled in China and Mexico.

[Ajani]

So the updated list is:

Electronics:

PS Audio
Parasound
Channel Islands Audio
NAD
Adcom

Speakers:

PSB
Magnepan
Revel
Paradigm
Axiom
Aperion
Energy
Totem
JBL
Klipsch
Bose (sorry guys but they do qualify)
Infinity (part of the Harmon group right?)

Note: I find it interesting that in the electronics section there are so many Pre/Amp combos for over $1.5K, but almost no integrated amps (or even pre/amp combos) under $1.5K... Integrated amps under that price are a dime a dozen in other parts of the world... so why have North American Audio Brands ignored that segment of the market? I'm sure not all budding young audiophiles want to buy used gear...

[JohnMichael]

Ascend Acoustics is a company owned and manufacturing in the US. Some of their drivers are sourced from other countries but design, testing and assembly is done here.

[basite]

add these to the list:

speakers:
boston acoustics
Cambridge Soundworks (not the same as cambridge audio...)

electronics:
crown
carver
sunfire
outlaw audio


Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[bobsticks]

Note: I find it interesting that in the electronics section there are so many Pre/Amp combos for over $1.5K, but almost no integrated amps (or even pre/amp combos) under $1.5K... Integrated amps under that price are a dime a dozen in other parts of the world... so why have North American Audio Brands ignored that segment of the market? I'm sure not all budding young audiophiles want to buy used gear...


Think economies of scale. I doubt that at the lower price points, and certainly not at $300.00, a North American company would be able to remain solvent. Definetely not a new one. The audiophile gig is big on name recognition and, frankly, the people that you want to buy these kinds of specialty products aren't gonna find any snob appeal. So, yet another example of "leave it to the Chinese", eh.

Bottomline, I don't think small, independent NA companies could stay in business and the bigger ones don't care.

Fortunately, when it comes to individual endeavor there are all kinds of characters out there doing mods on some interesting vintage stuff. If you can find an old Mac or Van Alstine or Dynaco you can get a complete restoration for a very reasonable price.

[Ajani]

Think economies of scale. I doubt that at the lower price points, and certainly not at $300.00, a North American company would be able to remain solvent. Definetely not a new one. The audiophile gig is big on name recognition and, frankly, the people that you want to buy these kinds of specialty products aren't gonna find any snob appeal. So, yet another example of "leave it to the Chinese", eh.

Bottomline, I don't think small, independent NA companies could stay in business and the bigger ones don't care.

Fortunately, when it comes to individual endeavor there are all kinds of characters out there doing mods on some interesting vintage stuff. If you can find an old Mac or Van Alstine or Dynaco you can get a complete restoration for a very reasonable price.

Good points... and I'll agree on $300... but $500 to $1500 should be ok... especially since so many American companies build their products in China anyway... And all these 125+ watts amp/pre combos from Parasound, Anthem (forgot to add them), Adcom, PS Audio etc.. could easily translate into sub $1K 50 - 75 watt integrated amps.... I'm starting to suspect that it's really more about snobbery and not being associated with entry level that keeps NA audio brands away from these price points... which really is a shame... if you let the next generation of audiophiles grow up on European and Japanese gear, then why would they buy American when they reach to the higher price points?

[bobsticks]

.... I'm starting to suspect that it's really more about snobbery and not being associated with entry level that keeps NA audio brands away from these price points... which really is a shame... if you let the next generation of audiophiles grow up on European and Japanese gear, then why would they buy American when they reach to the higher price points?

Well, you gotta look at the whole picture. It's about product differentiation. It's the same reason why Sony silently makes Aiwa; essentially you don't want your low-margin items damaging the rep of your high-priced, high-margin product.

Plus, it's not like amps are a consumable good. Fortunately for us, they tend to have quite a lengthy lifespan, and given the prodigious effect of the used market most folks would choose to go with a pre-owned established brand at these pricepoints.

I agree with your assessment of future markets. It may be that some companies are either content or just trying to make it year to year.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

I am going to give Revel's Concerto line a big kudos. The concerto line has that Revel sound, without the Salon price. Great for both music and movies, you cannot go wrong with the concerto line of Revel speakers, or any of Revels line of speakers.

[anamorphic96]

Vandersteen - Made in America as well.
ATI - Amplifiers
Mirage - Now owned by Klipsch
QSC Audio - Made In America as well.

[musicman1999]

Both my disc player(Sim Audio) and pre-pro(anthem) ar designed and built here in Canada but can't really be called entry level. Sim Audio has recently brought out an lower priced cd player and integrated that sell for about $1400 each.

bill

[filecat13]

I am going to give Revel's Concerto line a big kudos. The concerto line has that Revel sound, without the Salon price. Great for both music and movies, you cannot go wrong with the concerto line of Revel speakers, or any of Revels line of speakers.

Have to agree. Wow, 100% concurrence. :eek6:

[Ajani]

I am going to give Revel's Concerto line a big kudos. The concerto line has that Revel sound, without the Salon price. Great for both music and movies, you cannot go wrong with the concerto line of Revel speakers, or any of Revels line of speakers.

I've auditioned the Concerta F12... Excellent value for money.... Sound like the Performa series that I compared them to... not very pretty or subtle though (if that matters)... I wonder how well they are selling though... They sound great and have received heavy critical acclaim... but my nearest dealer doesn't even carry them, claiming that they aren't very popular...

[SlumpBuster]

First, you stink for living in St. Kitts. This is the first that I've noticed that that is where you are from. While I've never been there, I have been to alot of the Carribbean, and St. Kitts is probably in the next year or two. What ever you do, no matter how much it seems like a good idea at the time, do not move back to the States. We vacation where you live. Remember that. Please? For me? As I'm using starter fluid to get my crap snowblower started?

Oh, and back on topic: Dayton (http://www.daytonaudio.com/).

[Ajani]

First, you stink for living in St. Kitts. This is the first that I've noticed that that is where you are from. While I've never been there, I have been to alot of the Carribbean, and St. Kitts is probably in the next year or two. What ever you do, no matter how much it seems like a good idea at the time, do not move back to the States. We vacation where you live. Remember that. Please? For me? As I'm using starter fluid to get my crap snowblower started?

Oh, and back on topic: Dayton (http://www.daytonaudio.com/).

St Kitts is nice... but is a real PITA if you're an audio enthusiast... No local stores... And the customs and duties on electronics are awful...

So simple example:

Monitor Audio RS6 speakers = $1K in the states...

In St. Kitts: $1K + $650 (customs and duties) + $350 (plane fare to Puerto Rico) = $2K...

OR $1000 + $800 (Shipping) + $1170 (customs and duties) = $2970 (WTF???)

[Rich-n-Texas]

Good Grief!!!

Sounds like you'd be better off just buying a new laptop Ajani! :smilewinkgrin:

OT: Emotiva fits this description
.

[Ajani]

Good Grief!!!

Sounds like you'd be better off just buying a new laptop Ajani! :smilewinkgrin:
.

Yep... just buying a pair of headphones and using my laptop is starting to seem like a very appealing option...

[Monkey Mouse]

Big fan of Vandersteen and Rogue - both owned and made in the USA.

[bobsticks]

Big fan of Vandersteen and Rogue - both owned and made in the USA.

Y'know, in all my travels I have never encountered Rogue gear...read plenty of great stuff 'bout 'em but never heard for myself. Any comparisons, Monkey?