Focal, Naim Acquired


Belgium-based Barco has acquired the corporate parent of Focal and Naim. Barco is a pretty big company - 3,000 employees. Story here.

Consolidation. Sometimes it works. Sometimes not.

cleeds

And I’ve heard the big Focal properly setup with Aesthetix Atlas monoblocks… I suspect that as in many things audio there is more than one myopic amplifier choice …

@yogiboy YG were founded in Israel by Yoav Geva who learned about digital signal processing while in the IDF. They later moved to the US in order to fly a flag of convenience as the links to israel were hurting the business.

@tomic601 out of respect for the forum’s ’no politics’ rule i will not explain why i don’t purchase israeli products, other than to say it is not simply because the founder is israeli, but because a Chinese ship flying the Panamanian flag is still a Chinese ship.

But if you want to know why i make the choice i do, just turn on the news, as we enter the third week of another war of aggression waged at Israel’s behest.

 

And you are absolutely correct, there is more than one brand of amplification that can make Utopias sing. Over on WBF members also enjoy Wavac and Spectral power amps driving their Grandes and Stellas.

@thecarpathian

There's a bit more to the Israel connection than that. See below

AI Overview

YG Acoustics was founded in Israel in 2002 by 

Yoav Geva. The company, known for its high-end loudspeakers, has deep roots in Israeli technology and engineering, although it later moved its manufacturing and headquarters to the United States. 

SoundStage.comSoundStage.com +2

Key Connections to Israel:

  • Founder & Origin: Yoav Geva ("YG") established the company in Israel after developing a proprietary crossover-design algorithm, which he later submitted to a contest held by Israel's Ministry of Industry.
  • Initial Development: The company’s foundation was built on Geva's experience in digital signal processing and an algorithm he created while living in Israel.
  • Initial Production: Early development took place in Israel, with initial operations described as being in an abandoned bomb shelter.
  • Military and Academic Background: Geva developed his expertise in signal processing during his compulsory military service in Israel and later studied at Tel-Aviv University.
  • Initial Structure: For a time, Geva separated the operations into two entities: YG Acoustics in Israel, responsible for technology, and Computerized Loudspeaker Labs in the USA, handling sales and manufacturing. 

     

Relocation to the USA:
While the company was founded in Israel, Yoav Geva relocated the company to Arvada, Colorado, in 2004 to grow the manufacturing capabilities, acting on advice that a US-based company would have greater credibility in the high-end audio market.

Current Status:
While the company is now officially based in Colorado, USA, it retains a reputation for its Israeli-designed technology. Yoav Geva left the company around 2020.