All
Pilot
Website:https://www.pilotradio.com/
Est. year: 1919
Pilot is an American tube electronics brand with roots in the Pilot Electric Manufacturing Company, founded by Isidor Goldberg in Brooklyn, New York, in 1919. The original firm made radios, shortwave receivers, televisions and cinema electronics, turned fully to hi-fi in 1952, introduced its Curtain of Sound stereo concept in 1959 and was sold in 1962. The name returned in 2025 with two tube components.
Range & what it's known for
The revived range has two products. The 232 stereo power amplifier uses EL84 output tubes in pure Class A for 15 W per channel, with RCA and balanced XLR inputs, 4 and 8 ohm taps and a balanced headphone output. The matching phono and line preamplifier runs two 12AX7 and two 12AU7 tubes with passive RIAA equalisation. Both use custom US transformers, oil-in-paper capacitors and point-to-point wiring.
Who owns it and where it's made
The relaunch is led by Barak Isidor Epstein, great-grandson of the founder, with engineering by Damon Coffman of Coffman Labs. Design and assembly take place in Dallas, Texas, and in Portland.
The lineup in this catalog
Two models. The Radio 232 power amplifier and the Phono and Line Preamplifier, which has two line inputs and selectable MM and MC phono inputs. Launch prices were USD 4,790 for the amplifier and USD 3,590 for the preamplifier.
Who it's for
Pilot suits a vinyl listener who wants a matched tube pre and power pair with a phono stage built in, and who values hand wiring and a design lineage going back to 1959.
Range & what it's known for
The revived range has two products. The 232 stereo power amplifier uses EL84 output tubes in pure Class A for 15 W per channel, with RCA and balanced XLR inputs, 4 and 8 ohm taps and a balanced headphone output. The matching phono and line preamplifier runs two 12AX7 and two 12AU7 tubes with passive RIAA equalisation. Both use custom US transformers, oil-in-paper capacitors and point-to-point wiring.
Who owns it and where it's made
The relaunch is led by Barak Isidor Epstein, great-grandson of the founder, with engineering by Damon Coffman of Coffman Labs. Design and assembly take place in Dallas, Texas, and in Portland.
The lineup in this catalog
Two models. The Radio 232 power amplifier and the Phono and Line Preamplifier, which has two line inputs and selectable MM and MC phono inputs. Launch prices were USD 4,790 for the amplifier and USD 3,590 for the preamplifier.
Who it's for
Pilot suits a vinyl listener who wants a matched tube pre and power pair with a phono stage built in, and who values hand wiring and a design lineage going back to 1959.
