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System Audio originated in 1984, when guitarist and electronics technician Ole Witthoft grew dissatisfied with the lack of realism he heard from most home audio systems and figured he could do better. He built some speakers for himself and for a few friends, with encouraging results. It's a familiar story: we all know competent hobbyist speaker builders. A few of them gain a bit of local notoriety, but most never venture further than making a few units for friends and relatives.

But Witthoft's reputation grew rapidly, and so did his business. Fourteen years later, his little startup has become a serious player in the loudspeaker market, with annual production in excess of 18,000 units.

Accidentally Extraordinary, huh? That's a pretty tricky business plan. Not quite sure how you pull that off. I reckon "jumping into a new market, giving it all you've got, and doing a pretty good job of making a good looking and good sounding headphone" a more achievable goal.

Be hard to fit that on your business card, though.

Not to be cynical, but I've heard, over the years, countless variations on that sentiment. Not to be naïve, but it rang with somewhat-greater-than-usual sincerity when given voice by 45-year-old Richard Wugang—founder, with his late father, of Virginia-based Sophia Electric, Inc.

Of course they're gorgeous looking, B&W just doesn't make stuff that's not drop-dead sexy. The big surprise here is how good they sound...how damned good they sound in some ways!