Cambridge Audio
 |
|
| Premium Audio Brand | |
| Industry | Audio equipment manufacturing |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Website | cambridgeaudio.com |
As the name correctly suggests, Cambridge Audio had its origins in Cambridge, England where in the early 1960s a group of young technology graduates established a high technology R&D and prototyping business: Cambridge Consultants.
Cambridge Audio began life as a division of Cambridge Consultants in 1968. The Company’s first product was the 2x 20W P40 integrated amplifier, which was created by a team that included Gordon Edge and Peter Lee. In addition to an advanced technical specification the P40 created quite a stir in part thanks to its iconic and innovative super slim-line case design by Roy Gray, from Woodhuysen Design.
The P40 would also make history as the first amplifier to use a toroidal transformer that would go on to be a standard component inside virtually every hi-end amplifier produced since.
Cambridge Audio became a standalone business from the group when a new company, Cambridge Audio Laboratories Ltd, was formed operating from extensive premises alongside the old Enderby’s Mill in St. Ives, Cambridge. The P40 was an immediate success, but would prove difficult to manufacture in any volume, a problem that would be resolved in 1970 with the introduction of the new 2x 25W P50 model, which was a very similar product with regards to both circuit design and appearance, but had been engineered for mass production. Despite strong sales and rapid growth the company required increased investment and so was sold in 1971 to Colin Hammond of CE Hammond & Co Ltd - then a very successful distributor of Revox tape recorders and other audio products in the UK, Canada and the USA.
A new company, Cambridge Audio Ltd, was formed with leading UK electrical engineer Stan Curtis joining as the organisation’s technical director. The St. Ives factory was extensive and at its peak employed more than 300 people. Most of the required components were made under one roof including the circuit boards and the aluminium cases. All transistors were made to CA’s specification and even carried the company’s own part numbers. Every product was extensively tested after manufacture and a printed certificate was produced for every individual unit detailing the actual measured performance results.
1971 also saw the introduction of Cambridge Audio’s first loudspeaker with the launch of the R50 transmission line speaker, designed by Bert Webb and also produced at the St. Ives plant.
In 1972 new models included the P100 and P50mkII integrated amplifiers, the R40 transmission line loudspeaker and the T50 FM Stereo Tuner.
Export sales had also begun and were proving very buoyant in part due to the introduction of Export only products including the TL100 and 200 transmission line speakers, the P75X integrated amplifier and the T75X stereo tuner.
Stan Curtis put together a new team and re-designed the existing products as well as introducing a raft of new models. 1973 saw the introduction of the P110 integrated amplifier and the company’s first turntable, while the P140X integrated amplifier was introduced for export markets.
...
Wikipedia