At some point during the mid-sixties I saw an article with photos of the sound system that Richard Arbib had built into his lounge in his Gerrards Cross home. His role in the electronics world was noted, reporting him as the MD of Multicore Solders Ltd. As one who had made crystal sets and later electronic kits I knew of Multicore Solders. Everyone regardedit as the best product on the market.
So it was with great pleasure that I received a phone call from the man himself asking if I would supply him with a Revox tape recorder. As I was living in Beaconsfield at the time it was no great problem for me to deliver it personally.
Richard and I got on well, talking hi-fi and recording until we were blue in the face. After that meeting we socialised with wives on many occasions and Richard advised me on how to be more efficient in business. Multicore had a very good American distributor and Richard introduced me to Leonard Carduner, President of British Industries Corporation (BIC) who handled the Garrard record changer line.
In 1967 I visited the USA with Michel Ray, export manager for Revox. We met outside Harvey Radio on the corner of 46th Street. We climbed into his black Cadillac Limo. All the windows snapped shut and the AC came on. My first experience of AC in a hot climate – NYC in the summer.
As we drove onto Long Island I commented that his company had just placed a 48 page insert in the industries’ most expensive journal, Stereo Review. I asked how he knew that that was a worthwhile expense. “Well I know that half of what I spend is wasted. The trouble is I don’t know which half” was his reply.