 |
|
|
|
|
My first experience with "hi-fi" was my parents very nice mono Radionette radio cabinet (new in 1956). Which, incidently, came with a Proton reel-to-reel tape recorder and a Garrard record changer. Sounds familiar? My very first amplifier was a Philips 2x10-watt (8 ohm - 15 in 4 ohm) integrated solid-state amp with transformers in the output to take care of the selectable 4 or 8 ohms impedance. (Turning the DIN speaker plugs around did the trick).Later, it was my fortune to work with hi-fi in Norway, in the period 1969-1980 - what I would like to describe as the "second golden age" of hi-fi. The first one stretching from approximately 1955-1970.What is Hi-Fi? That is what it takes to reproduce speech and music to certain levels of quality. There are many standards defining hi-fi. Most prominent is the German DIN-standard, but also several originating in the U.S. However, some think set standards are not applicable at all when it comes to judge the quality of audio recording and reproduction, but puts all their faith in the listening. My own experience is that there should be, and usually is, a connection between what you hear and what you can measure. If not, there is reason to be suspicious. Of course, not all variations in measurements can be heard. Neither can everything be measured.To better be able to project the various products we imported - some of them very expensive - we established a high-quality hi-fi shop in Oslo - Oslo Hi-Fi Center. There was nothing like it in Norway at that time, and as it got settled down we pulled out to concentrate on our main effort - import and distribution. Terje Værlien, one of the four founders of the shop, continued as shop-manager and co-owner for the new owners.After 1980 I pursued other interests, but never lost interest, or contact with, the hi-fi business. Lately, I have seen a growing interest for vintage and classic hi-fi equipment. I am not surprised, i feel the urge very prominently myself. Modern equipment is often horrenduously expensive, or awful from an aesthethic point of view, even if relatively cheap equipment can sound quite nice. Electronics, that is. Speakers are a different ball-game. To put it mildly - much of today's audio equipment has little personality, as opposed to the important brands of the fifities, sixties and seventies.And today - full circle. I am again buying and selling new and used audio equpment as never before! Look in for new and exciting products to be disclosed at this site! |