Audio Research Making the music glow – 50 years Audio Research Corporation

The US-American company Audio Research Corporation celebrates its 50th birthday this year. To mark the occasion, they are now presenting a very special book that is sure to make the hearts of lovers of this brand beat faster.

It is quite extraordinary when a company can celebrate its 50th birthday in these fast-moving times, especially if it is a company that traditionally targets a rather small target group, namely proven high-end hi-fi enthusiasts, such as the US manufacturer Audio Research Corporation.

William Zane “Bill” Johnson founded Audio Research Corporation in 1970, and from the very beginning he was dedicated to products based on a technology that was already considered obsolete and outdated at the time, namely tube technology. Those were the very years when what we understand today as the heyday of hi-fi really took off, a time when many companies were founded, which over the years developed an impeccable rug, but many of which have long since ceased to exist.

Of course, most of what happened then was all about transistor technology, but not so at Audio Research Corporation. William Zane “Bill” Johnson firmly believed that tube technology was anything but “outdated” and would continue to be the right basis for the finest musical performance. The company has maintained this philosophy ever since, even though it has never refused to embrace new technologies, nor has it followed fast trends, but has always focused development solely on the quality and sound characteristics desired. For years, Audio Research Corporation has been considered one of the leading tube specialists in the high-end hi-fi segment.

On the occasion of the company’s 50th anniversary, which is now to be celebrated, the company not only presented appropriate solutions, but also commissioned a fine book dealing with the history of Audio Research Corporation. The result is now available in the form of “Audio Research Making the music glow”.

This book covers the period from 1970 to 2020, and in addition to the actual history, a large number of employees as well as industry experts have their say. In this way, the development of Audio Research Corporation is put into relation to the development of the industry as a whole. The author Ken Kessler has been given access to the Audio Research Corporation archives and was assisted by Bill’s wife Nancy in his research.

This book is designed as a photo book, whereby the format of an LP was chosen so that photographs can really come into their own. Every model from 50 years of history was photographed anew for this book, resulting in a complete product list. The 25 greatest successes or most important products of the company are also honored with their own portraits.

Getting to the point

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Audio Research Corporation, which is now being celebrated, the company not only presented appropriate solutions in the form of Anniversary Editions, but also commissioned a fine book dealing with the history of Audio Research Corporation. The result is now available in the form of “Audio Research Making the music glow”.