⌈ Poland, a country in the Central Europe, at the Baltic See | Population: 38.5 mln people (2013) | population density: 123,1 people/km2 (2013) | Languages: Polish | Capitol: Warsaw | Currency: Polish złoty (PLN) = 100 groszy | Internet domain: .pl

source: Encyklopedia PWN, encyklopedia.pwn.pl, accessed: 28.08.2020 ⌋

really don't remember when I came up with an idea that one month a year "High Fidelity" would devote exclusively to Polish products. Probably it happened shortly after I decided to devote another month to products from Japan. I also do not remember why I choose September. Perhaps it was the month when I managed to collect only Polish products for the first time, which means it could have been is a coincident. Anyway, the idea didn’t take quite from the start.

I reach for the ARCHIVE of our magazine and I see that such a turning point was issue no. 15, from July 2005, when seven out of ten articles concerned domestic manufacturers. Let me add that we wrote about Polish products from the very beginning, throughout the year - the first issue of our magazine, from May 2004, contains six articles, two of which are devoted to Polish speakers.

We had to wait for a truly and completely (I would rather not say "pure") Polish issue until September 2009 (HF | No.65), when Jaromir Waszczyszyn, head of the Ancient Audio appeared on the cover, and the issue was titled "Polish story". Since then, every 9th month of the year brings stories from our own backyard - this year already for the 11th time.

⸤ „High Fidelity” № 65 | September 2009

What are we doing this for? There is nothing xenophobic about it, there is no desire to "protect" the Polish market, because it doesn't work like that, but there is a need to show to the world what we do, what turns us on and what excites us. There is also a need to help smaller manufacturers, for whom a test published next to another of a product of another accomplished brand, is a great ennoblement, but it is a secondary goal, because products we are writing about defend themselves, one needs only to draw the attention of music lovers and audiophiles to them. This is what we are trying to do.

| Fundamental question

While preparing the "Polish issue" that you are reading, I was bothered by the question of what it really means to be a "Polish manufacturer", namely: What does it mean for you to be a Polish manufacturer? Or maybe there is no such thing as a "Polish manufacturer?. In order to get to know their perspective, I asked dozens of Polish companies big and small that question.

And I already know that, first of all, being a Polish manufacturer means remaining hidden, squatting, even crouching - so that no one would think that „I sound condescending”. Because how else to explain the fact that for the several dozen - rather 50 than 40 - e-mails that I sent, I received only a dozen responses that companies wanted to share? Assuming that some of the e-mails ended up in spam, or for some other reasons beyond our control, they did not reach the recipients, such a small number of answers is still a bit surprising.

One of the most Polish manufacturers answered in a very direct way: “No offence, but we’d rather not be involved in this and we do not want to comment on this topic at all. I would have to take Nervosol or ... leave this country, which is quite possible ... "

Being a Polish manufacturer often means nerves, a feeling of being unfulfilled and underestimated. But, as it turns out - not only that. There are companies that are not only doing well, but have still managed to keep the enthusiasm they entered our audio world with. Maybe without the naive belief that it is only a beautiful world, already with wrinkles from worries and scratches on the ideal of "the absolute sound", but still staying positive.

Anyway, let me invite you to read the answers we received and encourage you to explore the Polish audio world on your own - it's really worth it!

| QUESTION: What does it mean for you to be a Polish manufacturer? Or maybe there is no such thing as a "Polish manufacturer?

⸤ KRZYSZTOF GRABOWSKI | Encore Seven

Being a Polish manufacturer is about something more than just a company registration address in Poland. If the vast majority of components are made abroad, and here they are only assembled, it is difficult to talk about a Polish product. You can only label such an item with the term "Assembled in Poland". For us, a 'Polish product' is: a Polish idea and our own production, mostly based on Polish elements and services of third parties operating in our country. In this respect, we feel like a Polish manufacturer.

encore7.com

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⸤ CEZARIUSZ ANDREJCZUK | Avatar Audio

For us, being a Polish manufacturer is an obstacle in selling abroad. The Polish origin of products still arouses distrust in two aspects: the class of equipment and business credibility. However, this situation is slowly and gradually improving.

avatar-audio.com

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⸤ MAREK KOWZAN | Projekt NOSTROMO

What matters to me is the fact that I am a manufacturer, because it gives me satisfaction - to come up with something, build it, sell it, and in the end it turns out to be OK. Many times I received an e-mail, or even a phone call from a client, saying that it "sounds great" and even better compared to much more expensive converters. It is a great satisfaction for me and the greatest impulse for further action.

nostromo.audio

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⸤ KRZYSZTOF ROGUCKI | FOS

Being a Polish manufacturer and creator is, above all, a chance to show people your ideas, solutions, but also a challenge and it means overcoming all adversities in the pursuit of the goal. The main thing is to believe in yourself and not give up - and I wish that to you all!

www.fosaudio.com

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⸤ MICHAŁ POSIEWKA | Audio Reveal

Being a manufacturer from any country does not exempt one from supplying the market with the highest quality devices. Polish products are characterized by an equally good, if not better, class of workmanship, comparing to products from the so-called „West”. Unfortunately, often (but not always), domestic products are not appreciated by Polish consumers, therefore the Polish market is a difficult one for a Polish manufacturer. Foreign consumers do not have any "aversion" to Polish products.

audioreveal.com

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⸤ JACEK GRODECKI | Closer Acoustics

At Closer Acoustics, we strive to create products that customers will be satisfied with for years. When they come back to us with positive feedback, the fact of placing the words "Made in Poland" on the product gives us additional satisfaction and motivation, especially when these voices come from outside our country.

closeracoustics.com

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⸤ TOMASZ KURSA | Audioform

Audioform was supposed to be Polish from the very beginning. On the original website, the slogan "Made in Poland" was an important argument for us. Joinery materials, drivers, crossover components and cabling we use are Polish. It was an ideological and practical choice. Firstly, "it’s good because it’s Polish" sound catchy, and secondly, none of the Western brands offered such a wide offer and the possibility of its modification according to individual specifications.

This idea turned out to be wrong, because Poles do not trust Polish brands. Using Polish components usually means exposing yourself to ridicule, even if the product is exceptionally good. I do not understand this approach, because Polish products are in no way not inferior to Western ones. Maybe the audio industry is a bit different.

Once, during the AVS in Warsaw a man came to our room who liked the sound of my speakers. He asked if I could modify his Sonus Faber speakers so that they would sound like Audioform ones. I said I had a better idea - he should sell his Sonus Faber and buy Audioform. "No, I can’t do that. That’s Sonus Faber we are talking about ..." - he said. So it seems it’s batter to have a „sh..y” loudspeakers with Sonus Faber logo than a nice sounding ones with the Audioform logo.

audioform.pl

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⸤ JULIAN SOJA | Soyaton

Being a Polish manufacturer has, in my opinion, only advantages. We are a large country (and therefore also a large market), with quite awakened awareness and the need to listen to a good sound - as evidenced by the crowds visiting the Audio Video Show in Warsaw every year. Of course it would be better if we were a richer society, but it's not really bad either.

Moreover, being a Polish manufacturer means, from the point of view of the outside world, being a European manufacturer, which gives the possibility of free import and export within the European Union, as well as labeling your products with a prestige on many markets (Asia, USA) marking: "Made in Europe".

Being a Polish manufacturer is also an opportunity to benefit from a broad intellectual support of Polish technical universities, or great contact and openness to experiments with sound quality, increasingly presented by excellent Polish musicians. In short - I can see only advantages :)

soyaton.com

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⸤ MATEUSZ KĘSKIEWICZ | Solid Core Audio

Being a Polish manufacturer is, above all, a great pride and joy, since the beginning of the brand's existence I have been focused mainly on selling to my compatriots. I encourage everyone to buy audio products directly from Polish manufacturers, which results in the best price-quality ratio. Daily contacts directly with the recipient of the products give me an opportunity to effectively collect information - what and how can be improved in order to offer even better products in the future and increase customers satisfaction.

solidcoreaudio.pl

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⸤ ZDZISŁAW HRYNKIEWICZ-STRUSS | Struss Audio

For Struss Audio, being a Polish manufacturer means not only a Polish team, Polish components and production in Poland - although that is also of great importance. Any Polish manufacturer is also a Polish ambassador abroad, who promotes its products emphasizing their origin. Many foreign customers, including the media, rated our amplifiers very highly, often higher than competitors' products (often much more expensive ones), which proves that Polish products can enjoy great recognition abroad and it is worthwhile to bet on their promotion.

strussaudio.com

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⸤ PIOTR BOCIANEK | White Bird Amplification

For me, being a manufacturer who manufactures devices directly upon customer's order is, above all, an opportunity to search for improvements and new solutions, because almost every unit of the built amplifiers or preamplifiers is different. Thanks to this, this work is developmental and educational. It just so happened that I live and work in Poland. The subject of audio designing, however, relates more to my individual approach and I suppose that if I did my job / realized passion in another country, I would have a similar attitude.

Finally, I would like to add that the WBA equipment is made entirely in Poland, and having more than once contact with products / components manufactured in the Far East, I can say with full responsibility that the native components made in-house, which I use in my equipment (such as e.g. transformers) keep much higher quality standards than eastern competitors. Firstly, it is about quality, and secondly, supporting the local Polish economy.

www.wbamp.com

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⸤ Andrzej Zawada | ESA

The never ending theme that comes up again and again. I do not think that Polish manufacturers are very different from manufacturers of other nations, except maybe with a usually small, in terms of production, scale. Besides, I would divide them into two groups: those who know what they do and those who only create such an impression. As you can see your question is like poking a hornet’s nest. Therefore, let me stop here.

esa.com.pl