On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 10:49:57 -0700, "William Sommerwerck"
wrote:

A rep came in to get us to carry Denon products. They were crappy
little compact systems. I verbally trashed him and sent him packing.

And how do you know that they were the only Denon's being offered?
They may have been simply what the rep thought Stansbury's was fit to
sell. I believe, at that time, they also had what most people
considered decent turntables. They had already sold the first PCM
digital recorder to pro studios and had been selling one of the most
renowned cartridges for years, the DL103, which I think is *still*
being marketed today. I have no idea what their product mix was in
1973, but I would be surprised if it didn't include the same sort of
mix (although probably downsized) than it did later on.

First of all, I don't believe Denon was selling professional PCM recorders to
anyone, anywhere in 1973 (TICBW).

Sure they were.

"1972 Developed the world's first PCM digital recorder for regular
studio use, thus launching the digital audio revolution. Commenced
sales of PCM records".

From their history site.

And although their turntables and pickups
might were no doubt popular in Japan, they were not then available in the US.

AFAIK, their pickups *were* available here prior to 1973.

By the way, I didn't much care for the 103, because (like many pickups from many
companies) it has that broad "upper-midrange dip" that slightly deadens the
sound. Otherwise, I like MCs a lot.

Fine. Noted. Irrelevant, but noted nontheless.

Regardless...

This question is easily resolved without further argument. When did Denon start
exporting their products to the US? When were the first Denon audiophile
products reviewed in American audiophile magazines? I don't think it was before
1975 or 1976. Anyone know for sure?

I couldn't tell you for sure. According to their history site, they
started making hi-fi gear in 1971.

Basically, you related a story based on your own limited knowledge. It
might very well have been true, but you have no way of knowing for
sure. In any case, they have offered a wide range of products over the
years, with them mostly being known for their higher end products. It
was only later that they seemed to make breakthroughs in lower end
stuff.

Just to clarify a point... I did not state or mean to imply that, in 1973, Denon
made _only_ crap. They certainly didn't.

I understood what you said and what you meant. That's why I responded
the way that I did. You haven't offered any backing except to say that
the rep offered you some mini-systems. As a former Denon rep, I know
that I tailored my presentation to the sort of products that I thought
matched the venue - I *never* offered *everything* to *everyone*. That
could have certainly happened in your case as well. hell, Denon now
sells dedicated products in Sears for god's sake (same receivers,
different product numbers). Sears only gets a couple of items
themselves.