Soundcraftsmen
Encyclopedia
Soundcraftsmen was a manufacturer of high-end audio
stereo components located in Santa Ana, California
, United States.
The company was founded in 1961 by Ralph Yeomans, a concessionaire in Fedco
(a discount membership store chain in southern California, until the chain closed in 1999). Early Soundcraftsmen components included tube
-type receivers and amplifier
s. Ralph Yeomans and Charles Gassett, a southern California audio equipment representative and international marketing entrepreneur selling Coastron Sherwood Electronic Laboratories
receivers at the time, had an interest in expanding the brand nationwide. Ralph and Charles decided the first product was to be an equalizer
, something not already on the market. They employed an electronics engineer, Paul Rolfes, in 1968 to design the equalizer. It was introduced by Charles at the 1969 CES
in New York. National distribution started in late 1970. In the mid 1970s they introduced their line of preamplifier
s and power amplifiers, including the first preamplifier/equalizer combo. Soundcraftsmen equalizers and their compact "brick" style power amplifiers gained a sizable following among audiophile
s during the 1970s and 1980s. All Soundcraftsmen equalizers and amplifiers were made at the company's Santa Ana, California
facility. In the early 1970s they also sold a solid-state
stereo receiver, but only through the Fedco stores. It was built by Electro-Voice
but shipped with a Soundcraftsmen brand faceplate; no national distribution was sought for this product.
As mentioned, Ralph Yeomans operated the HiFi Stereo Components Concession in Fedco under the vendor name of Coastron. The department was an independent concession within Fedco, hiring their own staff and renting floor space. Coastron supported their Fedco operations from a warehouse in Montebello
, near Los Angeles
. The second in command at Coastron was a gentlemen named Robert Rann. Soundcraftsmen and Coastron-sold electronic and speaker products were repaired by a technician at the Montebello warehouse. Some repairs to the Soundcraftsmen brand Lancer speakers were often done in the back room of the sales departments by the salesmen.
Ralph Yeomans also owned and operated a local audio-video store in Costa Mesa, CA, called Atlantic Stereo. Atlantic still operates today, but has no affiliation with Yeomans.
Charles Gassett, the marketing entrepreneur, took the Soundcraftsmen equalizer, preamplifier and power amplifier nationally and internationally. It was Charles Gassett, becoming President and CEO of Soundcraftsmen, who took the Coastron/Fedco "House Brand" from a few hundred thousand per year to a multimillion dollar company. Charles left in 1980 to expand his international business.
In 1991 the company was acquired by MTX
and was renamed MTX Soundcraftsmen. In the mid 1990s MTX discontinued production of Soundcraftsmen components.
High-end audio
High-end audio is a term used to describe a class of consumer home audio equipment marketed to audio enthusiasts on the basis of high price or quality, and esoteric or novel sound reproduction technologies. High-end audio can refer simply to the price, to the build quality of the components, or to...
stereo components located in Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
, United States.
The company was founded in 1961 by Ralph Yeomans, a concessionaire in Fedco
Fedco
Federal Employees' Distributing Company, known as Fedco, was a membership department store chain that operated in Southern California from 1948 to 1999.-Beginning:...
(a discount membership store chain in southern California, until the chain closed in 1999). Early Soundcraftsmen components included tube
Vacuum tube
In electronics, a vacuum tube, electron tube , or thermionic valve , reduced to simply "tube" or "valve" in everyday parlance, is a device that relies on the flow of electric current through a vacuum...
-type receivers and amplifier
Amplifier
Generally, an amplifier or simply amp, is a device for increasing the power of a signal.In popular use, the term usually describes an electronic amplifier, in which the input "signal" is usually a voltage or a current. In audio applications, amplifiers drive the loudspeakers used in PA systems to...
s. Ralph Yeomans and Charles Gassett, a southern California audio equipment representative and international marketing entrepreneur selling Coastron Sherwood Electronic Laboratories
Sherwood (company)
Sherwood is a manufacturer of hi-fi equipment.The company was founded 1953 in Chicago.-External links:**...
receivers at the time, had an interest in expanding the brand nationwide. Ralph and Charles decided the first product was to be an equalizer
Equalization
Equalization, is the process of adjusting the balance between frequency components within an electronic signal. The most well known use of equalization is in sound recording and reproduction but there are many other applications in electronics and telecommunications. The circuit or equipment used...
, something not already on the market. They employed an electronics engineer, Paul Rolfes, in 1968 to design the equalizer. It was introduced by Charles at the 1969 CES
Consumer Electronics Show
The International Consumer Electronics Show is a major technology-related trade show held each January in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Not open to the public, the Consumer Electronics Association-sponsored show typically hosts previews of products and new...
in New York. National distribution started in late 1970. In the mid 1970s they introduced their line of preamplifier
Preamplifier
A preamplifier is an electronic amplifier that prepares a small electrical signal for further amplification or processing. A preamplifier is often placed close to the sensor to reduce the effects of noise and interference. It is used to boost the signal strength to drive the cable to the main...
s and power amplifiers, including the first preamplifier/equalizer combo. Soundcraftsmen equalizers and their compact "brick" style power amplifiers gained a sizable following among audiophile
Audiophile
An audiophile is a person who enjoys listening to recorded music, usually in a home. Some audiophiles are more interested in collecting and listening to music, while others are more interested in collecting and listening to audio components, whose "sound quality" they consider as important as the...
s during the 1970s and 1980s. All Soundcraftsmen equalizers and amplifiers were made at the company's Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
facility. In the early 1970s they also sold a solid-state
Solid state (electronics)
Solid-state electronics are those circuits or devices built entirely from solid materials and in which the electrons, or other charge carriers, are confined entirely within the solid material...
stereo receiver, but only through the Fedco stores. It was built by Electro-Voice
Electro-Voice
Electro-Voice is a manufacturer of audio equipment, including microphones, amplifiers, and loudspeakers. A subdivision of Telex Communications Inc., Electro-Voice markets its products for use in small or large concert venues, broadcasting, houses of worship, and in retail situations.-History:On...
but shipped with a Soundcraftsmen brand faceplate; no national distribution was sought for this product.
As mentioned, Ralph Yeomans operated the HiFi Stereo Components Concession in Fedco under the vendor name of Coastron. The department was an independent concession within Fedco, hiring their own staff and renting floor space. Coastron supported their Fedco operations from a warehouse in Montebello
Montebello, California
Montebello is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, in the southwestern part of the San Gabriel Valley. It is located on of land just east of downtown Los Angeles. It is considered part of the Gateway Cities, and the city is a member of the Gateway Cities Council of...
, near Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. The second in command at Coastron was a gentlemen named Robert Rann. Soundcraftsmen and Coastron-sold electronic and speaker products were repaired by a technician at the Montebello warehouse. Some repairs to the Soundcraftsmen brand Lancer speakers were often done in the back room of the sales departments by the salesmen.
Ralph Yeomans also owned and operated a local audio-video store in Costa Mesa, CA, called Atlantic Stereo. Atlantic still operates today, but has no affiliation with Yeomans.
Charles Gassett, the marketing entrepreneur, took the Soundcraftsmen equalizer, preamplifier and power amplifier nationally and internationally. It was Charles Gassett, becoming President and CEO of Soundcraftsmen, who took the Coastron/Fedco "House Brand" from a few hundred thousand per year to a multimillion dollar company. Charles left in 1980 to expand his international business.
In 1991 the company was acquired by MTX
MTX Audio
MTX Audio is an American consumer audio company that manufactures sound equipment for many applications, including car audio, home audio, marine audio and live sound products. They are best known for their car audio products and they specialize in subwoofers and subwoofer amplifiers. MTX Audio is a...
and was renamed MTX Soundcraftsmen. In the mid 1990s MTX discontinued production of Soundcraftsmen components.