Sugden Audiois a British engineering company that manufactureshi-fiandaudio equipment.Founded by James Edward Sugden inCleckheaton,West Yorkshire in 1967,[1]the company is best known as the manufacturer of the Sugden A21 amplifier.
| Company type | Private limited company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Audiovisualequipment manufacturing and distribution |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Headquarters | Heckmondwike,West Yorkshire,United Kingdom |
Key people | Jim Sugden Richard Allan |
| Products | High fidelityequipment Audiovisualequipment |
| Website | www |
Sugden had been involved in the manufacture of scientific equipment since 1960 with his company Research Electronics.[1][2]Sugden was keenly interested in hi-fi, in particular in overcoming the problem ofcrossover distortioncommon inClass Bsolid stateamplifier designs at the time. He developed aClass-A amplifier,the Si 402, which avoided this, however it was extremely expensive, costing 100Guineas(£105, equivalent to £2,400 in 2023[3]) and few if any were sold.[2]At the time, Sugden was the only company in the industry using Class A design in their Hi-Fi amplifiers.[1]
The following year Sugden agreed to work with localloudspeakermanufacture Richard Allan, which would market Sugden's amplifiers under their brand name.[4]In April 1968 the A21 amplifier was premiered at an audio fair in London. It would sell for a much more attractive £52 and received good reviews in the audio press.[4]
Shortly after they set up a factory at Carr Street inCleckheatonin West Yorkshire and started producing the A21 amplifier under their own name.[1]They subsequently expanded their range of products to include other amplifiers and tuners.
In 1981 they relocated to Valley Road inHeckmondwikewhere they remain.
References
edit- ^abcd"Sugden Heritage".Neophonics.Retrieved1 October2017.
- ^ab"The Si402".audiomisc.co.uk.Retrieved1 October2017.
- ^UKRetail Price Indexinflation figures are based on data fromClark, Gregory (2017)."The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)".MeasuringWorth.Retrieved7 May2024.
- ^ab"Richard Allan Class A amplifier".audiomisc.co.uk.Retrieved1 October2017.