Features

In late December AnalogPlanet paid a long overdue visit to Manley Labs' Chino, California headquarters. "Long overdue" because the last visit was at least fifteen years ago—before you could record a factory tour in high-definition.

Manley Labs is unique in that it designs and manufactures vacuum tube-based electronics for both the consumer and professional audio markets and has since its founding in the late 1980s.

In 1989 Ms. (not yet) Manley took a sabbatical from Columbia University and went to work at the the VTL factory owned and operated by David Manley.

While VTL specialized in high fidelity products, Manley Labs began with pro audio products including the original 1u Reference 60dB Microphone Preamplifier, the Enhanced Pultec and Mid Frequency Equalizers and the Manley Reference Cardioid and Reference Gold microphones, all of which made their debut at the 1990 Los Angeles AES Show.

In 1993 Manley Labs became a separate entity and opened its Chino factory where it began manufacturing both the pro and high fidelity lines. By then the pro Manley gear was well-accepted in recording studios worldwide.

Within three years David Manley "up and left" the company and moved overseas leaving EveAnna in full control. With her "at the wheel" the company has produced a number of products considered "modern classics" including in 1994 the Manley Stereo Variable Mu® Limiter-Compressor, in 1997: Manley VOXBOX, Manley Stingray® Stereo Integrated Amplifier and in 1998 the Manley Massive Passive® Stereo EQ.

Later came the famous Steelhead and Chinook phono preamplifiers and a Long John Silver's worth of other sea-food-based electronic delicacies including most recently the Absolute tube headphone amplifier that you'll see in the video.