"What you know you can't explain, but you feel it. You've felt it your entire life, that there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is, but it's there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad." While that quote may apply to other things, it applies perfectly to my obsession wtih pro audio gear. What's wrong with the world is that there's not enough GOOD pro audio gear! And my obsession is to fill the world with more of it. That's how Kenetek came into being.
The first piece of equipment to wear the Kenetek brand name was a Teletronix LA-2A clone I built around 1992. It was basically built out of old spare parts scavenged from other tube gear I ripped apart. Click here to read more about it. As far as I know, it's still out there somewhere, in somebody's studio. I lost track of its whereabouts about 5 years ago.
From that humble piece of gear was spawned the first "production" piece, the CLA-2a. Approximately 32 or 33 CLA-2a's were manufactured, and they are now scattered all over the world. The first CLA-2a was built around 1994 or so. Over the next 6 years I built essentially four versions of the CLA-2a. Click here to see all about them.
In 1995 I embarked on a project to build an exact clone of the Urei 1176LN. As far as I know, my efforts predated all of the currently available copies, including the Purple Audio. I built three and a half 1176's. One is still sitting in my lab waiting for me to finish final assembly. Click here for more on the Kenetek 1176LN.
Along the way I also built several tube microphone preamplifiers and at least one VCA-based solid state compressor. Click here to see what there is to see about them.
I am a huge proponent of building your own gear. It's true that gear you build yourself really does sound better than mass-produced, store-bought gear - if you take your time, are careful, and most importantly, love building gear. There are several reasons for this phenomenon. First, you can pick and choose your components based on your own personal preferences. Second, you can match values and perform other quality assurance activities during the build process that are too expensive for mass production. Third, you can tailor the gear to your own studio. And if your latest project doesn't quite sound like you hoped it would, you can change it until it does. Click here to see more resources if you're into building your own gear, or just want to know more about it.
I really hope you enjoy this site. I'm looking forward to adding to it and making it grow.
-Joe Electro
Proprietor
Kenetek, LLC