Two major figures in high end audio have quietly moved on from long-held positions.
Jürgen Reis, MBL's chief engineer for 42 years, has left MBL. Reis is the person who took the core idea of the Radialstrahler speaker and turned it a viable product.
In an email, Reiss told Stereophile, "The transition from MBL Akustikgeräte to MBL International does go differently to what I would like to see or would / can support. It appears that there are different views regarding both the company's legacy (all my work) and its future direction.
"I remain available to support former importers, dealers, and customers, and I am happy to assist directly. However, I am no longer affiliated with MBL International. I wish nothing but the best for the company, as this has been my life's work."
On May 27, 2025—just after last year's High End Munich show, at which MBL had its usual good sound—MBL Akustikgeräte filed for insolvency. The company was promptly acquired by a holding company formed for the purpose by Chinese luxury goods group Chow Tai Seng Jewelry Co., Ltd., which, in addition to its jewelry business, owned MBL's Chinese distribution company.
Jeremy Bryan, formerly President and CEO of MBL North America, Inc., resigned from that position in November 2025. Bryan, who worked with MBL under three owners for 25 years, wrote, "I have dedicated most of my adult life to MBL with passion, faith, and appreciation for the love and engineering and manufacturing prowess the MBL team, under the guidance of Chief Engineer Jürgen Reis, brought to its high-end products and systems. These systems ultimately deliver what I consider 'joy machines': systems and components that not only perform at the highest levels but are capable of simply disappearing and leaving behind only the joy we all find in our own unique relationship with the music we love.
"Many discussions with MBL International since have made clear that conflicting strategies to advance and protect the MBL brand in North America and worldwide could not be reconciled."
David Gordon has left Audio Research.
Gordon's career at Audio Research Corporation began when the company's founder, Bill Johnson, hired him in 1989. Over 34 years, he became the face of Audio Research, the human behind the machines. In 2023, the company hit a rough patch, and its assets were acquired by a holding company run by Valerio Cora, head speaker maker Acora Acoustics. Gordon decided to move on after discovering that the company's new market approach does not align with his own goals.
"I am and will remain a huge fan of Audio Research," Gordon wrote in an email. "It is a remarkable company that just celebrated its 56th anniversary. I can tell you without reservation that their new products are wonderful. I was fortunate to work with some wonderful people, including Bill [Johnson], Rich Larson, Terry Dorn, Ward Fiebiger, Brandon Lauer, and many others, and they will remain my friends."
David Gordon has left Audio Research.
Gordon's career at Audio Research Corporation began when the company's founder, Bill Johnson, hired him in 1989. Over 34 years, he became the face of Audio Research, the human behind the machines. In 2023, the company hit a rough patch, and its assets were acquired by a holding company run by Valerio Cora, head speaker maker Acora Acoustics. Gordon decided to move on after discovering that the company's new market approach does not align with his own goals.
"I am and will remain a huge fan of Audio Research," Gordon wrote in an email. "It is a remarkable company that just celebrated its 56th anniversary. I can tell you without reservation that their new products are wonderful. I was fortunate to work with some wonderful people, including Bill [Johnson], Rich Larson, Terry Dorn, Ward Fiebiger, Brandon Lauer, and many others, and they will remain my friends."
