sandeepmohan
Well-Known Member
How do you look up product information these days? You get on your phone, tablet or computer and in a matter of seconds, anything and everything you need to know about a certain product is available to you. Back in the day, if you needed product literature, you had to head down to your local store and hope that they have a brochure with them. Most consumer electronics store kept product brochures. If you could not find a catalog, you wrote a letter to the manufacturer requesting for information.
In my early teen days, when I used to head back from school or tuition, the short walk home from the bus stop required passing a couple of AV and consumer electronics stores. I used to take a peek through the glass to see if there was any new audio gear. If I noticed something new, I would walk into the store and ask the attendant to play the system. Not once was I refused a demonstration even though the store guy knew I was just a school going kid. Post demonstration, I would ask for a brochure so that I could share it with my father who was an avid AV person. Fortunately; my dad kept these brochures I had collected. When he was coming to visit me, I asked him to carry those old brochures so I can scan them and share it with you. Below is a collection of all those brochures I had collected a little over two decades ago.
AIWA
Aiwa is special to me not because of the brand. I received a signed (not a printed sign) With Compliments Note by some big shot or someone from marketing. Why would someone nearly 4000 miles away take the effort to send someone a brochure with next to no presence in India? Well; thats just how the Japanese are. Every Japanese company I wrote a letter to requesting for a brochure sent me one without fail. Simply amazing.
Aiwa in India were not big. They came and went in no time. Their tie up was with the same Akai chaps, Baron Electronics. We had their 14 TV and it was good though quite gimmicky.
https://goo.gl/photos/VEcVNX8RriLYkH9d6
AKAI
From a company that was legendary with their spool tape recorders to now being owned by the Chinese. Akais death was tragic. We were sad as Akai was out first stereo brand so we wished to continue with them, however, the stuff the launched in India, especially the stereos were junk. I hear their TVs were good. Akai was known only for their stereos and professional studio equipment.
These chaps were again marketed by Baron Electronics and they took it to the next level. I remember back in the day, in Cochin, for the purpose of marketing, they paid multiple auto guys a daily rent sort of thing to keep travelling all over Cochin city with an Akai TV box strapped to the roof. This caught the attention of many and people were actually buying them.
https://goo.gl/photos/KefYoNWZ9MMHrqMu6
1984 Australian Hi Fi Magazine
This one issue belongs to my dad. I have no idea how we ended up with this one issue.
https://goo.gl/photos/XajMMCVy76Jc2xZb7
Blaupunkt
Blaupunkt were known for their car stereos. I had an entire Velocity set up in my car and it was fantastic. They were innovators in the car audio world. It is German alright but today, they are no more in the game as they once were. I still have their wired/IR steering wheel remote unit.
https://goo.gl/photos/rZzJnqacB4UAexSA7
Bose
If you were rich or a NRI, you had a Bose system in your house and not just any system. You bought the most expensive Bose you could buy before you returned to India. It is amazing that the same satellite system sold in the 90s is pretty much what is sold today, though a little evolved. Ill admit they are not reference grade but you have to give them credit for what they achieved with those tiny speakers. Nobody thought like them. When I first heard an acoustimass system, I was blown away. This trend continues for those who go and listen to this tiny speaker system. If you live in a shoebox sized house, a Bose system works really well.
https://goo.gl/photos/F9NUz7TUrvZSG6x37
BPL
A name remembered as much as Philips in the Indian household. BPL were smart in the early days. They tied up with Sanyo and brought in the best AV and home appliances you could find. They really were the best. Service was decent too. What I respect them for most is their own R&D efforts on TV and Audio. They did not clone Sanyo entirely in this department. They built almost everything. It is amazing what they achieved. BPL sold run of the mill audio and high end audio at the same time. The D1000 music system, though a Sanyo at heart, ended up driving a monster sized speaker system made entirely in house by BPL. I first heard of a sub woofer fitted on a TV on a BPL and it sounded superb. We had a 20 TV fitted with a sub woofer. I always used to crank up the dedicated sub woofer volume for having a little fun though short changed as the plastic TV cabinet would eventually vibrate. My aunt had one of their cheaper Rs. 8000 music systems that drove a huge 12 driver based BPL speaker system. The speaker weighed a ton too. Sadly not among the brochures. BPLs color TVs were a serious threat to Philips. I liked them, except that I felt they were never as sharp as a Philips. Today; they exist for the sake of it. Their TVs sold on Flipkart have nothing to do with BPL. It is a badge job. Sad.
https://goo.gl/photos/Bu4dx1kzfq8GknKM6
Daewoo
Not much to say. While their car innings in India was successful, their attempt at electronics came and went in no time.
https://goo.gl/photos/r7tZ2UeypoUvAnuq5
Grundig
Possibly the first major German brand in AV to make it to India. They had good TV but never really pushed their marketing to be successful. The portfolio was also very limited and they commanded a premium over Philips and BPL. This was not going to work.
https://goo.gl/photos/WYtcCPxPdbxrbnDe6
Hitachi
A silent Japanese player. They were there in the late 90s and are still selling stuff in India today though limited to refrigeration products. Dont think they took India too seriously back then.
https://goo.gl/photos/fYxZxtobiFUcbmJS6
Kenwood
One of the most popular names among the smuggled goods market. Kenwood was serious audio back in the day. All we got in India, was Mini Hi Fi. They were reasonably successful.
https://goo.gl/photos/gTBgWsvL3wh8JPRo7
LG
LG needs no introduction. This is the only company that is listening to the customer today and have every reason to be successful. A company that is now the world leader in home appliance and TV technology. I remember them most for the con job Golden Eye crt tv. I had one and it did nothing to save my eyesight...lol. LGs focus on AV was more generalist back then and I believe they are still at the same point, except for TV and home appliances, which is huge for them today.
https://goo.gl/photos/LtstHkDcMQMaRH3x5
Marantz
Marantz made an entry into India a long time ago through Philips. Few knew who they were and the interest in audio equipment of the level they were selling just was not there. My eyes and ears popped when I heard them and then heard the price. Over a lac for Audio in the 90s was possible only if it were a Bose. Marantz was an unknown name back then. They were sold in Philips show rooms and their Gold Series deserved a listening room. The concept of such a thing was not even around. As a result, you heard a system costing over a lac beside a 7K power house system from Philips. They were a work of art. The slimline was more a lifestyle product.
https://goo.gl/photos/UX6Dz1ZZQsLvWfJw8
Onida
Onida were very successful in the TV business. My uncle still has their old crt tv which has the pop out remote. It still works and not a single failure in 30 years! In my opinion, Onida made a better TV than BPL. Inside a Onida, you would find most components from JVC. Some products were almost badge jobs. Nothing in it was a Onida. They too meddled with the idea of providing good quality audio from a TV. Onida stepped in to audio with a couple of system. One was a 3 piece system and the other a more integrated one. They had mini hi fi too but they were all JVC units with an Onida badge. Without doubt the most brilliant marketing for their AV products from back in the day. Nobody can forget the devil.
https://goo.gl/photos/GzmCgW2jBFEXPqVk6
Panasonic
I have always felt that Panasonic have never taken India seriously. Even today, their website is very ordinary and it is not easy to get all the information you want. They must have entered India nearly two decades ago, started their innings with selling television but they never really took off. Even though they have a very good product portfolio today, they dont really appeal nor do they have anything that stands out.
https://goo.gl/photos/aMRDfmWf91kw4G2p8
Philips
The one company that needs no introduction. Philips once made THE finest AV and consumer goods. They are pioneers in electronics with a lot of innovations to their credit. Not so long ago, Philips was still the best TV you could buy. Philips India operated in a way that they had products designed and built in India and another category that was fully imported. Their radios, TV and music systems were mostly Made in India products. The high end Matchline series were brilliant though unreliable as they had not been tested for our conditions. Today, nobody buys Philips. Their TVs are not even close to what LG and Samsung make. The brand is remembered mostly for their light bulbs and medical equipment. Unfortunately the brochures that I have dont include any of the iconic Power House music systems.
https://goo.gl/photos/FBuWcmihdBUErzN99
Pioneer
These chaps are remembered most for their car stereos more than AV. If you wanted to pimp your ride, Pioneer was the choice. They had the most jazziest looking head units and they were a work of art. They were very good too. When my friend restored his Ambassador, back in the day, he fitted a Pioneer system in it and that was the best part of the car. It was the first time I saw a mechanised cassette loading/ejecting system. All the tiny buttons were beautifully illuminated for easy identification at night. Most of the Pioneer you bought 30 years ago were illegal imports but nobody cared. They were the best for car audio. Pioneer AV is still relatively new in India. While their products are good, there is next to no marketing and repair/service is a hit or miss.
https://goo.gl/photos/tG2L24vbNAkGBiAC8
Samsung
These guys have come along way. The Koreans are the only ones taking India seriously. Quality products, well priced and excellent after sales support. I dont remember too well but it was probably Samsung that entered India first, before LG. The brand is now known for their TVs and home appliances. Back in the day, they made mini Hi Fi too with the claim that they had the lowest THD (Total Harmonic Distortion). I heard them and they were very good.
https://goo.gl/photos/AcHJFPizAqUKkoJr6
Selenium
I dont remember or even know this brand. One car audio brochure is all I have and I am not even sure how I got it.
https://goo.gl/photos/8E6P2WWHv2rw8nuG7
Sharp
Sharp entered India a long time but they were never pushing their products. It is a similar story today. If you hear of them, it is only for their ACs.
https://goo.gl/photos/3CmDQZkd1CrGvxFT6
Sony
Who can forget the Trinitron? My dad still uses one that is almost 20 years old. It still works though a little cranky. We bought it for Rs. 21,000. A lot of money for a 21 TV. The Trinitron was the only match to Philips though my dad thinks Philips had better color reproduction. Sony was a premium product back in the day. Not that things have changed today but you rarely hear of someone telling you to buy a Sony TV. Sony sold a lot of audio too. They ranged from mini hi fi to Midi Hi Fi and they were superb. Possibly the best you could buy. I had two of their walkmans and a discman.
https://goo.gl/photos/tmsz9zUGBpm6ZRt79
Technics
They were never in India officially. If you ever found someone with a Technics, it was either a direct import or purchased through the illegal channel. Fantastic audio. My first stereo was a second hand Technics I bought for just Rs. 7000. I sold it for twice the money.
https://goo.gl/photos/rkk5LJSAuHixtWXk6
My Technics
https://goo.gl/photos/676KoYJfkkqpE3PXA
Thomson
My first exposure to a Thomson was in boarding school. It was a Fusion series and what a tv it was. In my opinion, it was the best though a little complicated to operate. It had without doubt the most amazing on screen display and control system. Even the remote was superb. It had the cleanest audio reproduction for a TV and they managed it without a sub woofer too. Thomson audio was very run off the mill, atleast what was sold in India.
https://goo.gl/photos/Sr4yotGaCd4Cr34c9
Toshiba
Toshiba came into India via Videocon. All they sold were TVs.
https://goo.gl/photos/SC5QHh4DmNFKDNK4A
In my early teen days, when I used to head back from school or tuition, the short walk home from the bus stop required passing a couple of AV and consumer electronics stores. I used to take a peek through the glass to see if there was any new audio gear. If I noticed something new, I would walk into the store and ask the attendant to play the system. Not once was I refused a demonstration even though the store guy knew I was just a school going kid. Post demonstration, I would ask for a brochure so that I could share it with my father who was an avid AV person. Fortunately; my dad kept these brochures I had collected. When he was coming to visit me, I asked him to carry those old brochures so I can scan them and share it with you. Below is a collection of all those brochures I had collected a little over two decades ago.
AIWA
Aiwa is special to me not because of the brand. I received a signed (not a printed sign) With Compliments Note by some big shot or someone from marketing. Why would someone nearly 4000 miles away take the effort to send someone a brochure with next to no presence in India? Well; thats just how the Japanese are. Every Japanese company I wrote a letter to requesting for a brochure sent me one without fail. Simply amazing.
Aiwa in India were not big. They came and went in no time. Their tie up was with the same Akai chaps, Baron Electronics. We had their 14 TV and it was good though quite gimmicky.
https://goo.gl/photos/VEcVNX8RriLYkH9d6
AKAI
From a company that was legendary with their spool tape recorders to now being owned by the Chinese. Akais death was tragic. We were sad as Akai was out first stereo brand so we wished to continue with them, however, the stuff the launched in India, especially the stereos were junk. I hear their TVs were good. Akai was known only for their stereos and professional studio equipment.
These chaps were again marketed by Baron Electronics and they took it to the next level. I remember back in the day, in Cochin, for the purpose of marketing, they paid multiple auto guys a daily rent sort of thing to keep travelling all over Cochin city with an Akai TV box strapped to the roof. This caught the attention of many and people were actually buying them.
https://goo.gl/photos/KefYoNWZ9MMHrqMu6
1984 Australian Hi Fi Magazine
This one issue belongs to my dad. I have no idea how we ended up with this one issue.
https://goo.gl/photos/XajMMCVy76Jc2xZb7
Blaupunkt
Blaupunkt were known for their car stereos. I had an entire Velocity set up in my car and it was fantastic. They were innovators in the car audio world. It is German alright but today, they are no more in the game as they once were. I still have their wired/IR steering wheel remote unit.
https://goo.gl/photos/rZzJnqacB4UAexSA7
Bose
If you were rich or a NRI, you had a Bose system in your house and not just any system. You bought the most expensive Bose you could buy before you returned to India. It is amazing that the same satellite system sold in the 90s is pretty much what is sold today, though a little evolved. Ill admit they are not reference grade but you have to give them credit for what they achieved with those tiny speakers. Nobody thought like them. When I first heard an acoustimass system, I was blown away. This trend continues for those who go and listen to this tiny speaker system. If you live in a shoebox sized house, a Bose system works really well.
https://goo.gl/photos/F9NUz7TUrvZSG6x37
BPL
A name remembered as much as Philips in the Indian household. BPL were smart in the early days. They tied up with Sanyo and brought in the best AV and home appliances you could find. They really were the best. Service was decent too. What I respect them for most is their own R&D efforts on TV and Audio. They did not clone Sanyo entirely in this department. They built almost everything. It is amazing what they achieved. BPL sold run of the mill audio and high end audio at the same time. The D1000 music system, though a Sanyo at heart, ended up driving a monster sized speaker system made entirely in house by BPL. I first heard of a sub woofer fitted on a TV on a BPL and it sounded superb. We had a 20 TV fitted with a sub woofer. I always used to crank up the dedicated sub woofer volume for having a little fun though short changed as the plastic TV cabinet would eventually vibrate. My aunt had one of their cheaper Rs. 8000 music systems that drove a huge 12 driver based BPL speaker system. The speaker weighed a ton too. Sadly not among the brochures. BPLs color TVs were a serious threat to Philips. I liked them, except that I felt they were never as sharp as a Philips. Today; they exist for the sake of it. Their TVs sold on Flipkart have nothing to do with BPL. It is a badge job. Sad.
https://goo.gl/photos/Bu4dx1kzfq8GknKM6
Daewoo
Not much to say. While their car innings in India was successful, their attempt at electronics came and went in no time.
https://goo.gl/photos/r7tZ2UeypoUvAnuq5
Grundig
Possibly the first major German brand in AV to make it to India. They had good TV but never really pushed their marketing to be successful. The portfolio was also very limited and they commanded a premium over Philips and BPL. This was not going to work.
https://goo.gl/photos/WYtcCPxPdbxrbnDe6
Hitachi
A silent Japanese player. They were there in the late 90s and are still selling stuff in India today though limited to refrigeration products. Dont think they took India too seriously back then.
https://goo.gl/photos/fYxZxtobiFUcbmJS6
Kenwood
One of the most popular names among the smuggled goods market. Kenwood was serious audio back in the day. All we got in India, was Mini Hi Fi. They were reasonably successful.
https://goo.gl/photos/gTBgWsvL3wh8JPRo7
LG
LG needs no introduction. This is the only company that is listening to the customer today and have every reason to be successful. A company that is now the world leader in home appliance and TV technology. I remember them most for the con job Golden Eye crt tv. I had one and it did nothing to save my eyesight...lol. LGs focus on AV was more generalist back then and I believe they are still at the same point, except for TV and home appliances, which is huge for them today.
https://goo.gl/photos/LtstHkDcMQMaRH3x5
Marantz
Marantz made an entry into India a long time ago through Philips. Few knew who they were and the interest in audio equipment of the level they were selling just was not there. My eyes and ears popped when I heard them and then heard the price. Over a lac for Audio in the 90s was possible only if it were a Bose. Marantz was an unknown name back then. They were sold in Philips show rooms and their Gold Series deserved a listening room. The concept of such a thing was not even around. As a result, you heard a system costing over a lac beside a 7K power house system from Philips. They were a work of art. The slimline was more a lifestyle product.
https://goo.gl/photos/UX6Dz1ZZQsLvWfJw8
Onida
Onida were very successful in the TV business. My uncle still has their old crt tv which has the pop out remote. It still works and not a single failure in 30 years! In my opinion, Onida made a better TV than BPL. Inside a Onida, you would find most components from JVC. Some products were almost badge jobs. Nothing in it was a Onida. They too meddled with the idea of providing good quality audio from a TV. Onida stepped in to audio with a couple of system. One was a 3 piece system and the other a more integrated one. They had mini hi fi too but they were all JVC units with an Onida badge. Without doubt the most brilliant marketing for their AV products from back in the day. Nobody can forget the devil.
https://goo.gl/photos/GzmCgW2jBFEXPqVk6
Panasonic
I have always felt that Panasonic have never taken India seriously. Even today, their website is very ordinary and it is not easy to get all the information you want. They must have entered India nearly two decades ago, started their innings with selling television but they never really took off. Even though they have a very good product portfolio today, they dont really appeal nor do they have anything that stands out.
https://goo.gl/photos/aMRDfmWf91kw4G2p8
Philips
The one company that needs no introduction. Philips once made THE finest AV and consumer goods. They are pioneers in electronics with a lot of innovations to their credit. Not so long ago, Philips was still the best TV you could buy. Philips India operated in a way that they had products designed and built in India and another category that was fully imported. Their radios, TV and music systems were mostly Made in India products. The high end Matchline series were brilliant though unreliable as they had not been tested for our conditions. Today, nobody buys Philips. Their TVs are not even close to what LG and Samsung make. The brand is remembered mostly for their light bulbs and medical equipment. Unfortunately the brochures that I have dont include any of the iconic Power House music systems.
https://goo.gl/photos/FBuWcmihdBUErzN99
Pioneer
These chaps are remembered most for their car stereos more than AV. If you wanted to pimp your ride, Pioneer was the choice. They had the most jazziest looking head units and they were a work of art. They were very good too. When my friend restored his Ambassador, back in the day, he fitted a Pioneer system in it and that was the best part of the car. It was the first time I saw a mechanised cassette loading/ejecting system. All the tiny buttons were beautifully illuminated for easy identification at night. Most of the Pioneer you bought 30 years ago were illegal imports but nobody cared. They were the best for car audio. Pioneer AV is still relatively new in India. While their products are good, there is next to no marketing and repair/service is a hit or miss.
https://goo.gl/photos/tG2L24vbNAkGBiAC8
Samsung
These guys have come along way. The Koreans are the only ones taking India seriously. Quality products, well priced and excellent after sales support. I dont remember too well but it was probably Samsung that entered India first, before LG. The brand is now known for their TVs and home appliances. Back in the day, they made mini Hi Fi too with the claim that they had the lowest THD (Total Harmonic Distortion). I heard them and they were very good.
https://goo.gl/photos/AcHJFPizAqUKkoJr6
Selenium
I dont remember or even know this brand. One car audio brochure is all I have and I am not even sure how I got it.
https://goo.gl/photos/8E6P2WWHv2rw8nuG7
Sharp
Sharp entered India a long time but they were never pushing their products. It is a similar story today. If you hear of them, it is only for their ACs.
https://goo.gl/photos/3CmDQZkd1CrGvxFT6
Sony
Who can forget the Trinitron? My dad still uses one that is almost 20 years old. It still works though a little cranky. We bought it for Rs. 21,000. A lot of money for a 21 TV. The Trinitron was the only match to Philips though my dad thinks Philips had better color reproduction. Sony was a premium product back in the day. Not that things have changed today but you rarely hear of someone telling you to buy a Sony TV. Sony sold a lot of audio too. They ranged from mini hi fi to Midi Hi Fi and they were superb. Possibly the best you could buy. I had two of their walkmans and a discman.
https://goo.gl/photos/tmsz9zUGBpm6ZRt79
Technics
They were never in India officially. If you ever found someone with a Technics, it was either a direct import or purchased through the illegal channel. Fantastic audio. My first stereo was a second hand Technics I bought for just Rs. 7000. I sold it for twice the money.
https://goo.gl/photos/rkk5LJSAuHixtWXk6
My Technics
https://goo.gl/photos/676KoYJfkkqpE3PXA
Thomson
My first exposure to a Thomson was in boarding school. It was a Fusion series and what a tv it was. In my opinion, it was the best though a little complicated to operate. It had without doubt the most amazing on screen display and control system. Even the remote was superb. It had the cleanest audio reproduction for a TV and they managed it without a sub woofer too. Thomson audio was very run off the mill, atleast what was sold in India.
https://goo.gl/photos/Sr4yotGaCd4Cr34c9
Toshiba
Toshiba came into India via Videocon. All they sold were TVs.
https://goo.gl/photos/SC5QHh4DmNFKDNK4A
