FM ACOUSTICS was founded in May 1973 by the young Manuel Huber. Specializing in R&D, acoustic and vibration analyses the small lab was hired for consultancy work by a variety of clients.

Holder of a number of patents, Manuel Huber's FM ACOUSTICS introduced the first non-resonant horn (later copied by world renown manufacturers).
This was followed by a unique forced air-cooled bass driver, the development of rear plate air venting and the 'in-gap' cooling of voice coils followed by the first high-efficiency ultra-compact multi-way speaker (later copied by several pro manufacturers).

Over the years FM ACOUSTICS developed a number of specific technologies and unorthodox solutions that set world standards.

that was then used for room analyses repeatedly damaged the expensive reference transducers by emitting full DC voltage (70V DC blows speakers instantly), it was decided to solve the continuous amplifier problems once and for all. The design of a robust power amplifier with safeguarding, an efficient high performance cooling system, higher output power and much better control of speaker diaphragms (all weaknesses of the design that at that time was the State of the Art in power amplification) was initiated. Only four pieces of this amplifier were built as this amplifier was designed for own use in room analyses.

was loaned to musician friends because their amplifier had broken down. They refused to return it commenting: "we'll never return the FM 800A because it sounds fantastic, so much better than the other power amps..." (at that time it was a general accepted fact that "all transistor amps with similar power and specifications sound the same").

This "much better sound" provoked a massive research effort to find the reasons for the audible superiority over other power amplifiers. Over the years, this self-financed R&D has provided a wealth of know how which allows a major advantage in better understanding certain interactions and circuit behaviour under dynamic conditions. It is the application of this proprietary know-how that makes FM ACOUSTICS products unique.

To calm the continuous requests from other musicians, ten pieces of FM 800A's were made for them. A short while after these had been delivered, more requests were received, initially from neighbouring countries and later from overseas.

As the activities of the small company were concentrated in research, acoustic and vibration analyses there was no manufacturing plant and there had never been any thought of manufacturing. However, more and more requests kept pouring in and when a telex with an order for several hundred power amplifiers arrived, it became clear that there were some good reasons for this continuous serious interest.
Ignoring this was not logical. After deliberation it was decided to move ahead and invest in a small manufacturing facility.

The success of the FM 800A (it found its way into hundreds of concert halls, studios, opera houses etc. and was hailed in the domestic market by "underground" magazines as the ultimate power amplifier) led to further orders and further growth. Additional products were asked for and these developments again led to further growth - and on..., and on...

A massive improvement in low noise preamplification resulted in the first product that was designed specifically for domestic use: the FM 212 pre-preamplifier for MC cartridges. Even before that, FM 600A's & FM 800A's had found their way into homes - initially by renown musicians and producers who requested the same sound quality at home that they had experienced in the studio - then by more and more music lovers and aficionados who discovered the singular realism and transparency that an FM ACOUSTICS provides.

Special Line stages and preamplifiers followed. A tremendous breakthrough was once again achieved with the unique linear-phase electronic crossovers.

Further exquisite and non-orthodox units were developed.
Never was any "me-too" product designed. A new product was only introduced when a true breakthrough had been reached (...and not always was this the case; more than one expensive project had to be scrapped because there just was no real breakthrough...).

in the midst of the CD craze - when practically everybody pronounced the LP 'dead' - a product was boldly introduced that led to a breakthrough in LP resurgence: the absolutely singular FM 222 Phono Linearizer / Preamplifier.

For the first time in 40 years it was possible to hear records how they originally were meant to be heard. Librarists, collectors and music lovers became aware that an absolutely vital part of the information, the existence of many different pre-emphasis curves in mastering, had just been forgotten or negated by the other designers. Even the media had not reported about such facts in all these years.

The ultra low noise design in conjunction with optimal cartridge loading and continuously variable de-emphasis curves - that are able to accurately reproduce any pre-emphasis curve ever used - led to a revolution in reproduction capability.

Today, the FM 123 and FM 223 with their phenomenal de-click and de-crackle circuits are the uncontested leaders in phono pre-amplification. Never would one have thought possible what these two units are able to extract from record grooves.

It is a true revelation. Record collections worldwide are gaining an entirely new life.
FM ACOUSTICS Phono Linearizers have been embraced by the worlds most prominent record libraries (some housing millions of records), remastering studios and collectors as absolute reference.

These unique masterpieces remain uncontested, a testimony to how advanced FM ACOUSTICS' R&D is and how good an investment an FM ACOUSTICS really is. 

concentrating on research, acoustics and vibration analyses has become the world's leading precision audio company deeply dedicated to its goal with a serious and non-compromising approach and products that stand the test of time.

A company that is faithful to its customers as well as its products, a company that avoids hype and marketing gimmicks and convinces with its products rather than with words and flashy presentations.

The developments and the introduction of singular products has continued unabated. An example are the amazing "Harmonic Linearizers", for music aficionados as important a breakthrough as the Phono Linearizers. You will find some information about the FM 133 and FM 233 "Harmonic Linearizers" under "products".