BGW Systems

Infobox Company
name = BGW Systems, Inc.

type = Privately held company
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foundation = Hawthorne, California, 1971
founder = Brian Gary Wachner
location_city = Montebello, California
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industry = Audio electronics, Sheet metal, Computer systems
products = Model 750 series and Grand Touring series power amplifiers
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owner = Amplifier Technologies, Inc.
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homepage = http://www.bgw.com/
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BGW Systems is a designer and manufacturer of audio power amplifiers based in Southern California. The company also manufactures other audio electronics designs as well as computer systems and sheet metal products.

History

Founded by Brian Gary Wachner in 1971 in his garage while he was employed as a field sales representative for National Semiconductor, BGW scored its first major success in 1974 when Universal Studios selected BGW to supply thousands of Model 750 and 750A amplifiers for its Sensurround cinema subwoofer sound effects systems. Following the positive industry exposure from Sensurround, BGW amps began to be installed permanently in many movie theaters as well as at theme parks and nightclubs. By 1978, BGW amplifiers were installed in greater numbers in discothèques than any other amplifier.

Wachner co-wrote a paper for the Audio Engineering Society (AES) in 1975, addressing the problem of differing power claims in the amplifier industry and the hope that power rating standards set by the Federal Trade Commission would narrow the 'credibility gap'. [ [http://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=2437 AES E-Library: "FTC Power Ratings: An Optimistic View by Wachner, Brian C.; Robbins, Michael S."] ]

BGW introduced an audio crossover product in 1979 and new amplifier lines in '80 and '82. By 1983, BGW's skill in sheet metal work (acquired in fabricating their substantial amplifier housings) had grown to the point of it becoming its own source of company revenue. BGW began supplying finished metal products to a number of industries, and established a BGW-branded "Rack and Roll" line of 19-inch rack hardware in 1991. [ [http://livedesignonline.com/mag/show_business_product_news_7/ Livedesign. March 1, 1999. William L. Mailman. "Product News"] ]

In 1985, Wachner delivered a paper to the AES regarding guidelines for power amplifier evaluation. [ [http://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=11503 AES E-Library: "Guidelines for Power Amplifier Evaluation by Wachner, Brian Gary"] ]

1987 saw the introduction of the Grand Touring series of amplifiers, beginning with the GTA. Its successor, the GTB, came out the next year. This model line, designed for the road and known for its rugged durability and conservative power rating, was adopted by many concert sound companies, some of whom became BGW dealers. Wachner himself visited these dealers, flying around the United States in his private airplane to meet them. His interaction with the sound reinforcement system company owners and operators led to Wachner's work on signal processing in conjunction with amplifier power in order to achieve flat power response in multi-band sound systems; a paper given to AES in May 1988. [ [http://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=4627 AES E-Library: "Combining Signal Processing and Power Amplification to Produce Flat Power Response Multi-Way Sound Reinforcement Programs by Wachner, Brian G."] ]

BGW Systems is used as an example in a guidebook for companies seeking Small Business Administration loans. In 1991, BGW applied for and received a loan of US$200,000 in order to extend sales internationally. By 1995, 60% of BGW's sales were from outside the US. [ [http://www.nemw.org/amc1a.htm "Advancing Manufacturing Competitiveness: A Practitioners' Guide to Federal Assistance". Charles Bartsch, Kerry Sutten, Richard Purcell. 1995] ]

In 1992, the BGW U86 rack-mounted computer was introduced as an entirely new product line. At the same time, the Universal Chassis product was introduced from the sheet metal department.

THX gave their approval to the BGW M2200 self-powered subwoofer introduced in 1993. The subwoofer contained four 15" drivers, crossover circuitry, and an internal amplifier based on the Grand Touring series design. [ [http://home.earthlink.net/~mixthat/par/bgwsub.html Pro Audio Review, April 1997. Mark Farmer. "BGW Systems Inc. M2200 Subwoofer"] ] THX quality assurance also approved the BGW M1100 subwoofer (basically half of an M2200) in 1995 and the Millennium amplfier line in 1996.

BGW's prominence and Wachner's involvement in the industry led to the Los Angeles section of AES asking Wachner to chair the section for two years.

Brian Gary Wachner died of an aggressive cancer on October 22 1997 at the age of 52. His widow, Barbara Wachner, had been deeply involved in company operations since its founding; she assumed the position of company president. [ [http://www.aes.org/aeshc/docs/jaes.obit/JAES_V46_6_PG599.pdf AES Journal, June 1998. "In Memoriam" by Garry Margolis] ] Their son, Jeff Wachner, became the primary public contact for BGW. [ [http://images.mixonline.com/files/141/MMD2003/manufacturers.pdf Mixonline "Manufacturers" (2003)] ]

Steve Lyle joined BGW in 2000, taking over as chief engineer. [ [http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:L948jGiQ3rUJ:mixonline.com/mag/audio_current_4/+bgw+hawthorne&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us Mix magazine. November 1, 2000. "Current"] ]

Present

On October 20 2003, the Wachners sold BGW Systems to Amplifier Technologies, Inc. of Montebello, California. Under ATI, BGW has introduced several new amplifier designs [ [http://news.harmony-central.com/Newp/2005/Musicians-Series-Amps.html Harmony Central. May 28, 2005. "BGW Systems Launches Musicians' Series Power Amps"] ] but has reduced its industry profile; BGW's last appearance at an industry trade show was at the NAMM Show in January, 2003. [ [http://www.bgw.com/about/BGW_Show_Schedule.asp BGW Show Schedule] ]

Though several of BGW's products met THX quality assurance standards in the mid-1990s extending through to 2002, [ [http://www.cinemaequipmentsales.com/ethx1.html Cinema Equipment Sales. "THX Approved Equipment" as of Spring 2002] ] BGW is no longer represented on THX product listings. [ [http://www.thx.com/products/professional/pdf/ApprovedEquipList.pdf "THX Approved Equipment." Autumn 2007] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.bgw.com/ BGW website]