When I think about landmark years in the history of British hi-fi, 1973 sticks out. Three companies got their start in the first half of that year that went on to become cornerstones of the British audio scene: Linn Products, Naim Audio, and Rega Research. That means they’re all celebrating their 50th anniversaries in 2023.
The parallels among the three companies don’t end with their British origins and founding year. Each was started by someone born in the immediate aftermath of World War II. The late Julian Vereker of Naim, eldest of the three by a few months, was born on the very day that Germany surrendered to the Allies to end the war in Europe. Do the math, and you’ll find that all three founders were 27 years old, give or take a month, when they set up their respective companies. I guess that must be the right age for starting a successful hi-fi manufacturing business.
There was already a thriving British audio industry long before 1973. Great companies like Quad, Tannoy, Leak, Garrard, Wharfedale, and (as I will discuss a bit later) Collaro paved the way. British hi-fi was big business, but it really shifted into a higher gear in the 1970s as British baby boomers schemed to move up from their parents’ music systems, typically a standalone mono record player like a Dansette or Pye Black Box, to a more substantial component stereo system.
As you might expect now that it’s 2023, all three companies have introduced a product to celebrate a half-century in business, and it’s interesting to compare what each has brought to the table. Naim introduced the NAIT 50, a modernized, limited edition of their popular NAIT integrated amplifier from 1983, which retains the throwback style Naim fanboys like to call Chrome Bumper. The NAIT 50 looks nearly identical to its
