Can it be British audio without British components?

ThaddeusSmit

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
All american gear, but following the same philosophy (I think) as British audio. Or am I way off the mark?

MacbookPro playing FLAC files from my NAS, out via usb to an Emotiva Stealth DC-1, which then feeds an Emotiva mini-x a-100 to power modified Klipsch Cornwalls.

Vampire wire SC-IV interconnects, but basic 16GA hookup wire for the speakers cables.

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I've felt for some time now that the British and "East Coast" hi-fi markets have had much in common for decades. Look at Bozak and Wharfedale. Fisher and Quad. Harmon Kardon and Goodmans, University and... s**t, I don't know. :scratch2:
 
To be honest, most BRITISH hi-fi isn't really British anyway. How much of it is made in China nowadays?

I'll tell ya though... Based on the Dentons I'm breaking in at the moment, the Chinese are building some VERY-nice speakers these days. These are great.
 
Do my systems count as British? :D All they are is integrated amps, a pair of monitors, and a single digital source :smoke:
 
So, Rega is still British-made, huh?

It really is a fine line though, at least in my opinion. There are US brands that have a Brit-like sound (or Brit-ish, if that works better for ya' :D ). Even Dynaco up in the Scanderegion has a Brit-like sound. And if you look at German-made Dual turntables and Canton speakers, they basically have a kind of East Coast sound. Very-warm, rich, and sweet-sounding with a heavy engaging factor. And Sansui is more of an East Coast sound (or maybe a University-type sound) than what we think of as a typical Japanese sound.
 
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If I am reading all this correctly, then my 2 crystal radios are continuing the British wave. Does not get simpler and not tone controls.

Gang-Twanger, not sure I understand you comparatives. Having had both Wharfedales and Bozaks other than the genious shared between Bozak and Biggs there is little similarity. Same with Fisher and Quad. Closest maybd would be KLH Nine and QUAD ESL63. As for the New Engand vs British speaker voicing, much closer the either is to West Coast voicing.

As for the concept of minimalist approach, I would suggest, at least with QUAD vintage preamps, they are not minimalistic and are more comprehensive and flexible as to inputs and tone controls than many, nigh, most other preamps though they may espouse dozens of really useless switches thrown onto units by the markering parts of design teams.
 
If I am reading all this correctly, then my 2 crystal radios are continuing the British wave. Does not get simpler and not tone controls.

Gang-Twanger, not sure I understand you comparatives. Having had both Wharfedales and Bozaks other than the genious shared between Bozak and Biggs there is little similarity. Same with Fisher and Quad. Closest maybd would be KLH Nine and QUAD ESL63. As for the New Engand vs British speaker voicing, much closer the either is to West Coast voicing.

As for the concept of minimalist approach, I would suggest, at least with QUAD vintage preamps, they are not minimalistic and are more comprehensive and flexible as to inputs and tone controls than many, nigh, most other preamps though they may espouse dozens of really useless switches thrown onto units by the markering parts of design teams.

What I mean about Fisher and Quad is this: Fisher, especially the earlier ones with tube rectifiers, are famous for their full, rich, open, and very-musical sound, and the best of the XP models were said to have an "electrostatic-like" sound, which has always made me think of the Quad ESL 57. Sure, not the same design at all, but they share certain sonic similarities, at least according to the magazines I have read about the best of the XP models, and the Fisher gear I've heard/used. They share certain sonic traits with Wharfedale as well, perhaps more than they do with Quad. But Wharfedale in the late '60's to mid '70's HEAVILY-influenced by that whole East Coast sound as a whole, and both Wharfedale and Bozak have a heavy, engaging musicality and are known their 'cruising vessel" sound-signature, plus their ultra-smooth top, smooth, bouncy, dynamic bass at reasonable volume levels, and those rich, perfect mids. The Brits and Americans have been influencing each other for hundreds of years, and I have to think there is/was a lot of that in the hi-fi business over the last 75 years. Fisher shares a lot in common with Dynaco too, I think... In sonic terms, I mean.
 
Lots of British gear is still british made.

Linn
Rega
Naim
Exposure
Harbeth
Spendor
Sterling
Arcam (better stuff)
Graham Slee
Sugden
Sonneteer
LFD
Morgan
Cyrus
Etc.

Those are just off the top of my head. I know I missed some.
 
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