From: dszpiro@student.business.uwo.ca (Daniel A. Szpiro)
Subject: Re: UK news snippets...
Organization: University of Western Ontario
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 03:33:22 GMT

pky@meadow.uucp (Peter Yeung) writes:

> In article <1992Aug17.112257.3490@bristol.ac.uk> P.Smee@bristol.ac.uk (Paul S
> >
> >Ariston has gone into receivership.  (Not sure how this translates into
> >US-speak.  Basically, the company is in hot water, and it is the job of
> >the receivers to try to dispose of it in a way which is least harmful
> >to its creditors -- ideally by finding someone who will buy it as a
> >possible going concern or by reorganising it into profitability, but if
> >necessary by breaking it up and disposing of its assets.)
> >
> 
> Wasn't Ariston was in trouble about 10 years ago when they were competing
> with Linn in the high-end turntable market? I think they changed their
> strategy by making "entry level" (a la Rega class) turntables and were
> sort of saved. Anyone care to clarify?

Ariston has seen its share of trouble over the years. Actually, its
history predates just about every other Scottish turntable (i.e.:
Linn, Systemdek, Fergus Fons). My understanding of that history is as
follows;

Ariston was founded almost 20 yeras ago my a man named Hamish
Robertson. Robertson owned an audio retail store in Glasgow. The
company found itself in hot water after just the very first production
run. The original compnay was closed and a new Ariston was formed with
Robertson in partnership with a man named Peter Dunlop.

The Linn Sondek was also raised from the ashes of the first incarnation of
Ariston: a man named Tiefenbrum (spelling?) owned the machine shop
which had many of the parts for Robertson (platters, pulleys, etc...)
decided to keep the parts and set his son Ivor up in business. This
explains the overwhemling similarity of the LP12 and Aristion RD11 of
the mid-1970's.

Robertson decided to walk away from Ariston not lond after, and
started a new turntable company named Fergus Fons. The "Fons" CQ30 was
a wonderfully complex unit with a three-speed electronic motor. Its
claim to fame was that if you pushed the 33, 45, and 78 selector
buttons down at the same time you could get the platter spinning at
about 300 rpm! Great way to seat a new bearing. Sadly Fergus Fons also
only lasted a couple of years.

Robertson tried to sue Linn around this time, claimimg that the
bearing used in the Linn was his design. The suit failed, and I
believe Robertson died in 1978 or 1979.

In the meantime Peter Dunlop main company, Dunlop Westayr, had run
into financial difficulty and had closed, forcing the sale of the
Ariston division. Ariston, now in its third incarnation, was purchased
by John Carrick (spelling?), and I believe that he still owns the firm
today. Under Carrick Ariston did try to move slightly down-market as
Linn enjoyed a strangle-hold on high-end UK turntables. 

But wait; there's more. Dunlop, after closing Westayr and selling
Ariston, decided to stay in the turntable business and founded
Systemdek around 1980. That company, too, is still in operation.

That's my quick and dirty version of The Great Scottish Turntable
Saga. I'd be interested to hear if anyone else has a sustantially
different understanding of how the above events transpired.

Regards,
Danny

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 Daniel A. Szpiro              | Internet:  dszpiro@student.business.uwo.ca
 Doctoral Candidate            | Telephone: (519) 661-3206, Ext. 5138      
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dszpiro@student.business.uwo.ca (Daniel A. Szpiro)
Western Business School  --  London, Ontario