Braun atelier
Atelier is the name of a series of HiFi components from the Braun company that were manufactured from 1979 onwards. On March 31, 1991 Braun stopped the production of hi-fi devices. One last edition was distributed with great media support, which is still enjoyed by a large community of enthusiasts and is exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa).
Braun consumer electronics
The company history of Braun GmbH began in 1921 with the production of radio accessories. The company developed radios and record players as early as the prewar period . After the Second World War, the production of razors and household appliances began and continues to this day. The manufacture of entertainment electronics remained a focus of the company's business until the 1980s. The Braun products are characterized by their unmistakable design, which has found international recognition and is considered to be a style-defining element for German design in specialist circles.
The Atelier series
This article mainly deals with the devices of the last series of the Atelier series.
In 1981 the entertainment electronics division was spun off from the company that had been part of the Gillette Group since 1967 and taken over by a / d / s. Production initially took place in the same factories. Later some of the devices were made to order in the Far East. The designers Dieter Rams and Peter Hartwein were still responsible for the design.
The terms “ form follows function ” and “less, but better” used by Dieter Rams were decisive . Free from any suspicion of arbitrariness, it was the intention of the designers to create a long-lasting product that is characterized by a modern, timeless shape and ease of use.
All devices were produced in black and in a 'crystal gray' - unusual for consumer electronics - (including speakers).
The housings are flat with uniform dimensions (44.5 cm wide and 7 cm high) (the exception is the video recorder over 9 cm high and of course the television because of the screen unit); This effect is visibly enhanced by the 45 ° beveled top and bottom edges (the 45 ° chamfering was repeated in the shapes of the furniture group consisting of equipment cupboards and loudspeakers). On the back of the device, freely hinged metal panels that can be folded down cover the cables and plug contacts. Formally, they gave the back the same appearance as the front (only without buttons) and made the devices so that they could be set up anywhere in the room - a unique selling point of the series at the time. In addition, the designation of the plug-in contacts was printed on the inside of the flaps, making it easier to see.
Seldom used functions are hidden behind folding panels (especially the fold-out " Toblerone " on CD3 and CD5 is remarkable). In the first two series (A1, T1, C1, P1 and A2, T2, C2, P2) rotary controls were integrated into the grid in such a way that they corresponded.
Special equipment cabinets were produced for the Atelier series (GS3, GS4, GS5 and GS6), which can be equipped with records or plastic slots for CDs, MC or VHS cassettes. A subwoofer (SW2) fits into the line of the device cabinets. A TV loudspeaker (LTV) has the same design as the device (both loudspeaker systems have a perforated sheet metal front and are matched to device colors).
The screen tube of the TV was framed by a noticeable thick rubber lip, which was part of the housing (kept in the same color as the housing), while the narrower base part took up the shape of the other devices and could be lined up with them.
The modular structure ensures that the components work together both aesthetically and technically. All Atelier components (exception: TV3 , VCR ) have uniform grid dimensions and can thus be positioned in a variety of ways.
This togetherness also has its technical equivalent. The system could be wired in such a way that switching on the television triggered the activation of the amplifier and sound reproduction via the hi-fi system. All devices of the last series can be networked in such a way that they can be controlled with just one remote control. The desired device is selected using a slide on the remote control. Changing tabs reveal the appropriate key labels and functions. The tabs are interchangeable and have been added to each new device. The system was intended to be expandable in the future. The selection is not only device-oriented, but also function-oriented. For example, if the CD player is selected, the CD drive can be controlled with the same buttons that are responsible for the cassette recorder or turntable.
From 1987, the control units also have an interface for complete control, for example via a personal computer . These possibilities are only being used today. Corresponding control programs for the PC have been available for some time.
The successful positioning of the Atelier devices on the market was, however, quite difficult. On the one hand, the underlying philosophy was ahead of its time and therefore only accessible to a limited number of potential customers; on the other hand, the prices of the devices were located in a region that limited sales figures. The last editions were offered in packages of 10,000 DM, 7,000 DM and 5,000 DM (price in black without loudspeakers, television or video recorder or equipment cabinets). The limitation of the housing dimensions also pushed the technology of the time to its limits, so that some devices in the series are more susceptible to repair than the series previously produced by Braun. Today these problems are known and can be eliminated by specialists with comparatively small modifications.
The end of the HiFi era at Braun was justified in a booklet with the following words:
“The consumer electronics market is characterized by ruinous cutthroat competition worldwide. The Japanese manufacturers in particular have shortened the project cycles of hi-fi components alarmingly - you know for yourself that manufacturers who do not offer an innovation or at least cosmetic pseudo changes every 24 months at the latest are quickly suspected of obsolescence.
From today's perspective it is not to be expected that the world market situation will relax. It is much more likely that competition will intensify. This increasingly risky development would mean, on the one hand, having to soften certain principles of the Braun design philosophy (e.g. honesty, longevity) and, on the other hand, having to use funds that are out of proportion to the overall business of Braun AG. The historic decision was made at the end of May 1990. Braun will no longer support this development. Braun HiFi will become history. "
Overview of the devices and production figures of the Atelier series
Prices at that time in DM (black / gray) version
| Type | year | Price* | production | number of pieces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receiver preamplifier | ||||
| CC4 | 1987 | 1,750 / 1,850 | 11 / 87–01 / 90 | 3,500 (Sampo percent) |
| CC4 / 2 | 1989 | 1,750 / 1,850 | 02 / 89-12 / 90 | 4,190 (Tatung proc.) |
| receiver | ||||
| T1 | 1980 | 468 | 10 / 80-12 / 82 | |
| T2 | 1982 | 950 | 10 / 82-03 / 87 | 20,000 |
| amplifier | ||||
| A1 | 1980 | 598 | 09 / 80-12 / 82 | |
| A2 | 1982 | 1,050 | 10 / 82-03 / 87 | 21,000 |
| PA4 | 1987 | 1,750 / 1,850 | 11 / 87-11 / 89 | 5,000 |
| PA4 / 2 | 1990 | 1,750 / 1,850 | 01 / 90-12 / 90 | 2,000 |
| Control devices (receiver / preamplifier / power amplifier) | ||||
| R1 | 1981 | 1,250 | 05 / 82-05 / 85 | 8,000 |
| R2 | 1986 | 1,500 / 1,600 | 01 / 86-12 / 90 | 10,900 |
| R4 | 1987 | 2,500 / 2,600 | 10 / 87-12 / 88 | 7,000 (Sampo percent) |
| R4 / 2 | 1989 | 2,500 / 2,600 | 03 / 89–12 / 90 | 10,000 (Tatung percentage) |
| Record player | ||||
| P1 | 1980 | 688 | 10 / 80-12 / 82 | |
| P2 | 1982 | 800 | 12 / 82-12 / 86 | |
| P3 | 1982 | 960 / 1,098 | 12 / 83-12 / 86 | |
| P4 | 1984 | 1,400 / 1,550 | 05 / 84-12 / 90 | 18,500 |
| Cassette recorder | ||||
| C1 | 1980 | 848 | 10 / 80-12 / 82 | |
| C2 | 1982 | 1,300 | 10 / 82-04 / 84 | 7.120 |
| C3 | 1983 | 1,800 / 1,950 | 11 / 83-12 / 87 | 10,200 |
| C4 | 1987 | 2,200 / 2,300 | 10 / 87-12 / 90 | 11,500 |
| C2 / 3 | 1988 | 1,250 / 1,350 | 05 / 88-12 / 90 | 7,320 |
| Compact disc player | ||||
| CD3 | 1985 | 2,500 / 2,600 | 10 / 85-12 / 87 | 13,850 |
| CD4 | 1986 | 2,000 / 2,100 | 12 / 86-05 / 89 | 11,470 |
| CD2 | 1988 | 1,300 / 1,400 | 12 / 88– | 15,100 |
| CD5 | 1988 | 2,500 / 2,600 | 05 / 88-10 / 89 | 3,400 |
| CD 2/3 | 1989 | 1,500 / 1,600 | -12/90 | 10,000 |
| CD 4/2 | 1989 | 2,000 / 2,100 | 11 / 89-12 / 90 | 3,300 |
| CD 5/2 | 1989 | 2,500 / 2,600 | 12 / 89-12 / 90 | 3,100 |
| TV / VCR | ||||
| TV 3 | 1986 | 3,000 / 3,100 | 12 / 86-12 / 89 | |
| VC 4 | 1988 | 3,000 / 3,100 | 12 / 88-12 / 89 | 9,200 |
| RC1 | 1986 | 300/350 | 05 / 85-12 / 90 | 31,960 |
| TV speakers / rollboard | ||||
| LTV (flat speaker) | 1987 | 200/280 | ||
| LSV (formerly LS40) | 1986 | 300 | ||
| RB 1 | 1989 | |||
| Equipment cabinets / equipment base | ||||
| GS 3 (roller shutters) | 1984 | 350 | ||
| GS 3V roller shutter (video) | 1988 | 350 | ||
| GS 4 (open) | 1984 | 200 | ||
| GS 5 | 1989 | 375 | ||
| GS 6 (high) | 1989 | 500 | ||
| AF 1 | 1982 | 350 | 10 / 83-03 / 90 | 11,500 |
Todays situation
Some of the devices are still in great demand today and achieve high sales prices on the used goods market.
In the meantime, there are also private new productions in which small numbers of Atelier cases are provided with new technology, offered and sold. However, these products are not authorized by Braun. There are also individual dealers who have remaining stocks of spare parts and who sell or repair Braun devices.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Remote control ( memento of the original from March 1, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Jo Klatt: Braun Tax List - production figures, prices, collector's prices. Design + Design publishing house, 1994
Web links
- Braun Atelier series in the Hifi-Wiki
- Information about controlling the devices via the PC
- Forum for Braun products (focus on HiFi)
- Radio Braun with forum (forum discontinued)
- History of the Braun company
- design + design magazine for Braun collectors, Braun + Design Tax List
- Backgrounds and stories about Braun Hifi in the Hifi Museum