ABOUT US
A Legacy of Sound: Atacama Audio and Apollo HiFi
Dear Reader,
Welcome to Atacama Audio and Apollo HiFi! My name is Carl Sambell, and I'm the Managing Director of Sambell Engineering Ltd, the company behind these two leading HiFi furniture brands.
From Aerospace to Audio Excellence
Our story began in 1969 as a sub-contract engineering company in the demanding world of aerospace. We earned the trust of prestigious names like Rolls Royce and British Aerospace, honing our skills in high-precision metalwork.
A Passion for Sound Ignites
However, a passion for audio burned bright within the company. In 1987, we embarked on developing a revolutionary HiFi speaker stand design. Initial response was positive, but a focus on core aerospace business put the project on hold.
A Dream Realized
In 1989, I joined the family business, and the potential of those speaker stands reignited. The early 1990s brought economic challenges, forcing us to diversify. We revisited the speaker stand concept, recognizing its unique qualities:
- Performance-driven design: Offering superior sound isolation and affordability compared to industrial-looking competitors.
- Visually appealing: Complementing the aesthetics of home audio setups.
The Atacama Brand Takes Flight
In 1992, we debuted the refined "SE" series of speaker stands under the brand Atacama. An aggressive marketing campaign, coupled with positive reviews from HiFi Choice and What HiFi?, propelled the SE24 model to "Best Buy" and "HiFi Accessory of the Year" accolades.
A Commitment to Innovation
Building on this success, Atacama expanded into equipment supports with the award-winning Equinox Series of HiFi racks in 2001. Our engineering background led us to explore new materials, with bamboo composite emerging as a focus in 2011. This focus on innovation not only yielded performance benefits but also offered an eco-friendly alternative to traditional hardwoods.
The Apollo Brand Joins the Family
In 2013, the acquisition of Apollo HiFi allowed us to pursue distinct development paths. While Atacama embraces bamboo and performance-driven design, Apollo caters to those seeking traditional wood aesthetics and practical features like vinyl storage solutions.
A Legacy of Award-Winning Design
Both brands have continued to garner recognition. Atacama's bamboo-based Eris Eco 5, Evoque Eco 60-40 standard SE and SE2 racks have received "Equipment Support of the Year" awards 2013-2023, while the Moseco speaker stand has achieved a remarkable streak of yearly wins from What HiFi?
Apollo's modular Storm 6 HiFi and the new Atacama Elite Eco 24 rack have also recently earned a prestigious 5-star rating.
The Future of HiFi Furniture
Our passion for innovation is relentless. The NeXXus series of speaker stands exemplifies this commitment, offering a multitude of customization options for height, top plate size and we have recently acquired the HiFi Racks brand which will allow us to further expand our range of hifi furniture options and finishes in the future.
Thank you for your interest in Atacama Audio and Apollo HiFi. We strive to meet and exceed your expectations for HiFi speaker stands and AV rack support design. We look forward to bringing you even more ground breaking products in the years to come.
Carl Sambell
Managing Director
July 2024
