A few years ago, while strolling along a London street, I passed a print gallery. In the window of the gallery was a limited edition print that illustrated a group of 1970s transistor radios. I loved the print, and although it was way out of my price league, it set me thinking. Soon after seeing the transistor print I began work on illustrating a few of my favourite old British hi-fi speakers and amplifiers. I wanted the illustrations to be fundamentally accurate, but also to communicate the warmth and personality that product photography rarely delivers. Every once in a while I’d pick the project up again and do a little more work. Audio Icons, which, as of late 2016, includes t-shirts along with the original prints, is the finished result.

My career in the audio industry now spans well over 30 years; designing speakers, project managing both speakers and electronics, writing reviews, technical features and user manuals. And of course listening. Even before my professional career began I was a teenage enthusiast for all things audio – but speakers especially. When finally I found myself part of the hi-fi speaker industry, at Mordaunt-Short in the early 1980s, I felt privileged to be working with and mixing among the audio engineers, designers and visionaries responsible for some of the products that so enthused me. Audio Icons is partly a tip of the hat to them.

Should Audio Icons inspires any thoughts, or suggestions on future illustrations, or should you want to discuss commissioning a specific hi-fi illustration, please get in touch via the contact form.