| Manley Neo-Classic SE/PP 300B Monoblock Amplifier Review |
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| Home Theater Power Amplifiers Mono Amplifiers | |||||||||||||
| Written by Andre Marc | |||||||||||||
| Wednesday, 27 October 2010 | |||||||||||||
Page 3 of 3 AVRev: Can you tell us what role you play at Manley and how you got started in a career in high end audio? Chris Dauray: What role do I play? Well, we all wear many hats over here. I started out at Manley in the summer of 2003 while on summer break from college on the east coast. I was studying music - performance, composition, theory, and recording - and this was a family business already, so it was the logical choice for me. My grandfather (EveAnna's dad) used to own Ampeg back in the late '60s, so the behind-the-scenes of the music biz was already firmly implanted in me. That summer was the beginning of it all. I spent the following summers in Chino learning to solder, wind transformers, test tubes, and fix gear, and I moved to LA permanently in 2006 after I graduated from college. So what do I do now...for the last few years I've been hand-building our microphones, and working with EveAnna extensively on our marketing and sales projects for both Hi-fi and Pro gear. Trade shows are a big part of it as well, and I'm moving towards doing the marketing and advertising thing full-time. This is partially because I really, really love fonts. AVRev: Why do you think tube amps are still around and as considering solid state technology has advanced tremendously from its beginnings? Chris Dauray: I think part of it is science, and part of it is culture. Science-wise: A vacuum tube is a more inherently linear device for voltage amplification than a transistor in a similar circuit. Transient content is better-preserved, because less global feedback is needed to correct for non-linearity. Also, the gigantic potential energy storage in the power supply of a tube amp gives these transients room to breathe. This transient content is where so much of the music is; overtones are what make up the texture and nuance of an instrument, and that texture is vital to accurate and musical sound reproduction. That's the short answer. From a cultural standpoint, there's a certain allure to tubes that has not gone away - nor do I believe it will in the foreseeable future. Guitar players have always loved tubes because it's simply more FUN and engaging to play a guitar through a responsive tube amp. They clip gracefully (unlike solid-state circuits), and have a magic to them that may sometimes be intangible, but is almost always recognized. Plus, think of it this way - it takes no small amount of effort and money to build a good tube amp (quality parts are expensive!), so *generally* one can assume these manufacturers care about their product, and not just about how much money it's making them. I think people appreciate companies that really BELIEVE in what they do and have a REASON for why they do it. AVRev: Manley has a reputation of making very fairly priced, superbly built gear. What is the secret? Chris Dauray: It's funny you should say that, because we (as a company) inhabit two very different worlds. In the realm of professional audio, we build some of the highest-quality, priciest gear available. In the hi-fi world, our equipment is FAR from the most expensive, though our quality standards remain the same. It comes down to a philosophy: End users deserve honest, realistic pricing, and we try very hard to give them that. Our pricing structure is the same in both the hi-fi and pro markets - the pricing is fair for everyone. We make a little money, our distributors make a little money, and our dealers make a little money. We don't believe in monstrous markups and ridiculous margins. Our pro audio customers (who use our equipment to make a living) wouldn't tolerate it, so why should our hi-fi customers? Specifications
Contact Info Manley Laboratories, Inc. Playlist
Reviewer's EquipmentSystem 1:
3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."Like this article? Bookmark and share with any of the sites below.        |
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