TAPCO
Tapco is a brand name for sound reinforcement products including audio mixers, speakers, and amplifiers.
The original Tapco, which stood for "Technical Audio Products COmpany", was founded in 1969 by Greg Mackie and Martin Schneider.[1] Their original product line were guitar amps and PA speakers. They recognized that there were no mixers available with a feature set aimed at the performing musician. The first mixer product, the model 6000 and its variants was successful enough to establish the company and provide revenue for growth. In time, the company produced a line of audio mixers and power amplifiers for sound reinforcement and (later) recording.
In 1979, Tapco was purchased by Electro-Voice who slowly phased out the Tapco name and blended the Tapco products into their own product line.[2][3] The factory space in Redmond, Washington remained active, producing electronic products for EV until perhaps 1989, when the lease ran out. The entire industrial park was razed and high rise office buildings constructed. Microsoft is the current occupant.[citation needed]
In the meantime, Greg Mackie had gone on to found home audio products company AudioControl, and eventually Mackie whose initial product line bore similarities to Tapco. In 2003, Mackie purchased the rights to the Tapco name from Electro-Voice, applying it to a new line of budget mixers, speakers, amplifiers, and other audio equipment, with the acronym's meaning revised to "Total Audio Production COmpany." All of the products were American designs manufactured in China.[4]
By early 2011, Mackie had phased out production and marketing of "Tapco by Mackie" products and the website had closed. A note on the official Mackie website under "discontinued products" refers to the entire Tapco line as "effectively discontinued."
References[edit]
- ↑ Farinella, David John (27 July 1996). "Mackie Driven To Fill Audio Vacuum". Billboard: 54. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
- ↑ "TAPCO Model 6000 Mixer and Preamplifier". Pro Sound News. Future plc. August 2001. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
- ↑ Clark, Keith. "EV At 90: Powering The Passion Of Performance For Nine Decades (And Counting)". Pro Sound News. Future plc. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
- ↑ White, Paul. "Tapco S5". Sound On Sound. Sound On Sound. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
External links[edit]
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