Leema Acoustics celebrates 25 years with Quantum Hi-Fi

Audiophile hi-fi manufacturer Leema Acoustics will celebrate its 25th anniversary year with the launch of its new Quantum range of components, including the new Electron CD player, Positron streamer, Neutron DAC/preamp and Graviton power amp. The first of these will be on display at this week’s Bristol Hi-Fi show.

The Welsh company will also be running a full Tucana-based Anniversary Edition demonstration system in the main Leema Acoustics room at the event.

Founded in Wales in 1998 by two ex-BBC sound engineers, Lee Taylor and Mallory Nicholls, the company remains one of the few British hi-fi companies committed to UK hand-building.

Leema Acoustics began as a means of further exploring the fanatical interest in audio reproduction of its two founders Taylor and Nicholls. Their first project focussed on pushing the boundaries of loudspeaker design, so they began four years of intense work, culminating in the Xen micro monitor loudspeaker. Xen was originally only available to the professional audio market, but as audiophiles became increasingly aware of the quality of Leema Acoustics’ products, the Xen spread into the domestic market.

Following the success of the Xen, the company turned its expertise to audio electronics. Leema Acoustics’ second product, the Tucana integrated amplifier, was released early in 2006, shortly followed by the Antila CD player, products that live on in contemporary guises.

In 2007, Leema Acoustics partnered with local Welsh manufacturer, Davlec, in order to meet the increasingly high demand for its award-winning products. Davlec’s precision engineering extends to a wide range of demanding disciplines including automotive and metrology, and the companies’ synergy was fitting.

After working together closely for a number of years, in 2014 the two companies made the decision to join forces, operating under the same roof, in Welshpool, Powys.

Co-founder Lee Taylor said: “Leema started as a hobby project in a small metal shed, bought from a Littlewoods catalogue back in 1998. The fact we are still doing what we love 25 years later, although thankfully, now in a much bigger shed, is a constant source of surprise to me. It seems the old adage, ‘time flies when you are having fun’ is true.”