Disc Players

Founded in 1974 by John Farlowe, the Exposure brand was heralded to make 'real world hi-fi at real world prices', combining minimalist exteriors with 'all the complexity on the inside'. This was not Farlowe's first foray into audio electronics, having cut his teeth with guitar tube amp legends HiWatt after leaving university at the end of the '60s, followed by a stint building studio gear and sound systems for the likes of Pink Floyd. Farlowe's consumer brand was launched with the Exposure I speaker, followed by the II [HFN Jul '77]. The first amps were the III and IV – a solid-state pre/power combination [HFN Oct '78] that stood toe-to-toe with competing black boxes from Naim Audio in Salisbury.

By the mid-'80s, the X integrated amp brought new interest, followed by the XV [HFN May '95], XX and XXV derivatives. The company was rather late to the digital party when it finally launched its first CD player [HFN Mar '99] but this was followed by a series of models including the 2010 CD [HFN Jun '02] and premium XXII CD player [HFN Nov '03]. Early products were designed by Farlowe, and later by his successor Tony Brady from 2000. Although describing itself as 'a British company...', with its design and manufacturing base still based in Lancing, West Sussex, Exposure Electronics was sold to a Malaysian firm nearly 20 years ago. PM